Fascia was most talked about at massage school, and has been
a hot topic in the bodywork field.
Fascia is connective tissue forming a continuous, three-dimensional
matrix, and has different forms and many functions. It surrounds all organs, nerves, blood vessels, muscles and
bones. It also supports the body
against gravity, protects, separates and connects structures of the body, enables
all movement to happen, communicates, delivers nutrients, and eliminates waste. Here is a video showing how fascia looks like.
When you have chronic contraction, repetitive use, emotional
distress or poor nutrition, fascia becomes restricted, adhered, or dehydrated. Since
the whole body is connected with fascia, one part of the body may affect other
parts as well. It is like
pulling one section of a knitted sweater changes the balance and tension of the
threads of yarn of the whole sweater.
The notion of fascia is important for massage therapists because it brings your attention, not only to
specific muscles, but to a whole body.
To understand what fascia feels like, we had an experiment
at massage school using cornstarch.
You need a small paper cup (for mouthwash), water, and cornstarch. Put cornstarch in the cup and add
enough water to cover the cornstarch.
Wait until the cornstarch is settled at the bottom of the cup. Then, stick your finger into the
cornstarch quickly with force. The cornstarch gets hardened, so your
finger stops on the surface and cannot get it through. Next, try to stick your finger into the
cornstarch slowly and gently without
resisting. This time, your
finger can get through the cornstarch and touch the bottom of the cup. Cornstarch is the fascia. You
can sink into the fascia slowly and gently, but not with force.
Fascia is the fundamental component in the Connective Tissue Therapy I learned in school. It touches into the whole person
through addressing fascia and the connections to the entire body. Continue to read “FAQ: Is Deep Tissue Massage painful?”