Hello and welcome to this week’s blog, all about how your body is not fragile and why you should get out there and get it moving. This week I am going to talk to you about Fascia. What it is and just how strong it is.
Fascia
Fascia is a more recently discovered element of the human body, yet it is vital to know about it. Often previously discarded during autopsies, this thin sheath of connective tissue which surrounds and holds every nerve. As well as holding every cell, organ, muscle, and more, in place. It is more important to how you move and feel than ever believed. If you are a meat eater and have prepared your meat from scratch, you will have often removed the slimy clear sheath covering your meat. That is fascia.
Fascia contains nerves and is almost as sensitive as your skin and is primarily made up of collagen. The collagen fibres are laid in a wavy pattern in a parallel direction to the pull. It can withstand forces of 2,000lbs of pressure per square inch, and therefore is impossible to manipulate during a sports massage. Any therapist who says they can… is not being honest with you, to be kind. What I can do as a sports massage therapist is affect the muscles within the fascia, the skin laying on top of the fascia, which provides vital feedback to it, to help changes occur within the body itself.
Your Body Is Not Fragile
As well as the fascia covering all the individual elements of the body, there are also large fascial sheets which hold the body together. A great example of this is the thoracolumbar fascia, which encapsulates your back muscles and allows them to work effectively as well as providing additional strength. Through this fascia, each shoulder is directly connected to the opposite hip in your body. Pretty amazing, right?
Think about all the deep layers of tissues that hold your body together, and the amounts of force they can take. The bones are strong too and can take unbelievable force. All of these elements together create your strong body, your body you can move and be healthy with, providing you actually get up off your sofa and move it.
You are not fragile, don’t waste it.
Alongside Sports Massage, I still offer Personal Training for you, tailored to your injury recovery and movement needs. Contact me on [email protected] to find out more.
See you soon!
Chloe