It is time you finally got an actual fascia definition. Fascia is the new buzzword that you hear people always talking about, but you never have any idea what in the world is being talked about. Is it muscles, is it plastic bags around muscles and if it is so important why don’t we learn about it in anatomy textbooks? We are going to nail all this down with the fascia definition and explanation of what it is all about.
Fascia Definition
“A thin sheath of fibrous tissue enclosing a muscle or other organ.”
The problem with the fascia definition above is that it does not tell you much does it? You see the words but cannot connect that to why your hips, hamstrings, and back have been so tight lately.
Deeper Fascia Definition
Fascia is connecting tissue that connects the whole body. Most people realize that the entire body is connected but don’t understand that it is fascia that is doing said connecting. The tissue provides the body with frameworks and helps to protect muscles organ and the entire body unit. Here are two ways to think of fascia.
Fascia is Like a Plastic Bag That Wraps Around Tissue
Fascia wraps around your muscles and organs so if the fascia is restricted; it does not matter what you do to manipulate the muscle because the fascia is not healthy. It is like squeezing a plastic bag around a piece of meat and then wondering why the meat will not go back to its normal position. When you free the fascia, you then allow the muscle to be free as well.
Fascia is Like The White Stuff Under an Orange Peel
- Orange Peel = Skin
- White Fibrous Stuff Under Skin = Fascia
- Orange = Muscle or Organ
We all have a layer of fascia that is directly under the skin, and it provides another layer of protection after the skin before reaching muscle tissue. Fascia helps us move smoothly by allowing muscle, skin and other tissue to glide properly over each other. Problems occur when there are restrictions or adhesions to this fascia.
Deeper Fascia Definition – Fascia Restrictions Issues
- Poor blood flow
- Weaker nerve impulses
- Restricted flexibility
- Decrease range of motion
- A decrease in athletic performance
A lot of pain and discomfort is caused by restricted fascia. When fascia is not healthy, it can pull and twist the body out of position. One ripple effect in the fascia in one area can mess up another area that seems to be unrelated. Tight fascia can also restrict nerves and creates problems in their efficiency.
Fascia Definition – How Does Fascia Affect Me?
Some of the ways the fascia affect you include:
- Pain and Fascia: If there is a sudden tightness in any of the fasciae around the body, it could result in pain.
- Nerves and Fascia: Nerves are structures in your body that help to transmit sensations of various kind which is interpreted by the brain. When your fascia is tight, it impinges on the nerves and affects the transmission of sensations around your body.
- Blood and Fascia: If the fascia is too tight, it could restrict blood flow around your body and this can lead to cells in your body dying off because they can’t access the nutrients and oxygen that is usually carried by the blood.
Deeper Fascia Definition – How Can We Improve Our Fascia Health?
There are small things we can all do on a daily basis to improve our fascia health. Walking, sitting or doing any activity with poor form will put out fascia out of whack. The other way that fascia is damaged is by not taking care of injuries properly. Many athletes are guilty of getting hurt and acting like the injury never happened. Even if they think they are healed, chances are the fascia was damaged and never put back in place putting one at a higher risk of injury.
Eat Better
You are what you eat. You have to give your body what it needs to function. Nutrition is the foundation of how you build a good life. Every cell of your body, including fascia, is built by the food we put into our bodies. Better ingredients and the body will be better. If you don’t know what to do, start with eating more vegetables of all different colors. With every meal, you eat to try and get in two handfuls of veggies.
Take Hydration Seriously
The body is 70% water, and if it does not have water, it does not function properly. Think about a dessert and the first thing that comes to mind is dry and crispy. That is the last thing you want your muscles and fascia to be like. Every day you should be carrying a water bottle with you everywhere that you go. Cut out the sugary drinks and a replace them with water.
Improve Your Posture
Posture is important because it sets positions that we are constantly in. The body gets used to these positions and makes that position the new normal. That means many of us to have fascia that has pretty much always been out of place. A lot of us know what good posture feels like, but we don’t have the discipline to maintain it daily. Improving this area is hard but very worth it.
Stretch Daily
The last thing you want to do is make stretching a regular part of your life. The reason stretching helps is that it first helps you to relax your mind and body, and secondly, it helps you to self-correct on tight areas of connective tissue. Stretching is not a replacement for getting treatment, but it is a way to help maintain the body, so you need less treatment.
See a Healthcare Professional and Learn More About The Fascia Definition
One of the best things you can do is a see a trained professional about your fascia. Sports medicine professionals are usually the best for this because they are used to working with athletes that have high-performance demands. If one can get an athlete that pushes their body daily to feel good, they can get you feeling good after a long day of work.
There are a lot of different providers that can help you on this journey including:
- Chiropractors
- Sports medicine physicians
- Acupuncturist
- Physical Therapist
- Massage Therapist
- Registered Dietitian
- and other Holistic Health Providers
If you need help finding an excellent local provider, 9INE POINT Health can help you to do just that. It is the only platform that allows you to search for healthcare providers based on skill set. Meaning if you want a facial expert that also knows massage and nutrition, you can find the best local options. Compare and contrast providers easily by looking at their 9INE POINT Number, which gives them a rating out of 100 based on key metrics you care about. If you need a bit more help than that and you are not sure what type of provider you should see, you can download the 9INE POINT Health Mobile app and get guided down the correct path.
You now no longer have a foggy fascia definition, and you now know how you can use fascia to your advantage.
KHO Health was acquired by was acquire by 9INE POINT in the summer of 2019 and is now referred to as 9INE POINT Health.
