What Is Fascia And How Is It Affected By Block therapy?
I am often asked, “What is fascia?”
I asked this same question many years ago when I was first diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Back then it was described as the ‘film’ that is found under the skin of a chicken. You can see this thin film of tissue when skinning a chicken. It is clear, moist and pliable and it surrounds the entire chicken.
What I didn’t know then, is that fascia is actually a system that covers every muscle, cell, bone, nerve, artery and vein. It also surrounds all of our internal organs, including the heart, lungs, our brain and spinal cord. Fascia is a continuous system. This thin, moist, pliable film connects us from our head to our toes.
Fascia plays a very important role by supporting our body and helping it to function properly. It surrounds and attaches to all of our structures. In a normal, healthy environment this film is moist and pliable, allowing our movements to be easy, painless and flexible.
What Is Fascia? Imagine A Spider Web!
Imagine the fascial system as a spider web. A spider web is a very flexible structure that moves freely and is well supported – even in the wind. Once the bugs (or debris) get caught in this web, it begins to get weighed down.
What Is Fascia? Imagine The Fascial System As A Sweater.
Imagine that you have a beautiful sweater that covers your entire body. Suddenly, your sweater gets a ‘pull’ in it. For a while, you might be able to hide the fact that there is a pull in your sweater, however, years later as that pull becomes more noticeable the structure of the sweater is compromised and it no longer hangs and covers you properly. You can no longer stretch and move your body as freely as you did before while wearing this sweater.
Fascia Is Affected By Trauma
As we go through life we may experience trauma or injury to our bodies. Perhaps we fell hard, maybe we jumped out of a plane and landed on our tail bone. (Yes I did this). Perhaps we experienced whip lash, had surgery – or many surgeries, or we were just unaware of our unconscious posture. All of these things add up over time and the fascial system begins to lose flexibility, it becomes restricted and loses the moisture it once had. Keep in mind that the fascial system is a continuous system that connects us from head to toe. Every muscle, cell, artery, vein, and organ, including the heart, lungs and spinal cord.
Fascia Is Affected By Aging
As we age our fascia continues to wind and spiral and grips to the bone with a force of 2,000 lbs per square inch. That is a huge force! It’s no wonder that as we age, our body becomes less flexible and we experience more and more pain! Many people think that, pain is a normal response and experience with aging – NO!!
YOU Have The Power To Heal Yourself
We were born to experience a full life with an amazing body that is able to find its way back to balance and health, however we do need to help this process. Knowledge is power! We can search and be proactive with our health. I am sure glad I did as I would be using a walker by now if I hadn’t found Fluid Isometrics Block Therapy. What a gift!
When you attend a Fluid Isometrics Block Therapy class you will we begin to understand your body and the power that you have to heal yourself by using the Block Buddy to melt through the ‘frozen’ fascia that is causing restrictions and pain. You have the power and we have the knowledge to change your overall health and wellness. You can be empowered to become your own health advocate. You can have your healthy life back by being the flexible, pain free person you were born to be.
I hope this helps.
Be Blessed, Be Love
Shelley Elhatton RN
Certified Block Therapy Instructor
