Fascia

The fascia of the body is the tough connective tissue that holds us together. It keeps our livers from falling out, our lungs from exploding, our intestines from falling down into our pelvises, and it envelopes each and every structure of our body. The tiniest nerve has its own fascial sheath as does the largest bone. It may be called our internal body stocking but it also envelopes every individual organ.

Most fascia in the body are longitudinal but at certain areas of the body transverse fascia act as support for the body. These are the diaphragms of the pelvis, the thorax and the thoracic inlet. At these points tension may accumulate and cause pathology to develop.

The total body fascia is a single system. One can trace any one place in the body to any other place without ever leaving the fascia. This means that any abnormal tension patterns in the fascia may be transmitted from one body part to another.

Fascia is mobile to some extent under healthy circumstances and allow for physiological body movements, offering little or no resistance.

This is because fascia consists of elastin (contracts after stretch), collagen fibre (non-elastic) and ground substance (water, electrolytes, minerals and metabolites).

Fascia tend to become more fibrous and less elastic when traumatised or diseased. There is less fluid exchange of metabolites and toxic build-up results in inflammation and pain. Inflammation is caused by dysfunctional binding of collagen which takes up heat energy. At this point, aggressive manipulation will initiate a sympathetic tone and increase tension whereas the light touch of craniosacral therapy releases the heat energy and restores the fascia and tissue back to its former elasticity.