What is fascia and what role does it play in massage therapy? If you’ve ever considered getting a massage or have spoken to a massage therapist, you may have heard the term “fascia” thrown around. While it is part of widely used terminology in the massage field, everyday people rarely encounter the word.
Put simply, fascia is a connective tissue made of collagen that wraps around muscles and internal organs. Steve Jurch, the director of massage therapy for the Women’s Tennis Association, often analogizes fascia to a T-shirt that has come right out of the dryer. A freshly dried shirt is generally a bit tight and wrinkled after the cleaning process so people generally pull and stretch it out until it’s more comfortable. This mirrors the process of fascial therapy in which many of the“techniques are designed to stretch [the fascia] out and allow for [patients] to feel better,” Jurch said in an American Massage Therapy Association journal on “Fascial Therapy” (2012).
Fascia also plays a key role in reducing restrictions on the body. Massage therapists work heavily with fascia in opening up the body, decreasing pain, increasing range of motion, and enhancing flexibility. By stretching out fascia, fascial therapy allows tissues and joints to operate more smoothly, diminishing physical impairments and imbalances. Fascia can become compromised when local circulation to a specific area in the body is reduced, producing knots where fibers stick together. These knots can create a tightness in the body that sometimes we aren’t even aware of until someone massages that point in our body. When fascia builds up regularly, it can be incredibly therapeutic to break it down through deep tissue massage.
Anyone can benefit from the techniques of fascial therapy; there is no target demographic as it has been proven to be effective on almost everyone. In particular, those with postural inefficiencies, movement dysfunction, scar tissue, or athletes may see the most benefits from fascial work. This modality of massage therapy presents numerous benefits for everyday individuals and can treat a variety of issues within the body.
Next time you hear the word “fascia” there’s no need to be intimidated by massage jargon. Instead, understand that fascia is a web of connective tissue that must be continually stretched like any muscle in your body.
The statements on this blog post are not to be used to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent diseases. The author and the website does not in any way guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any statement and will not be held responsible for the content of any message. Always consult your personal physician for specific medical advice.
