Myofascia… it’s like an orange
The words fascia or myofascia seems to be everywhere but what exactly do they mean? Fascia is complicated and not complicated - I know this is an oxymoron. The basic definition is not too complicated, fascia is a 3D continuum of soft collagen containing loose and dense fibrous connective tissues that permeate the body. The fascial system interpenetrates and surrounds all organs, muscles, joints and nerve fibers essentially joining our bodies into one structure. It’s basically why the “knee bone’s connected to the hip bone”. The tissue does more than provide internal structure though; it is rich in nerve endings that make it incredibly sensitive. When stressed, your fascia will tighten up on you. This is where it gets complicated - and interesting.
The ‘‘myo’ part of myofascial refers to your muscles. Muscles are contractile tissue with ends that thicken and attach to bones. This enables our muscles to guide our skeletal system. Put together myofacial encompasses both our fascial and muscular systems and in an indirect way our skeletal systems as well.
Let’s dissect an orange. The peel is your skin, the juicy fleshy parts are your muscles and your facia is the membrane surrounding each segment. The state of each of these parts determines how delicious your orange it. For example, a dried out tough orange is NOT good. Your myofascia is meant to glide easily when we move our bodies - even when we breathe. When this doesn’t happen things get sticky and we experience pain and dysfunction.
