The Latest Science of Fascia

CNN recently posted two articles highlighting both the newness of our understanding of fascia and its importance. Fascia is proposed to be the largest organ in our body. It holds and connect everything together. Scientists now believe what many myofascial, craniosacral and stuctural integration therapists know, fascia can also cause pain, injury, premature aging and lack of mobility.

As we manipulate fascia, it becomes more flexible, nourished and mobile from the tissues around it. However, as we manipulate fascia we are also applying friction to muscles, releasing impinged nerves and restricted blood vessels, and moving fluids. It's because of this complexity of the human body that we may never know exactly why fascial release and massage work at any given point in treatment.

However, there are limited studies on fascia:

• A very small 2017 study in healthy men using dynamic ultrasound imaging found that myofascial release decreased the stiffness of the fascia in the lower back.
  
• Another study found 20% greater stiffness of the lower back fascia in subjects with chronic lower back pain.
  
• Another study evaluated two sessions of fascial manipulation added to standard care after hip surgery and found a modest improvement in the flexibility in the hip joint.

To understand more about this increasingly important organ, read:

• The Real Science Behind Fascia Ailments 
• Newfound Organ Could Be the Biggest in Your Body