We’ve all heard of muscles, ligaments, and tendons, but what is fascia? Fascia is connective tissue, which is widespread throughout your entire body. It’s made primarily of collagen and is wrapped around every muscle, bone, nerve, and organ. Its role is to support muscles to shape and stabilise the body by connecting otherwise separate muscles and organs and to compartmentalise muscle groups from organs and other elements of the body.

Another role fascia plays is in force distribution and enables force connected via fascia to other muscles, and when contracted together, the fascia acts as a conductor of force allowing the body to coordinate movement. An important function of muscle fasciae is to reduce friction of muscular force. In doing so, fasciae provide a supportive and movable wrapping for nerves and blood vessels as they pass through and between muscles. Fascia is rigid, strong and cannot be stretched. It can, however, become ‘sticky’ and adhere to surrounding tissues, thereby limiting mobility. Some are innervated by sensory nerve endings, hence pain is felt where ‘stickiness’ occurs. The most common example of fascial pain is the Iliotibiat Band, or ITB, which runs down the outside of your thigh. Another common example of fascial ‘stickiness’ is in the shin presenting as shin splints.

If you are suffering from pain in fascial regions of your body, then myofascial release techniques by a Physiotherapist will improve the mobility of the fascia, which will give pain relief and improve function. Laser Therapy will also help to reduce the adhesions. You will then be taught self-management techniques to maintain this release of tension.