Fascia
Fascia is the connective tissue the encompasses and holds together nearly all the structure in the human body. Without fascia we are just a bunch of bones, muscles and organs with nothing holding it all in place. In musculoskeletal (MSK) disease processes, the fascia often becomes adhesed, fibritic, strained and/or torn. Fascia is a prominent pain generator in the human body and MUST be addressed if treatment is aimed at sustainable relief.
So what is fascia?
If you have ever eaten beef jerky you are, no doubt familiar with the strings that hold it all together. If you have no idea what I am talking about, next time you are in the shop grab some (it's delicious, nutritious, and convenient) and take note when you pull or bite it apart. The muscle cells are all bound by these little collagenous fibers which make up our fascia. They are very strong and provide a structural framework for all of our musculoskeletal system and most of our internal organs. You can think about fascia like a scaffolding or frame upon which everything else is built.​
Why does fascia matter to chiropractors?
This topic does seem to fall within the purview of massage therapy and that is wholly accurate. Massage therapists are working with fascia every day, whether they know it or not and the good ones definitely know. However, the puzzle of musculoskeletal pain goes much deeper and is a lot more connected than many think.
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In the 90s a guy named Tom Meyers was studying fascia and came up with an idea he coined 'tensegrity' which basically describes the interplay between the fascia in different parts of the body. It was revolutionary for body workers because we finally had a way of understanding what we were already seeing in practice and it gave us new ways of treating many common MSK diseases.
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For the chiropractor, joints are the primary focus followed by the muscles that act upon those joints. There is no scenario in which pain exists solely within a joint. The tissues that surround the joint and the muscles actuate it are always involved and this often created new problems like referred pain, muscle imbalances, antalgic posturing, etc. To treat a patients' MSK disease, a competent chiropractor must treat the whole person and that means joint manipulation (adjustments), soft-tissue work, stretching, active care and more to produce results. Sure, adjustments alone do a lot and can certainly be a standalone treatment but if you are interested in making a full recovery or managing a chronic condition effectively you have to appreciate the fascia.
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See ya soon,
Dr Malone