Western research has not known about the world of fascia for very long. Surprisingly, until about 20 years ago, it was always removed during anatomical examinations as redundant tissue. Only in recent years has fascia come into scientific focus, increasingly becoming the subject of studies and research. Yet these network-like tissue structures cover pretty much every internal surface of our body. We explain what types of fascia exist to date, what functions they perform in the body, and what connection exists between fascia and sports.
What exactly is fascia?
The word fascia comes from the Latin fascia, which means band or bundle. In principle, our body's fascia is nothing more than collagen-containing connective tissue components. Without going into too much detail, connective tissue and fascia are nevertheless not exactly the same thing. If you want to visualize it, think of it as a white-silvery, translucent, thin fibrous network that literally encases everything in our body: bones and tendons, nerves and blood vessels, organs and muscles. So they are located virtually everywhere in our body, surrounding or connecting a wide variety of structures. They have the ability to bind water and, despite being barely more than a millimeter thick, are extremely tear-resistant and stretchable. In addition to water, fascia consists of various adhesives as well as collagen and elastin fibers. It has also only been known for a few years that fascia possesses its own nerve cells and is therefore receptive to pain stimuli. They are interconnected, meaning tissue injuries may not only be felt locally, but potentially in an entirely different part of the body.
What functions does fascia perform in the body?
Science has broadly divided our body's fascia into three types, which we will address separately below, as they have slightly different tasks depending on their location in the body. Science is still actively researching exactly what our body's fascia system does for us. Generally, however, our fascia fulfills the following functions:
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they provide structure and support to the surrounding tissue wherever they are located
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thanks to their elasticity combined with extreme tear resistance, they function like a shock absorber
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they also act as a kind of messenger system and have a supportive function
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they protect the internal organs
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they support the lymphatic system
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they fulfill a metabolic function (transporting various substances in and out)
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they also seem to play a role in our immune system
Superficial fascia
Superficial fascia is located in our subcutaneous tissue and holds practically all body structures together like a protective shield.
Deep fascia
These fasciae are located on our muscles, bones, and joints. They encase them and create connections between them. Nerves and blood vessels are also encased by deeper fasciae. They are categorized by body regions, for example deep cranial fasciae, deep abdominal fasciae, deep arm fasciae, etc.
Visceral fascia
A third fascia group is often mentioned: visceral fascia tissue. This surrounds the organs like a mesh and lines cavities in our body. Examples of visceral fascia include the meninges, the peritoneum, and the pericardium.
Fascia and sports
The concept of fascia training has gained immense popularity in sports in recent years. There is hardly any discipline that doesn't aim to do something good for the fascia: fascia yoga, fascia massages, Rolfing, and much more. All these disciplines focus heavily on the world of fascia. The latest theories suggest that fascia responds not only to inflammatory messengers, but also to messengers related to stress. It wasn't until 2006 that researchers proved in a study that fascia can contract and relax. It is highly sensitive and supports muscles in force transmission. To keep fascia supple, flexible, and stretchable, you don't even need complicated exercises or the like.
In principle, you are already doing your fascia good with the following movement patterns:
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Move creatively, incorporating small changes into your movement patterns
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Wriggling, stretching, and lengthening yourself every now and then is also good for your fascia
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Incorporate small micro-movements during stretching, which makes them more supple
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Perceptible muscular tension points, so-called trigger points, should be released
You can use foam rollers, which are widely available today. However, a tennis ball or spiky massage ball will also serve you well in manipulating and releasing localized tension. It can be summarized with these principles: stretching, massaging, rolling, and bouncing.
The concept of fascia adhesions
If fascia tissue is used too one-sidedly, the arrangement of the fibers becomes chaotic. It has become common to speak of adhered or hardened fascia structures. Thus, the goal is to make these fibers, which have lost their elasticity, flexible and supple again. Many yoga poses, such as the Child's Pose or Downward-Facing Dog, offer ideal movement patterns for stretching specific body structures. That's why yoga is so well-suited to stretch and mobilize our fascia across various body regions. Nowadays, more and more classes specifically aim to target and stimulate the fascia to regain or maintain mobility. The secret world of fascia remains an exciting topic that engages scientists around the globe and continues to be researched in depth.
