Fascia covers all organs of the body, including muscles, and is continuous and organized in lines throughout the body. Trauma, inflammatory responses, dehydration, poor posture, and/or surgical procedures among others can create fascial restrictions. Fascia begins to reorganize, thicken, and shorten, which can affect motion and mobility as well as cause pain.
Pain can be generated from the skeletal muscle or connective tissues that are ‘stuck’ by tight fascia. In addition, pain can also be generated from damaged myofascial tissue itself. The restriction or contraction inhibits blood flow to the affected structures, thus accentuating the contraction process further unless the area is treated.
The goal of myofascial therapy is to stretch, separate, and loosen the fascia so that it and other related structures can move more freely, and motion is restored. It is common for release in one area of the body to affect a seemingly unrelated area of the body do to lines of fascia within the body.