What is Fascia?
Vancouver Massage Therapy: What is Fascia?
Fascia has been a hot topic for many years, at our clinic and in general. We decided to update and revamp this article from one of our previous blogs on Fascia for your interest.
Under the umbrella of Vancouver Massage Therapy, there are many techniques for working with Fascia. But what is fascia?
What is Fascia?
Vancouver Massage Therapists, who focus on Fascia when working with clients, might focus on this definition: Fasciae is a very fine and web-like tissue that runs throughout the entire body as one specialized connected system. It envelopes all muscles, bones, nerves, arteries, and internal organs in our body. Fascia keeps our individual internal structures separated, and allows slide and glide (a slippery surface), between structures which we need in order to move our bodies everyday. Fascia optimizes body mobility, flexibility and strength when it’s healthy.
Fascia Health
Vancouver Massage Therapy practitioners promote the health of Myofascia. This can involve home care such as daily stretches or yoga, staying hydrated, maintaining a regular sleep schedule, keeping active and eating a healthy balanced diet. When the body is malnourished, dehydrated and inactive the fascia tends to begin to hold tension and become brittle. This can lead to adhesions and distortions in the fasciae, restriction in our movement patterns which will appear as inflammation and pain in your body. To further assist and for regular maintenance seeing a Registered Massage Therapist or other qualified practitioner for Myofascial work can assist the process of bringing your body back into balance.
What is Fascial Release?
‘Fascia’ means band. Because fascia is the connecting fibre throughout the entire body, the area of the body targeted by the RMT, at times, is not directed at the area of pain.
According to this article on Fascial Release, “The specific releases to different parts of the body vary, but generally include gentle application of pressure or sustained low load stretch to the affected area. Progress is gauged by the level of increased motion or function experienced, and/or decrease in pain felt by the patient.” Every Registered Massage Therapist in British Columbia is trained to do Fascial techniques as part of their training. However there are some who further focus on this particular technique. At Broadway Wellness the following Registered Massage Therapists have this marked as one of their primary treatment techniques:
- Amin Aghvami
- Ana Yu
- Cara Marks
- Chanel Jorsvik
- Jennifer Keene
- Kyla Mccaig
- Liz Schaeffer
- Mai Holmes
- Marie Arcand
- Michael Scottnicki
- Monica Cleland
- Pia Sutter
- Stacey Spring
- Will Wells
Brent Scrivner, RMT, also practices Rolfing aka Structural Integration as his primary focus, which is a specialized technique that also releases tension resulting from fascial pain.
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Broadway Wellness is an integrative healthcare clinic founded in 2004, focused around a group of Vancouver Registered Massage Therapists, also offering Osteopathy, Registered Acupuncture, and Naturopathic Medicine, in Vancouver BC, along the Broadway Corridor. Broadway Wellness is located at 610-2525 Willow St, and in June of 2023, will move across the street (West Broadway) to the North East Corner of West Broadway, 900-777 West Broadway. Book in your appointment today at Broadway Wellness for assistance with your health and wellness needs here on our online booking site. If you have any further questions, feel free to call our Front Desk team for assistance at 604.732.5222.