Introduction to Fascia
At [ F F W ] we believe one of the ways athletes create longevity in their career is by understanding their unique body. We are advocates for educating athletes so they can better listen to their bodies and advocate for themselves.
One of the best places to start this conversation is around fascia. Understanding fascia is a newer concept to the athletic training world so let’s begin with a shared working definition.
Fascia is a web of connective tissue that wraps around muscles, organs, and other structures in your body. Think of it as a network of fibers that hold everything in place, allowing your body to move smoothly and efficiently.
Fascia has many functions:
Support: It provides structural support for muscles, organs, blood vessels, and nerves helping to maintain their position and shape.
Protection: Fascia acts as a protective barrier surrounding delicate structures and cushioning them from external forces.
Movement: It allows for smooth movement by reducing friction between muscles, bones, and other tissues.
Transmission of force: Fascia helps transmit force generated by muscle contractions throughout the body enabling coordinated movement.
Fluid dynamics: It plays a role in fluid dynamics within the body facilitating the movement of blood, lymph, and other fluids.
Sensory perception: Fascia contains sensory receptors contributing to proprioception, the body's awareness of its position and movement in space.
Communication: It also plays a role in intercellular communication and signaling within the body.
From a movement standpoint, fascia connects in different pathways oriented around our biological movement patterns. If you have an issue with fascia, you might have an issue with a movement pattern that could make you prone to injury.
Check out the image below to get a visual concept of how fascia connects to our muscles and helps with functional movement (and so much more!).
Image source anatomytrains.com
Over the next couple weeks we will discuss how you can self-assess your fascia and orient your warm ups around fascia to better help with injury prevention.