How to support that hidden interconnective web that holds us together

When we are feeling a little stuck, stagnant or stiff in our bodies, it can be helpful to look a little deeper — to go beyond our muscles, joints and bones, to that magical interconnective web that holds it all together: the fascia.

The Crystalline Matrix

From the Latin band or bandage, fascia is the three-dimensional web of connective tissue that runs from head to toe, surrounding and unifying every organ, muscle, bone, and blood vessel. Made mostly of collagen fibres, it’s gelatinous, highly sensitive, and in constant communication with the brain—relaying information about pain, movement, pressure, and temperature. With some 250 million nerve endings, fascia is now recognised as one of the body’s largest sensory organs.

Beyond communication, fascia also gives us strength and stability—reducing friction between muscles and joints, supporting circulation, and protecting our lymphatics (vital for detox and immunity). Greatly influenced by heat, hydration and movement, it’s wonderfully adaptive: smooth and slippery when healthy, but prone to thickening and “stickiness” under stress, leading to pain, stiffness and poor posture.

Sverre Fehn, 1968

Finding That Sweet Spot

So many things affect the health of our fascia. Repetitive movement, a sedentary lifestyle, stress, lack of sleep, trauma (such as surgery or injury), and inflammation all contribute to an unhappy fascial system. To keep ours healthy, we must find that sweet spot between activity (expansion) and rest and relaxation (contraction), which allows the fascial collagen fibres to continually push out old fluid, before expanding to let new fluid flow in. Dancing, shaking, bouncing, rebounding, and deep, slow stretching are all excellent fascia-supportive practices. Read on for more…

Airground Mattress by Jeffrey Shaw, 1970

 Pillow by Ant Farm, 1970

Simple steps to release tension in the fascia

• Avoid stagnation! Move around as much as possible, in multidimensional ways. If you work a desk job, aim to get up every hour. Walk outside, shake out your limbs, or dance uninhibited to your favourite song.
• Deep stretching preserves fascial flexibility, helping to reduce pain and inflammation. Yin yoga is ideal. Just ten minutes daily is enough to make a difference.
• If you do have to sit for extended periods, check your posture. Slumping and slouching can cause the fascia to tighten, which in turn makes you feel tight and stiff, also affecting your digestive health and capacity to breath efficiently.
• As with everything, a holistic approach works best—stay hydrated, eat plenty of fresh fruit and veg, and go easy on acidic or processed foods. It all helps support the viscoelasticity of your fascia.
• A foam rolling routine is a great way to reconnect with your body, allowing you to pinpoint and release spots of tension and restore the fascia to optimal health.