In a recent discovery in the field of medicine, a team of researchers has highlighted the importance of a component of our body that plays an essential but often overlooked role: fascia. This connective tissue network, which envelops every organ, blood vessel, bone, nerve fiber and muscle, is proving to be essential for muscle and bone health.
What is fascia and why is it important?
Fascia is a sheath of connective tissue, predominantly made up of collagen, that provides support and protection to many areas of the body. This structure surrounds and holds organs, blood vessels, bones, nerve fibers, and muscles in place. Its importance is becoming more and more evident, especially in the context of muscle and bone health.
One reason the band has been overlooked in the past is the difficulty of displaying it with the diagnostic technologies. However, recently, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound have proven useful in its identification, especially in musculoskeletal conditions such as those of the shoulder and neck fascia.
The role of fascia in movement and strength
Recent studies have highlighted the crucial role of fascia in assisting the work of muscles, facilitating the contraction of muscle cells to generate force and influencing muscle stiffness. Each muscle is wrapped in it: this way it can move freely without affecting other muscles.
An example is our heel, where the Achilles tendon transfers force into the plantar fascia. This mechanism allows forces to be transferred vertically through the Achilles tendon and horizontally into the bottom of the foot (the plantar fascia) during movement.
What happens if it doesn't work properly?
If there is damage to the fascia, for example following an injury, its layers become less able to facilitate movement. Fascia takes a long time to heal, probably due to its similarity to tendons and limited blood supply.
It has recently been discovered that fascia, particularly its superficial layer, has a large number of nerves (second only to skin). For this reason it has been correlated to different forms of pain, from that resulting from surgery to that from musculoskeletal injuries due to sport and physical exercise. Even to the aches and pains of aging. Up to 30% of people with musculoskeletal pain may have fascial involvement, or the fascia may be the direct cause of their pain.
Pathologies and treatment
In addition to sustaining damage, fascia can also provide pathways along which infections can travel within the muscles. In severe cases, surgery is often necessary to remove the dead tissue and save the remaining healthy tissue.
A massage technique called fascial manipulation, developed by Italian physiotherapist Luigi Stecco in the 80s, it was shown to improve pain from patellar tendinopathy (pain in the tendon under the kneecap), both short-term and long-term. Fascial manipulation has also shown positive results in treating chronic shoulder pain.
Fascia care for optimal health
With growing interest in fascia and understanding of its contribution to musculoskeletal health, it is reasonable to suggest that we will care for it in the same way we now care for the rest of the musculoskeletal system.
Simple techniques like foam rollers and stretching exercises are helpful in increasing mobility, but you can do better. There is still much to learn about this “forgotten” structure and the role it plays in our daily health.
