Fascia is a unique tissue in the body, made up of mostly elastin, collagen, and ground substance. The elastin gives you flexibility between the structures of the body, the collagen gives support and strength to your body’s structures, and the ground substance acts as a shock absorber. Fascia covers every organ, bone, muscle, nerve, vein, and artery in the body. It is very dense and woven together like a spider web that connects and supports everything. It is our very own living bubble wrap.

Healthy fascia has the ability to stretch and move without restriction. Over time, gravity, postural habits, trauma, injury, surgery, and repetitive motion cause the fascia to lose its pliability and, as a result, forms inflexible adhesions. Changes in the fascia influence the way the body functions, moves, and repairs itself. There are three main types of fascia:

• Superficial fascia – The Superficial fascia lies just underneath the skin, blending into the dermis layer. When this fascia becomes restricted it can cause pain, poor skin tone, and affect your appearance. The superficial fat layer in your body which normally should round and smooth your look becomes intermixed in the fascial adhesions creating that “cottage cheese” cellulite presentation.
• Deep fascia – The Deep fascia can be found in and around the muscles, bones, nerves, and blood vessels. When this layer becomes restricted it can cause you pain, decrease your flexibility, and can restrict blood flow to areas of your body.
• Visceral fascia – The Visceral fascia is in the abdomen which suspends the organs and wraps them in layers of connective tissue. Damage to this fascia can affect normal organ function leading to serious problems.