What is Fascia

Fascia is connective tissue that is continuous throughout the body therefore making all structures in the body connected. It is its own system in the body much like the digestive or respiratory system.  It is what gives the body form and structure!Fascia is the most abundant tissue in our bodies and two thirds of it is fluid. This is why it is important to keep it hydrated. This doesn’t mean to just drinking more water. It take manual intervention to open up the dehydrated tissue so that it can be hydrated. Once the tissue is able to hydrate it can function at a higher level and enabling the body to feel less restricted and stronger.

There are many ways to explain what fascia is. One way to think about it is to picture an orange. The outer layer of the orange is like our skin and the inner layers surrounding the pulp are interconnected layers of fascia that are throughout the body. Muscles are like the pulp of the orange. The muscle can’t function without the fascia. When you eat an orange it will peel easier if you hydrate it before eating it. This can be done by rolling the orange in your hand. This creates a flow of the orange’s juices creating a separation

To show how the fascia is connected throughout the entire body, think about a spider web. Each part of the web is interlaced with another part so if you pull on one part of it changes the whole structure of the spider web. If we use this idea when talking about the body then when there is a restriction in for example the foot it can cause pain all the way in the neck. The location of the pain in many instances is not the source. Through the ten series a Certified Rolfer™ works through each of the layers of fascia to remove the compensations to discover the underlying pattern.

 

Watch these videos by Robert Schleip and Gil Hedley to learn more about Fascia and how it relates to Rolfing® Structural Integration!

Lauren Harmon Certified Advanced Rolfer™
Certified Equine Structural Integration Practitioner
Rolfing ® Structural Integration Longmont and Fort Collins Colorado