What is fascia?

Fascia is connective tissue that is present throughout the body. It functions to support tissues and reduce friction when muscles move. Made primarily of collagen, fascia reacts to external forces by stretching or contracting.

Deep fascia also contains cells called fasciacytes which create the polysaccharide hyaluronan for lubrication in our moving bodies. This is the same hyaluronan of the super hydrating beauty cream, hyaluronic acid.

Types of fascia

Visceral Fascia: This fascia functions to separate body cavities and encase organs. In the brain, this fascia is known as the meninges; in the heart, it is referred to as the pericardia; in the lungs, its is called the pleurae, and in the abdomen, it is the peritonea. 

Superficial Fascia: The lowest level of the skin is the superficial fascia and is what you work on when you use a foam roller. This type of fascia also wraps around all muscles, bones, glands, the lymphatic system, blood vessels, and veins. 

Deep fascia: This is the densest fascia, it contains elastin and it divides muscles into muscle groups. Deep fascia is innervated, contains tiny blood vessels, and is home to mast cells and macrophages. It’s also where hyaluronan is produced.

Fascia flossing

Using primarily yoga poses, fascia flossing, created by Bonnie Crotzer at The Floss, increases production of the lubricating polysaccharide hyaluronan while breaking down old scar tissue that isn’t needed anymore. The engagement of muscles while they are elongated, also known as voluntary pandiculation, reconfigures fascia fibers into more functional, elastic tissues. Everyone’s tissues are repaired overnight. The fibroblasts that repair those tissues lay down new cells in the more functional alignment provided by the flosses a person did the day before. Not only do you feel great from the floss you did, but you wake up the next day with a more functional body! Win-win!

Why does fascia flossing incorporate Traditional Chinese Medicine?

 Western medicine has historically undervalued the importance of fascia. Early dissections merely saw fascia as connective tissue that just needed to be moved out of the way to see the muscles or organs. Traditional Chinese Medicine, however, recognized the fascia connections were also superhighways for energy, or Qi. Some fascial chains run the entire length of your body, so that a tight jaw is connected to a tight quad and plantar fasciitis is related to a stuck pelvis. The work of Dr. Dan Keown highlights the importance of the meridian/fascial chain parallels. Specific investigations fascia in the meridians vs fascia over muscle can be found in the following paper: Relationship of acupuncture points and meridians to connective tissue planes by Helene M. Langevin and Jason A. Yandow

Private flossing sessions:

 Fascia flosses in group classes are taught to others so they can do them on their own time. Flosses can also be administered to others by trained professionals, like myself. The benefits of having someone else administer the flosses is that you can devote your attention solely to contracting the targeted fascia lines.