Fascia
Fascia is a type of connective tissue that wraps around structures in the body to provide support and stabilization. Think of it as a thin casing that holds everything from muscles to organs, to blood vessels and nerve fibers in their place in the body.
When we feel tight and achy, we usually attribute it to muscle tissue or joint issues, but in fact sometimes it is just our fascia that has become tight limiting our range of motion and causing pain and stiffness. This tightening of the fascia can even lead to knots developing in our muscles causing more chronic pain.
What I would like to talk about is unique ways to release your fascia and provide a little more space for your muscles to move freely.
*Any exercise that involves elongating the muscles such as dancing and swimming.
*Exercises that lubricate the fascia such as jumping jacks, jumping on a trampoline, or even skipping!
*Resistance stretching and active stretching strengthens the muscles which in turn mobilizes and moves the fascia more.
*Fascia blasting! Now, while there are not a lot of studies to support this, it is said to break up scar tissue and cellulite, firm the skin, and increase circulation, but be careful, it can cause bruising and worsen varicose veins. I recommend watching some videos online before trying this method.
https://www.ashleyblackguru.com/pages/tutorial
*Myofascial massage and cupping therapy are great ways to lengthen your fascia and give your muscles more room to move. Cupping therapy also pulls healthy fluids into the area and flushes out cellular debris bringing oxygen rich blood to areas of stagnation.
https://www.acupuncturecollective.ca/blog/8-benefits-of-myofascial-cupping
So, to say the least, get out there and stay active, stretch, bounce, jump, and come see me for cupping!