Our body consists of muscles, bones, nerves, joints and much more. We know how all these parts work and what they do. The fascia, as a body structure, also belong to this list, although 30 years ago they were seen differently than today. In the past, the fascia was mainly seen as a passive connective tissue membrane that only served to keep other body structures in place.
But the more research is done on the fascia, the more it becomes clear that it is not a passive structure but an active and reactive connective tissue network. A network that is 'alive' and can therefore cause all sorts of symptoms. In this blog, we will look at what is currently known about the fascia, what problems it can cause, how it can be treated and to what extent science supports this.
The fascia is an extensive network of elastic connective tissue that extends throughout the body. It envelops, supports and connects all other body structures, such as muscles, joints, bones and organs. The fascia consists of three layers, namely the superficial fascia, the deep fascia and the visceral fascia.
The superficial fascia is a dense network of elastic fibres located just below the skin. This layer envelops the entire body and also serves as a shock absorber.
The deep fascia surrounds the muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, joints, nerves and blood vessels of the body. Because this layer contains many collagen fibres, it is solid and not very elastic. The deep layer also has many receptors, more than muscles.
The visceral fascia keeps the organs in place. Because stability is important here, this layer is less elastic than the superficial layer.
Together, the fascia ensures stability and smooth movement. Because of the many receptors they contain and the wealth of information they provide to the brain, some scientists even consider the fascia to be the largest human organ.
The deep fascia contains myofibroblasts, among other things. These specialised connective tissue cells can contract. Thanks to these specialised fibroblasts, the fascia can change its tonus independently of muscular influences.
Fibroblasts specialise in myofibroblasts in response to certain stimuli, such as the presence of an inflammatory substance. When exposed to this substance, fibroblasts change into myofibroblasts within a few hours. And because these cells are much more robust, the fascia immediately becomes stiffer.1
Because inflammatory substances are also released during stress, long-term stress can cause physical problems in the long run. However, the connective tissue can also stiffen or adhere due to lack of movement, overload, trauma, surgery or incorrect posture. As a result, inflammation, pain, stiffness and movement limitations may occur.
Because all fascia in the body is interconnected, local symptoms may appear in the whole body. The problems arising due to fascia stiffness are therefore very diverse. For example:
