Do you receive bodywork? If so, your therapist or provider may have used the term fascia. Facia is a web of collagen fibers that wraps around your muscles, vessels, nerves, organs, and bones. This web-network is the largest in the body and one of the only systems that touches every other system. In other words, your fascia is a highly important part of wellness and pain management.
Fascia is broken down into three different types. First, superficial fascia, found right under your skin. It helps blend muscles, nerves, veins, and arteries to the deeper layers of skin. Second, visceral fascia, found in your body’s cavities. It wraps your organs in connective tissue to suspend them. Last, the deep, densest fascia, found surrounding individual muscle fibers, muscle groups, bones, nerves, and blood vessels.
Under normal circumstances fascia moves and stretches. However, fascia restricts with trauma, poor posture, stress and/or inflammation. Consequently, restricted fascia causes pain. Releasing these restrictions allows the body to become more mobile and allows for better blood flow. Therefore, our providers employ several different techniques that release fascia restrictions. Visit our website to learn more about each of these techniques.
Kim Schemahorn is a Medical Massage Therapist at ESP Sports Medicine. She specializes in myofascial release technique and deep tissue sports massage. She has been a massage therapist for 7 years and uses a variety of tools to create changes in soft tissue. These tools include muscle scraping, vacuum cupping, and aromatherapy. Her hands-on technique is best described as slow, broad, and deep. Therefore, she waits for the tissue to change when applying pressure. As a result, she creates long lasting changes in the muscle and soft tissue.