The importance of healthy facia is not a subject that is well understood. We all know that we have bones and muscles and tendons that help us to be able to move freely. If there is an injury to one of these we are well aware of the diagnosis and treatment. Often there is also, just as importantly, an injury to the facia that is not explained or treated. The success of rehabilitation of injuries to bones, muscles and ligaments is dependent on the facia also being treated and rehabilitated.
Facia is a strong layer of connective tissue that wraps and encases all bones, muscles, tendons and even nerves. If there is an injury to one of these, there is likely also an injury to the surrounding facia as well.
The function of facia is to support and separate the components that they encase. If we did not have facia wrapping our internal organs they would all be in a heap at the bottom of our body cavity. If we did not have facia wrapping and encasing our muscles and bones they would not be able to glide independent of each other.
The formation of facia begins at conception and continues as the fetus grows, laying down layer after layer of what seem quite like a spider web. As the fetus grows, the web continues to lay down layer after layer encasing every new cell that forms every new portion that develops. It begins at the front of the forehead and wraps everything all the way down to the tip of the toes.
Because of this, everything is connected and by pulling on one portion of the facia, you will also affect another part of the facia quite some distance away. In fact, an injury to the facia in the knee can, and very well will affect places as far away as your shoulder or your neck and back. The constant tension that pulls from the knee will also pull all the way up to the upper body. Because of this we often wonder why or neck hurts when that is not the part that was injured by the accident or trauma, or perhaps we will not even realize that they are in any way related.
Similarly, rehabilitation of an injury of another body part, even if it is inflammation of an organ, calls for rehabilitation of the facia. Small and even large restrictions are caused by such occurrences. To release the restrictions, a therapist would do well to understand the mechanics of the facia and release the resulting restrictions in the facia as well.
CranioSacral Therapy and Myofacial Unwinding are wonderful ways of releasing these restrictions. The therapist uses the subtle cues that your body gives as clues to where the restrictions are. Often times the clients symptoms may point in an area that would be perhaps the origin, but perhaps are instead the secondary area that is being affected by an injury elsewhere. Even the clients reporting of the symptoms may not uncover the actual area or areas where the facia has been restricted. This is where the observation and palpation of a trained therapist is valuable.
Once located, the therapist uses the body's own self correcting mechanism and innate intelligence to allow the body to heal itself. The therapist may be well trained, but it is the body that is the healer. The therapist is only the facilitator.
If you have a chronic condition that has not been helped by other therapies, you may find great relief from seeing a CranioSacral Therapist who also has been trained in Myofacial Release Unwinding. Of course, if it is a chronic condition that you have lived with for months or even years it may not go away on the first visit, and then again it may. Often it requires several visits to receive the maximum benefit. It is a wise investment of your time and resources and as a side benefit, it is also very relaxing.
Give yourself the gift of healing and see a CranioSacral Therapist today. You will be glad that you did.
Janice Strehlow
Body Wisdom LLC
119 Scott Street
Wausau, WI 54403
715-571-6000
www.BodyWisdomLLC.com
