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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 50 million adults in the United States are living with chronic pain, which it defines as pain lasting equal to or more than three months. And over 17 million experience high-impact chronic pain, which results in the substantial restriction of daily activities. To make matters worse, some research shows that ongoing physical pain can bring a host of mental and emotional concerns, including increased anxiety and depression.<\/p>\n
Interested in learning more? Check out <\/strong>Fascia Micro-Movements to Rewire Pain Patterns<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\nOur modern, more sedentary lifestyle \u2014 in which slumping over screens is the norm \u2014 isn\u2019t helpful, either. According to leading sports physiotherapist and DailyOM course creator Erin Fitzgerald, it just might be the leading cause of chronic pain, which can manifest as tightness, tenderness, tension, or soreness due to past injuries or issues with alignment in the feet, low back, shoulder, hips, forearms and hands, jaw, and more. \u201cThe chronic strain we experience on a daily basis weakens the body\u2019s fascial supports and stresses the whole system, including the nerves, muscles, and joints,\u201d says Fitzgerald.<\/p>\n
Moreover, because the brain-body connection plays a vital role in avoiding pain, she says that stress, depression, and anxiety can cause physical symptoms, especially when your body\u2019s connective tissues (fascia), nerves, and muscles become tight. In essence, it\u2019s a double-edged sword: Pain may cause emotional distress and vice versa.<\/p>\n
When you learn how to work with the fascia \u2014 the body\u2019s interconnected web of connective tissue \u2014 directly and effectively through an intentional practice called fascia stretching, not only can you alleviate chronic physical pain, but also rewire your relationship with pain. Read on to learn more.<\/p>\n
Meet Your Teacher: Erin Fitzgerald<\/h2>\n
An Australia-based sports physical therapist with more than two decades in the field, Erin Fitzgerald loves getting people to a state where they are functioning at their maximal capacity and able to achieve their fitness goals. Her \u201cstrength before skills\u201d approach is education first, helping others understand and get in touch with their bodies, as opposed to just doing the exercises.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have worked with some of the world\u2019s best athletes \u2014 Cirque du Soleil, Olympians, X Games athletes, Red Bull cliff divers \u2014 but I particularly love working with \u2018ordinary\u2019 people and taking them from the worst moments, in terms of pain and immobility, to achieving their goals without pain,\u201d Fitzgerald says. \u201cInjury prevention is my absolute passion because the majority of overuse injuries can be prevented.\u201d<\/p>\n
What Is Fascia \u2014 and How Do We Work With It? <\/h3>\n
Fascia is a supportive tissue that surrounds your muscles, tendons, ligaments, organs, tissues, joints, and bones, according to the Cleveland Clinic. In its healthy state, fascia is stretchy and flexible; however, tightness in this tissue can restrict movement and lead to painful health issues.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s surprisingly overlooked when it comes to chronic pain, Fitzgerald tells us. \u201cFascia covers, separates, and connects every part of your body, and forms an immense, interconnected web,\u201d she says. \u201cIt allows for padding, separation of structures, anchoring of tissue, and distribution of load throughout the body.\u201d Chronic pain may arise if it\u2019s not attended to on a regular basis.<\/p>\n
To release tightness, it\u2019s important to address the fascia through a variety of methods, including mobilizing stretches, nerve glides, self-massage, and rolling. \u201cAnd we stop fascia from getting tight in the first place by activating stabilizing muscles, correcting imbalances, and improving posture,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Getting the brain involved is also a key part of the process. \u201cPain is complex, but can easily be altered at the tissue level and at the brain level,\u201d she says. \u201cWe can \u2018hack\u2019 the brain, so to speak, in order to reboot and rewire the output of pain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Good Things to Know About Working With Fascia <\/h3>\n\n- It\u2019s highly beneficial for all forms of musculoskeletal pain.<\/strong> The most common areas in need of some fascia attention include the plantar fascia of the foot; abdomen; diaphragm; thorax; lower back; shoulders; forearms and hands; hips and pelvis; neck and jaw (e.g., in your temporomandibular joint, or TMJ); and scar tissue, Fitzgerald notes.<\/li>\n
- It requires a multipronged approach.<\/strong> Expect a combination of rolling the affected area, stretching the fascia, mobilizing the nerve, stabilizing the muscles that support the fascia, as well as some self-massage. <\/li>\n
- The movements are small.<\/strong> \u201cWe talk about micromovements with respect to fascia, because the goal isn\u2019t to push into a stretch,\u201d Fitzgerald says. \u201cWith fascia we want to encourage gentle gliding of the tissue without resistance, to restore normal movement globally and locally at the fascia level.\u201d<\/li>\n
- The brain is a powerful ally.<\/strong> \u201cThe brain decides how much pain you\u2019re in \u2014 but that output is not set in stone and can be altered with a variety of mechanisms,\u201d she explains. \u201cOnce you understand how the brain works, you can very quickly start to get your brain working for you, not against you, in respect to pain and tightness.\u201d <\/li>\n
- It\u2019s not a one-size-fits-all routine.<\/strong> \u201cThe key to success is knowing your body and individualizing the regimen to your needs,\u201d says Fitzgerald. \u201cSome people will need to focus on nerve mobility, others on stability, others on rolling, others on stretching. The key is understanding why you\u2019re tight in the first place and fixing the origin of the problem.\u201d <\/li>\n
- No fancy equipment is required.<\/strong> \u201cSome exercises use a ball or foam roller, but otherwise no equipment is necessary,\u201d Fitzgerald adds. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Why Is Fascial Stretching Important?<\/h2>\n
Like Fitzgerald mentions, the fascia is a crucial, often-overlooked part of the equation when it comes to interrupting patterns of chronic pain. This is because the fascia is directly connected to our body\u2019s entire system, including the nervous system. \u201c\u200b\u200bIt is imperative to consider the mobility, strength, and integrity of this structure in order to live a pain-free life,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n
Per Fitzgerald, physical pain relates to the brain: \u201cPain is not just experienced in the affected limb, but in the brain, too, where the sensation is processed, along with thoughts, past experiences, and emotions. The output is the pain you feel,\u201d she explains. \u201cChronic pain is so taxing not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, and can therefore create a feedback loop where the pain grows as your resilience to the pain diminishes.\u201d<\/p>\n
She adds that it\u2019s imperative to treat tightness and pain holistically, taking into account the entire body and mind \u2014 and the fascia simply cannot be ignored in that approach.<\/p>\n
5 Reasons Fascial Stretching May Benefit Your Overall Wellness<\/h2>\n
Building a consistent fascial-release practice can not only help soothe tension and tightness in the body, but also help reframe your relationship to pain by building awareness of and presence with sensation, per Fitzgerald. Here are some ways in which working with fascia can contribute to a more pain-free life, physically and emotionally.<\/p>\n
1. It may relieve chronic pain.<\/h3>\n
Not to restate the obvious, but \u201cpain relief is probably the most welcome benefit of stretching fascia,\u201d Fitzgerald tells us. \u201cIt occurs through resuming normal movement, restoring correct posture, improving nerve mobility, and altering pain pathways.\u201d<\/p>\n
One research review suggests that fascia stretching may not only help to relieve chronic pain symptoms on a physical level, but enhance mental health to boot.<\/p>\n
In addition, remote fascia stretching \u2014 which involves applying mechanical force, pressure, or movement to one body part to ease tension or boost flexibility elsewhere \u2014 may offer benefits. A small, randomized clinical trial with 32 participants found that when patients performed this technique alongside lower-body stretching, it could help improve both neck pain and range of motion.<\/p>\n
2. It may alleviate tightness and tension beyond the location of pain.<\/h3>\n
A major benefit of fascia stretching is improved mobility, Fitzgerald shares. One small, recent study of 40 participants confirmed the efficacy of fascial stretching when it comes to increasing range of motion. <\/p>\n
Fitzgerald adds, \u201cInterestingly, once you recognize where your fascia tightness exists in your body and release it, it can have far-reaching impacts beyond the location of tightness.\u201d<\/p>\n
For example, your tight hips might be related to TMJ tenderness in your jaw or neck. When you address one of these issues with fascia stretching, you might simultaneously address the other in some ways \u2014 because fascia is interconnected. \u00a0<\/p>\n
A study linked headaches to neck tension \u2014 and the authors found that noninvasive treatment options that target neck pain could be highly effective for relieving headaches.<\/p>\n
3. It may balance your nervous system and increase feelings of calm.<\/h3>\n
\u201cFascial release can have mood-boosting and stress-relieving benefits, which, in turn, will assist in calming down pain pathways,\u201d Fitzgerald explains. <\/p>\n
Indeed, the Cleveland Clinic notes that myofascial release therapy, an approach related to fascia stretching, may help with stress management by relieving tension throughout the body, as well as the reduction or elimination of the felt experience of chronic pain. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe link between brain and pain is absolute, and can be accelerated with the wrong postures and movements \u2014 or be calmed down with fascial micromovements,\u201d adds Fitzgerald. \u00a0<\/p>\n
4. It may help your muscles repair themselves more easily.<\/h3>\n
Another key benefit of fascial stretching is the increased circulation it delivers, according to the Cleveland Clinic. <\/p>\n
\u201cBlood flow is heightened with fascial stretching and aids oxygen delivery and waste removal,\u201d explains Fitzgerald. \u201cIt is critical in restoring normal tissue mobility as well as repair and reconstruction.\u201d In other words, boosting circulation through a regular fascia stretching practice may directly and positively impact the health of all of your body\u2019s tissues.<\/p>\n
5. It may promote better balance, stability, and posture.<\/h3>\n
As you work with the fascia, Fitzgerald says a natural effect is improved proprioception \u2014 which is the ability to know where you are in space, according to the Cleveland Clinic. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn stretching fascia and restoring posture, mobility, and nerve function, you have improved position reception, which aids in balance, stability, and injury prevention,\u201d says Fitgerald. And this, especially with regard to longevity and vitality, is essential to aging gracefully and feeling well at any stage of life. <\/p>\n
The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n
If tension and tightness are affecting you, and it feels like there isn\u2019t a solution for your chronic pain, you\u2019re not alone. But working with your fascia might just be the key to finding relief on physical and emotional levels. <\/p>\n
Fascia stretching is a simple yet highly effective tool that delivers noticeable benefits for chronic pain management \u2014 no matter where it resides in the body \u2014 and helps to rewire your experience of pain altogether. If you\u2019re curious about improving your flexibility, mobility, circulation, mood, and more, and want to decrease your pain overall, remember: It\u2019s never too late to start. You deserve to make time to care for your body and feel like your beautiful, vibrant self again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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