What to expect during your session

After a discussion of the symptoms and feelings experienced in your body, I will visually and manually assess where there might be tensions and restrictions within the fascial system. I will gently and slowly sink my hands into the body feeling for the barriers of tight tissue and then will slowly begin providing traction or compression between my hands. As the tissue releases small adjustments need to be made to maintain the pressure between my hands. This pressure is creating a piezoelectric effect (energy created by pressure) exciting the energy within the microtubules of the fascial system causing the solidified ground substance within the system to begin to melt and then flow more freely. This hold will last at least 5 minutes and may last as long as 30 minutes. Time is a key factor in releasing fascial tissue. Research has show that it takes at least 5 minutes of a sustained hold or stretch to create lasting change within the fascial system. As the hold is being maintained I can go deeper and deeper to find and release more restrictions.

During treatment you, as the client, may feel the tissue releasing, relaxing and/or a variety of other sensations either directly underneath my hands or even in very distant parts of your body. This is due to how completely connected the fascial tissue is. It is helpful, however, not absolutely necessary, to convey what is being felt so this information can be used to direct the flow of treatment. 

It may take only one session for symptoms to dissipate or this process may have to happen over and over again in order to get to the level where the restriction is that is causing a particular symptom. Each person is unique and only your body knows exactly how it has formed itself. Only your body knows and is capable of loosening these restrictions. I am the facilitator that listens to the clues that your body is giving to help it heal.

What is fascia ?

The fascial tissue is a continuous connective tissue that interpenetrates everything within the body including muscle, bone, organs, brain and spinal cord, circulatory tissue, nervous tissue, ligaments, and tendons, and even down into each individual cell. It is a densely woven structure that connects everything together much like a 3 dimensional net or web.

Facia is made of three main components

Multiple images of living fascial tissue

by Jean Claude Guimberteau

Watch video for a quick overview of how we’ll be collaborating to help your body

Collagen

• A protein consisting of three polypeptide chains that line up forming fibrils

• Collagen fibers contribute strength to fascial tissue and guard against overextension

Elastin

• A protein that is rubber-like. Elastin provides an elastic component much like a rubber band.

• Elastin and collagen are laid down together where elasticity is required. This combination absorbs tensile forces.

Ground Substance

• A polysaccharide gel complex that fills the spaces between fibers whose main components are hyaluronic acid and proteoglycans

• Hyaluronic acid-lubricates the collagen, elastin, and muscle fibers allowing them to glide with minimal friction. This provides the lubricant necessary, allowing for the gliding of the tissue to occur.

• Proteoglycans-peptide chains that form the gel of the ground substance. This substance is hyfrophilic (water loving), allowing it to absorb the compressive forces of movement, acting as a shock absorber.