FASCIA
Unexplained aches could be down to an overlooked part of your anatomy called fascia. We look at what it is and why it could be causing discomfort.
ASHARP TWINGE in the shoulder or a grinding ache in the back are debilitating everyday experiences for millions of women in the UK. About 38 per cent of women have chronic pain, with the most common type being back pain.
Not knowing the cause of bodily pain means it can’t be treated in order to heal, only masked. An estimated 7.1 million adults in England alone are regularly prescribed painkillers. But new research is uncovering an overlooked source of unexplained aches and pains – one that can be tackled with simple lifestyle changes.
You probably haven’t heard of fascia, but this connective tissue runs throughout your body and it protects every internal organ, cell, nerve, vessel and muscle. ‘Fascia is like scaffolding for your body. It’s a matrix of structural support around cells, keeping everything in place. It’s made from layers of mostly collagen fibres, plus some elastic fibres with a viscous gel containing hyaluronic acid between the layers, allowing for flowing, easy movement,’ says Camilla Ranje Nordin, fascia teacher at The Fascia Guide (fasciaguide.com), an insightful online educational resource.
Until recently, fascia was thought to play a passive role in the body, but new findings from scientists such as Professor Carla Stecco from the University of Padova, Italy, have now redefined fascia as an active functional system, enabling cell communication, which is vital for tissue repair, immunity and keeping your body in balance (homeostasis). Fascia allows for the smooth flow of movement and for the free flow of communication between different parts of your body. So, it’s actually a very sensitive connective system that can become dysfunctional by tightening or thickening in places, which may cause pain.
‘Fascia is loaded with nerve and pain receptors. So, if your fascia becomes dense, then it puts pressure on these receptors, causing pain. Fascia can become dense from inflammation or from lack of movement,’ says Camilla.
LIFESTYLE INFLUENCES
New research shows increased density or thickening in sections of fascia that enclose lower back muscles can cause otherwise unexplained back pain. Another study found that fascia is sensitive to the changing levels of sex hormones, such as oestrogen, which may explain why more women than men suffer from chronic pain, and it also suggests a reason for the aches and pains that come and go throughout the month.
Other causes of fascia dysfunction due to thickening, include stress, diet and poor posture. ‘Fascia loads and unloads pressure as you move
