Fascial Stretch Therapy
Fascial Stretch Therapy (FST) is a form of assisted stretching whereby your therapist will take you through various lengthening positions. Unlike traditional passive stretching, you participate by contracting and relaxing an area as your therapist moves you through various elongated positions. FST taps into the nervous system to improve a muscle’s response by activating the muscle stretch reflex.
What is Fascia?
- Fascia is a fascinating system of connective tissue primarily made up of collagen that exists in one layer from our head to our toes without interruption. It has the appearance of a spider’s web and is very densely woven wrapping around every muscle, bone, nerve, artery, vein as well as our internal organs.
- Every part of the body is ultimately connected to another part of the body via fascia as a string is to a sweater.
- Fascia is often compared to seran wrap whereby it smoothly envelopes the structures it covers
What is the role of Fascia when functioning properly?
- Fascia is relaxed and wavy when in a healthy state
- It can stretch and move and support without restriction
- It reduces friction to minimize the force applied to muscles
- It binds and stabilizes some structures while it allow others to slide smoothly over each other
Who would benefit from FST?
- Sports / musculoskeletal injuries (e.g. low back pain, stiff calves/hamstrings / gluteals)
- Neurological conditions (e.g. stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis)
- Acute or chronic pain from motor vehicle collisions
- Overuse / repetitive work-related injuries
What are the benefits of FST?
- A greater sense of improved functional range of motion
- Previously restricted joints are often described as “lighter” with greater freedom of movement
How does Fascial dysfunction contribute to pain, stiffness and tightness?
- Trauma, inflammation, post surgical procedures, poor posture and repetitive stress can create tension in muscles and connective tissue which begin to “stick” to one another creating high tensile (tension) pressure
- Blood flow is reduced and nerves can become compressed
- Lack of proper circulation and nutrition cause an increased sensation of tightness
- Fascial restrictions affect our ability to withstand stress due to impaired stability and flexiblity