Fascia can be found throughout the body in different layers and depths. They envelop muscles, organs and blood vessels and form tendons and ligaments. They form a complex network that pervades the body, giving us support and form.
They are adaptable and elastic, but this can also lead to disorders in the musculoskeletal system. If fascia is glued, you can no longer glide smoothly together, which limits movement.
As Tom Mayers clearly shows in his book "Anatomy Trains", fascia also runs in muscle-fascial chains or myofascial trajectories, allowing specific movements.
For example, the superficial back line runs from the sole of the foot over the entire back, up to the skull and ends at the eyebrows.
The train tracks show that problems in the musculoskeletal system are not just local. As an example, a shortened structure in the thigh can lead to a forward tilted pelvis (hollow back) and cause further compensatory malpositions in the upper body.
Recent fascia research has also shown that fascia is densely populated with pain sensors and can contract independently of muscle.
Therefore, they are gaining more and more recognition in the pain therapies.
But not only pain sensors, but also receptors, which play an important role for the own body perception, the so-called "proprioception", find themselves in the fascial tissue again.
Healthy fascia are well watered and provide for smooth movements. Through a variety of influences, the tissue can lose elasticity and felt, resulting in tension, stiffness and pain.
This is where structural integration comes in. Through the targeted techniques, the fluid is squeezed out, allowing the tissue to absorb new fresh fluid.