I read a good article on the ‘Oprah’ website. It gave a good introduction to fascia and its affects on our bodies. Fascia is a connective tissue that runs around each and every muscle we have. Through time fascia becomes less flexible and helps firm up postural habits. To release muscles you need to stretch off, to release fascia you have to stretch off a bit longer and in a slightly different way. To stretch your calf muscle you can lift your toes, to stretch the fascia there you need to make a more concerted effort in terms of positioning and timing. In class we are often stretching fascia as this has great benefits to living in our bodies more comfortably.

Here’s the introduction of the fascia article to tempt you to delve a little deeper.

You’re Achy, You’re Sore, and You Have No Idea Why

It feels like muscle pain, but unlike a tight hamstring that makes you yelp when you stand up, your ache isn’t triggered by a particular movement, and you can feel it in different places at various times. The culprit could be your fascia, says Mary Ann Wilmarth, DPT, chief of physical therapy at Harvard University Health Services. This sheet of tissue, made up of densely packed protein fibers, weaves throughout the entire body, and it binds and supports your muscles, bones and even your organs…….

Read: Feeling Achy? The Body Part You Don’t Know You Have

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