When most people think about an injury, they think about the muscle itself. But muscle is surrounded, supported and connected by a complex network of connective tissue called fascia.
Fascia forms layers and connective-tissue sheets throughout the body. It surrounds muscles, muscle groups, nerves, blood vessels and other structures, helping organize the tissues and allowing different layers to move relative to one another.
Within this network are collagen and elastin fibers that contribute to the tissue’s strength, flexibility, and ability to deform and return toward its resting shape.
That is the tissue I work with. Understanding it explains a great deal about why an injury behaves the way it does.
What happens when an injury occurs
An injury can affect more than the exact spot where pain is felt.
When muscle or surrounding soft tissue is injured, the body begins an inflammatory and healing response. During recovery, changes can occur in the tissue’s structure, mobility, sensitivity, and ability to tolerate movement and load.
As the tissue heals, connective tissue is remodeled. In some cases, areas can become less mobile or develop restrictions in how tissue layers glide against one another.
This may contribute to sensations of:
- Tightness
- Stiffness
- Pulling
- Reduced range of motion
- Decreased ease of movement
- Altered movement patterns
The important point is that pain may decrease before normal tissue mobility and movement capacity are completely restored.
Fascia: the connective-tissue network
Think of fascia as a three-dimensional network rather than a single sheet.
It forms continuous layers and connections throughout the body. These tissues help separate structures, provide support, transmit mechanical forces, and allow movement between tissue layers.
When the body moves well, tissues need to be able to lengthen, shorten, slide and adapt to changing loads.
When movement becomes restricted, the body may compensate by asking neighboring muscles and tissues to contribute differently.
That is why looking only at the painful location may not always tell the complete movement story.
Elasticity and tissue mobility
Elasticity matters because the body constantly moves between loading and unloading.
Muscles and connective tissues need to tolerate lengthening and shortening, absorb and transmit forces, and adapt to repeated movement.
Following injury or periods of reduced activity, movement can become guarded and tissues may feel less flexible or mobile.
My goal is not simply to make a person loose.
The goal is to help restore comfortable mobility, controlled movement, and the ability to progressively tolerate load.
Why stretching matters
Stretching is not an optional extra in your recovery.
It is an important part of maintaining and developing mobility when it is used appropriately for your individual condition.
But stretching should be intelligent. The right type, intensity, duration and timing matter, especially after an injury.
Under my care, stretching is incorporated into the treatment process so that the work performed during a session is supported by appropriate movement between sessions.
If you want more on this, I have written about the importance of stretching in sports therapy and about rest and sleep, which does as much for tissue as anything I do with my hands.
Manual therapy and movement
Manual therapy can help address areas where soft-tissue mobility appears restricted. But treatment should not end when the hands-on work is finished.
Movement is part of the process.
The combination of appropriate hands-on treatment, stretching, mobility work, strengthening and progressive loading gives the body an opportunity to adapt to movement again.
So my approach is not simply “find the painful area and work on it.” It is:
- Assess
- Treat
- Mobilize
- Stretch
- Strengthen
- Reload
- Return to activity
Assess
We start with range of motion and find the soft tissue that is restricting the action of that movement.
Treat
Focused hands-on work on the restricted tissue, at a pressure your body can absorb that day.
Mobilize and stretch
Movement that keeps the change from the session, done between appointments as well as during them.
Strengthen and reload
Progressive loading, so the tissue can tolerate the demands of the activity you are returning to.
Your recovery is an active process
Your body does much of the actual healing.
My role is to help identify areas of soft-tissue restriction, work with the body’s movement system, and guide you toward better mobility and progressive function.
Your role is equally important. The work between appointments matters.
Stretch. Move. Recover. Rebuild.
The objective is not simply to feel better temporarily. The objective is to develop the mobility, strength and movement capacity needed to return to the activities you enjoy, with a thoughtful progression back to training.
Healthy tissue needs appropriate movement. Healthy movement requires participation. Recovery is a process, not a single treatment.
Where this shows up in my work
Myofascial Release
Slow, sustained work for areas where the tissue layers are no longer gliding the way they should.
Neuromuscular Therapy
Trigger-point and NMT work that targets the specific cause of referred pain.
Deep Tissue Massage
Strong, precise work for chronic tension and the demands of serious training.
Mobile & In-Home Massage
House-call sessions brought to you, so the work between appointments is easier to keep up.
Frequently asked questions
What is fascia?
Fascia is connective tissue that forms layers and sheets throughout the body. It surrounds muscles, muscle groups, nerves and blood vessels, helps organize those structures, and allows different layers to move relative to one another. It is not separate from your muscle. It is part of how your muscle works.
Why does my range of motion still feel limited after the pain is gone?
Pain often decreases before tissue mobility and movement capacity are completely restored. As tissue heals, connective tissue is remodeled, and some areas can become less mobile or develop restrictions in how the layers glide against one another. That can feel like tightness, pulling or stiffness in a body that no longer hurts.
Should I stretch after an injury?
Stretching matters, but it should be intelligent. The right type, intensity, duration and timing depend on your injury and the stage of healing you are in. I build stretching into the treatment plan so the work done in a session is supported by appropriate movement between sessions.
How much of my recovery is up to me?
A great deal. Your body does most of the actual healing. My role is to identify areas of soft-tissue restriction, work with your movement system and guide the progression. Your role is the work between appointments.
When should I get medical evaluation instead?
Every injury is different. When an injury may involve significant structural damage, persistent pain, major weakness, swelling or loss of function, appropriate medical evaluation should be obtained. Manual therapy is not a substitute for a diagnosis.