The Barnes Approach

Anatomy of Fascia

Fascia (also called “connective tissue”) is a body system to which little attention has been paid to in the past. It is the tough, white membrane which we sometimes remove from meat before cooking. It is very strong, being able to withstand and exert a force of 2000 pounds per square inch. The fascial system extends from the toes to the top of the head, throughout the body, in a continuous spider web-like fashion. It surrounds all the tissues and organs of the body right down to a cellular level. Without the fascia, our body would crumple up into a pile on the floor.

The majority of the body’s fascia is oriented vertically. There are however four major crosswise (or transverse) planes which are extremely dense. These are the pelvic diaphragm, respiratory diaphragm, thoracic inlet and the cranial base. Sometimes all four planes can become effected over time as restrictions entwine themselves through the body, gradually torquing and twisting outwards. The dura mater (the connective tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord) is also fascia. All of these regions can be treated with MFR and CST techniques to free restrictions and restore equilibrium.

 Because our entire body is interconnected, when the fascia becomes compromised following any injury (such as surgery, birth, trauma, disease, inflammation, etc.) it can put tension on adjacent pain-sensitive structures, as well as creating a drag on distant areas. Long after the original complaint, some patients have bizarre symptoms that we can now identify as being caused by the fascial system—symptoms like burning, tingling, pulling, cramping, poor posture, difficulty breathing, and cranial symptoms. A visual analogy may be when you pull on your sweater at the bottom you can feel it “dragging” and tightening up around your neck and shoulders.

We slowly tighten, losing our flexibility and spontaneity of motion, and setting ourselves up for more trauma and pain as we are pulled out of our three-dimensional orientation with gravity.