When muscles are stuck in either over-contracted or over-stretched positions, you’ll often find reduced functioning in that area of the body.
In order to find the best treatment to reduce this type of strain and help nourish overworked muscles, look to supporting healthy fascia through modalities such as: Structural Integration, Craniosacral Therapy or exercises like Yamuna Ball Rolling or Feldenkrais. Through fascial manipulation and mindful movement, it is very possible to restore full body movement. By reopening the adhesions in the tissue, one is able to to restore fluid flow and help the nervous system to enliven, as well as correct the misalignment which helped contribute to that pull.
Finding Healthy Structure through Balance
This adhesion gives you a good view of deformed fascia. As people get older, lifetime stresses often play a significant factor in how we relate within and to our environments. Accidents, illnesses, repetitive motion, and stress can all take us all off kilter. The resulting tension patterns take us out of effortless motion and tend to create pain over time. Fortunately, for us, the fascia is able to self correct through a practitioner’s or proper exercise of gentle pushes and pulls of this continuous fabric of life. Whether you go to a Fascial Bodyworker, or choose to check into using tools such as the balls, Melt Tube,or instructional movement DVDS, it is easy to improve your health by lengthening and unwinding rotations and twists. As the tissues unfold and lubricate, there is more space for movement and nourishment to organs, muscles, and bones. And- we all want to feel our best, right?
The first thing to do to stabilize and balance the body is to find a therapist who will help bring self awareness to you about your fascial body. Learning mindfulness with the body is pivotal in taking responsibility for one’s health. Many people are not familiar with the web-like fasical system and do not know how important it is in regards to postural balance. Yet once a conscious relationship is awakened, you’ll be surprised how simple it is to gain more flexibility and energy. It’s a shame that this system has not been investigated more thoroughly in the past as it is a life altering element of health and wellness. Getting yourself educated by experienced people and good literature will ultimately help you stay in charge for your own life. Take some time to read about all the new finding regarding the role of fascia in the field of wellness. A good place to start is: http://www.theiasi.net/new-to-structural-integration-
Once you have found the best bodyworker for you, make sure that there is educational dialogue. Each person develops in his/her own unique way. It is valuable to share the type of touch that works best for you even with the most experienced therapist. If you have any previous trauma, whether physical, emotional or whatever… please let us know because the best sessions are where there is respect for boundaries and good listening. Sometimes it is the case that the body will allow one in, but repetitive thought patterns and the emotion energy behind that can bring about strong resistance and responses in other levels of consciousness. The whole of a person must be addressed for deep healing and respect of the process and this holistic model is the key to success. The fascia is a continuous web of connective tissue that is responsible for posture. Whatever history you bring into the session will begin to unravel as the whole body changes, and organically many different experiences unfold.
On a personal note, I like to ask my clients not to work out very hard while going through a ten series. Often muscles building can lead to overuse and weaknesses that may be unconscious or imbalanced. It is beneficial to allow the 10 weeks to be dedicated to feeling the body open and lengthen naturally. Personally, I also like to advise clients to use rollers and balls to work each day to keep the fascia hydrated, layered and softer. By the time the client feels a 10 series from the superficial work to the deeper layers and such, he/she (if they have been mindful of their bodies), will feel a dramatic shift into freer mobility, increased energy and integration.
Fascial work originally was brought to attention by Ida Rolf. Since her time, there are now many wonderful graduated practitioners across the globe from schools such as the Institute for Structural Integration,The Rolf Institute,The Upledger Institute, Tom Meyers School and more. The research that is being done is exciting and coming more into the mainstream of the medical community. In my own Private Practice,I have seen people who have lived with years of pain, release and find themselves feeling freer and happier than in previous years. It is always a pleasure to see my clients walking away with more essence and vitality in their step.
Fascial work is so exciting because it can help so many people to feel more deeply and alive. If you have any questions, please call Sharon Hartnett LMT for a free 15 phone consultation.
