Learning about fascia, the protective coating around muscles and joints
BOSTON - A thin film around muscles and joints could be the cause of our aches and pains.
Grant Ward has been working with a physical therapist at the New England Baptist Hospital Outpatient Care Center in Chestnut Hill ever since shoulder pain made it tough to do simple tasks. "Literally, going into a parking lot and getting a ticket out of the booth was very difficult," he said.
Since then, he's learned a lot about fascia and how it can trigger pain. "It composes a 3D structure for support, has nerve endings for feeling and also can send out signals for pain," explained the Baptist Co-Chair of Sports Medicine Dr. Sarav Shah.
According to Shah, when muscles feel sore, it may be the fascia that is inflamed, or has adhesions, meaning it's crinkled or gummy. "When you have a sore muscle, you are probably going to get stiff, and the stiffness comes from the adhesions that form around the coverings, the fascia," he said.
So, what exactly is fascia? If you have ever noticed that smooth, thin, transparent film on a chicken breast, that is fascia. It forms a protective covering over muscles, joints, and tendons. Shah explained that providers can usually tell if fascia may be to blame if they push on a muscle and the patient is able to resist without pain. If there is pain, there is likely something more going on.
Physical therapy and strength training is most often used to treat fascia problems. Ward did a lot of work on the ground with a foam roller when he was working with his physical therapist.
How do you keep your fascia healthy in the first place? "That's a good question," said Shah. "The short answer is resistance training, this helps remodel your fascia to optimal tension length covering."
That is why Ward is still meeting with the physical therapist. He said he is seeing benefits throughout his body. "Certainly, range of motion is definitely better and I'm absolutely stronger. I can see the results and the difference with the golf ball, it goes farther."
And he can reach that parking ticket, no problem.