Fascia

Are the Weights not going up as easy anymore? Are your joints and muscles sore and tight? If so, then it’s time for a change! All it takes is some maintenance and a better understanding of your own body and what it needs to be performing at its best.

Every day we perform repetitive actions which, over time, may cause us to have pains and injuries. These everyday movements such as driving and sitting at your desk may in fact be responsible for those aches. These little movements in the office, in your car, even at home cause a multitude of negative movement patterns and posture which insult our Fascia.

You are probably thinking, what is Fascia and how can you insult it? Well, Fascia is the tissue that encapsulates your muscles - it starts at the bottom of your feet and runs all the way up your body to your eyebrows. Fascia surrounds our muscles and helps to keep them divided and protected. The pains you experience when you don’t take care of your Fascia are a result of the once separated tissue tightening up creating knots. These knots cause pain and loss of mobility. If nothing is done to counter balance bad posture and the repetition of daily movements, these seemingly harmless day-to-day actions will take a toll on your body.

You may have heard people say, “I can’t do squats anymore because my knees ache,” or “I can’t bench press any more because my shoulders are killing me.”We, or maybe we have similar stories of our own, but it doesn’t have to be like this! True, most of us can not afford the luxury of getting a massage every day, but there are other options. We can use a foam roller or a lacrosse ball as our own massage therapists for as little at $25! I bet it sounds silly that just by using a piece of foam or a ball you are able to increase mobility, decrease injury, and increase performance in the gym. Yes, with a foam roller you can essentially “iron out” the all the knots of insulted tissue throughout the body and increase the blood flow to aid in healing. This can decrease, or often times make your aches pains disappear. This method of using a foam roller for just 10 minutes a day makes a world of difference for everyone from beginners to seasoned athletes.