You may have heard of plantar fasciitis, a painful condition that happens when the plantar fascia of the foot becomes inflamed. However, fascia runs all throughout our bodies and can become inflamed or irritated anywhere, not just the foot. Learn more about fascia, why it might cause pain, and simple ways to treat the pain at home.
What is fascia and what does it do?
Fascia plays an important role in the body. It is a thin but strong sheet of connective tissue that wraps around and runs through nearly everything inside your body—muscles, bones, organs, nerves and even blood vessels. Fascia is a supportive tissue, playing a few different roles, including:
- Supporting and stabilizing structures in place, like a three-dimensional web
- Connecting muscles to other muscles and to bones
- Easing the movement of other tissues so they glide smoothly over one another
- Transmitting force throughout the body when you move
- Sensing pain and tension throughout the body
There are different types of fascia that perform different jobs.
Superficial fascia
This type of fascia lays just under the skin. It contains fat, nerves, and blood vessels. According to one report, it is estimated that fascia contains more than 250 million nerve endings—more nerve endings than skin!
Deep fascia
This type of fascia surrounds our muscles, bones, nerves and blood vessels. It’s very strong and fibrous, and is broken down into two subtypes, depending on where the fascia is and how thick it is.
Visceral fascia
This type of fascia wraps around the internal organs, specifically the heart, lungs, and intestines.
Why your fascia might be causing or contributing to your pain
Fascia is important to both pain and recovery because it’s richly supplied with nerves, responds to stress, and adapts to how you move—or don’t move.
Fascia not only has more sensory nerves than skin, it also has more sensory nerves than our muscles. When fascia becomes irritated, dehydrated or inflamed, it can send strong pain signals—even if the muscle itself is fine.
Injury, repetitive strain, poor posture or lack of movement can lead fascia to lose elasticity, stick to nearby tissues, or form trigger points (tender, painful spots). All of these factors can cause local pain, referred pain (pain that originates in one area but is felt somewhere else), or reduced range of motion.
When injured, fascia can swell, but because it’s such a strong connective tissue, it does not expand easily. This swelling with little expansion can increase the pressure on the nerves, which can lead to pain and stiffness.
Referred pain can also occur because fascia transmits force throughout the body. For example, pain that we feel in the lower back may actually be caused by tight calves.
How fascia impacts recovery after an injury
When fascia is well-maintained, it can help our bodies recover faster and more thoroughly. Gently moving the body in different ways helps fascia to remain hydrated, stay slippery and elastic, and realign collagen fibers during healing. Too much rest allows the fascia to stiffen, which can slow recovery. This is part of the reason we encourage patients to get mobile as soon as possible, even while still in the hospital.
You also want to make sure you’re gradually loading more weight onto the fascia, slowly and with control. Using light resistance in controlled exercises encourages the fascia to remodel itself correctly and prevents scar tissue from becoming restrictive.
Fascia and chronic pain
In long-term conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic infections, chronic stress or even depression, fascia can become hypersensitive. The same way that chronic stress can lead to deteriorating health, the nervous system that is encapsulated within fascia can remain on high alert and create pain, even after the tissues themselves heal.
How you can help your fascia
Our bodies are meant to move, but for people with more sedentary jobs or mobility impairments, it can be a struggle, leading to tight, stiff fascia. The good news is that you can help your fascia with easy, at-home practices.
Gentle movement, such as Tai Chi or chair yoga, helps keep fascia loose and lubricated. These practices can also help your recovery from an injury by calming the nervous system and increasing local circulation to the impacted area.
Focus on slow, controlled stretching within these movements. You should work within comfortable ranges, meaning if you feel a hint of pain, you should back down and work up until that point.
Drink plenty of water to help keep your whole body hydrated, which is important for all your cells, organs and tissues.
You can also do a few “hands-on” techniques to help tight or stiff fascia. You can do basic massages at home of the affected area. Myofascial release can also help—this technique is like a deeper massage, targeting the connective tissues. Use a foam roller or small massage balls to help target specific areas, but be sure to go slowly and avoid bony areas, such as your kneecap or ankle bone.
To help you get a better understanding of what movements or therapies would benefit your recovery, consider working with a physical therapist. A physical therapist can create tailored movement routines to help you recover more quickly from an injury and regain mobility.
For more tips to keep you moving, visit the Move section of the Be Well blog.
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