Myofascial Restrictions & Scar Tissue

In general, soft tissue should translate and glide freely over adjacent structures yet if trauma exists or has existed, a binding down of the fascia can result in abnormal pressure on nerves, muscles, bones and organs. Although still a part of the composition, scar tissue can be realigned and therefore movement of tissue can be unimpeded. Manual techniques aim to reestablish motion between fascial planes and reduce fibrous adhesions which reestablish neural and myofascial slide and glide, while reducing the friction created by the lack of proper length tension.

If not treated and manipulated, the localized cobwebbing of collagen combined with the contraction of tissue results in reduced local extensibility and creates a larger risk of injury for the entire kinetic chain. The longer the flow is blocked, the more likely it will have a negative impact on our health. Prolonged immobility of tissue, typically prescribed by physicians (and often necessary after an injury) can and does exacerbate this situations because these freshly laid adhesions create more mirco-adhesions with the other tissue surrounding it, further leading to a downward cascade of events. This limitation in large sections of tissue result in compensatory patterns of hypo/hypermobile tissue through an entire chain of myofascia, leading to pain and stiffness in areas distant to the sight of primary site of injury. A loss of the tissues lengthening potential is not so much due to the volume of collagen, but to the random pattern in which it is laid down and the abnormal cross bridges that prevent normal movement.

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At SOHMAR this is  one of The many issues we share with the Massage Students..