Connective Tissue / Myofascial Release

Connective tissue is a complex structure that surrounds pretty much every tissue of the body – from nerves to muscles and everything in between. It’s vital for providing form to the body as well as assisting in the delivery of nutrients and fluids. The best way to understand it is to look at your common sausage…our muscles are represented by the sausage meat (muschy), the connective tissue is the white casing around it (giving it shape).

Why do you need to know about it?

Connective tissue is much stronger than our organs, blood vessels, muscles and bones that it surrounds, so if it’s tight it will always win, creating restrictions. In order to achieve change in your body, it must be addressed as part of your treatment plan. Lets go back to the sausage for a minute and talk about a few of examples of connective tissue problems you may have experienced or heard of:

• What happens when you over cook sausages? The pressure inside the casing builds up so much that it splits right. A similar thing happens in your calves when shin pain is left unaddressed and swelling starts to occur in the muscles – BUT in the body the connective tissue is much stronger than the sausage casing and it won’t split. The pressure of calf muscles becomes immense and blood vessels and nerves become critically compromised.  This is known as Compartment Syndrome and much more common than you might think, but very treatable.
• You have probably all heard of Plantar Fasciitis. Essentially this is where the connective tissue underneath your feet becomes swollen and restricted. This issue presents at your feet, but actually starts much further up the connective tissue chain, at the back of your body. Again a very treatable condition.
• Fibromyalgia literally means pain in the muscles and connective tissue of the body. This chronic and debilitating condition is rife in New Zealand and massage, specifically neuromuscular therapy, can provide a powerful tool in its management.

So now you understand a little more about connective tissue and why it’s important to treat, if you are suffering from any restrictions, please let us help you. Claire and myself have done extensive training in connective tissue realise (also known as myofascial realise) and you can expect to have to this work included in you treatments with us. ​

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