Your article (The fascia secret: how does it affect your health – and should you loosen it up with a foam roller?, 24 November) was enlightening. In addition to the movement and exercise approaches you highlighted, a wide range of strategies for supporting healthy fascia is being researched by the Fascia Research Group at Ulm University in Germany, led by Prof Robert Schleip. Fascia research is still in its infancy, but the implications for healthcare are considerable. As early as 2015, a conference at Harvard Medical School examined links between fascia, acupuncture and oncology; the lectures remain available online and underline how much more we need to understand about fascia’s role in medicine.
Manual therapists have long recognised the importance of working with fascia. Andrew Taylor Still, the founder of osteopathy, stressed its significance, and newer approaches such as the Bowen technique aim to improve hydration, proprioception and flexibility by engaging fascia gently but directly. One of the least appreciated aspects of fascia is its extraordinary sensitivity: it provides a constant feedback loop to the central and autonomic nervous systems, responding continuously to internal and external stimuli.
Often it is the gentler therapeutic methods such as the Bowen technique, the Feldenkrais method or slower forms of yoga that have the greatest influence on this remarkable network, which underpins the healthy functioning of the whole body.
John Wilks
Compton Dundon, Somerset
I was excited to read your recent article about the body’s fascia network. As a teacher of yin yoga, a style centred on fascia stretch, I find this topic particularly compelling. Yin yoga uses a set of deep stretches developed in alignment with traditional Chinese medicine’s meridians, the energetic pathways connecting essential organs throughout the body.
In our practice, we use a yoga mat, props and supports to work with gravity, allowing us to achieve a deep stretch. Stillness is then maintained for an extended duration, typically between three to five minutes, which permits the body to fully release tension and surrender.
The benefits of this practice are significant. By resting deeply in a stretch and anchoring the mind, the nervous system shifts into the parasympathetic mode (rest and digest). This allows the body and mind to truly rest and initiate regeneration. Furthermore, by training the body and mind to sit with slight discomfort in a supported and conscious way, we foster a sense of trust.
The long-term results include a noticeable reduction in chronic pain, tension and stiffness. This approach makes yin yoga highly effective and suitable for all levels of experience.
Rachel Parry
Rugby, Warwickshire
I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia at 21, 20 years ago. I tried every therapeutic and pharmaceutical treatment, with little luck until I started treating the fascia instead of the muscles. Massages left me feeling bruised. Osteopathy would help, but only for a few hours. The gamechanger for me was a series of Rolfing sessions. These permanently changed some of the fascia around my trigger points. I now have occasional myofascial release sessions when my pain gets bad. The benefit of each session lasts for weeks. I also added specific stretches to limber and warm up the fascia, rather than the muscles per se. Doing reformer pilates regularly keeps the fascia limber. A memory foam mattress also helps my fascia to not feel stiff and “crunchy” in the morning. I hope this helps anyone struggling with their fibro pain.
Maxine Lewis
Auckland, New Zealand
Joel Snape’s article omits to mention that traditional acupuncture is based on the subtle flows of energy throughout the fascia. The network of meridians and points are located within the fascia. Treatment of acupuncture points affects the whole system because the fascia is one continuous “organ”. As Joel says, “we” (western researchers) have only just stopped throwing the fascia away, and there is much research to be done. I’ve been practising traditional acupuncture for 34 years and am well aware that most people are ignorant of the existence of fascia.
The single most common experience that patients report after acupuncture treatment is deep relaxation and a sense of reconnecting with their whole being. We need this more than ever.
Teja Entwistle
Pentraeth, Ynys Môn
