Besides walking, what other exercises can you do to protect your fascia? Pilates, yoga, and tai chi are all effective

The importance of fascia has long been ignored by the medical community, but in fact it is an important tissue that connects the muscles and joints of the whole body. Once there is a problem with the fascia, it will cause pain throughout the body, just like a single hair moving the whole body, and even affect the coordination of various movements. The following are common questions about fascia and fascial deformation patterns:

Q: What can I do to keep my fascia healthy?

Although we cannot prevent fascia from deforming, it is possible to keep it healthy. Simply put, it means staying active and avoiding sitting for long periods of time. Exercise is the key to long-term health. Some say that sedentary lifestyle has become the smoking cesspool of this generation. From this we can see that the damage caused by lack of exercise to the human body is very similar to that of smoking, and both are huge health risks. In order to fully mobilize the fascia, I encourage all patients to walk 30 to 60 minutes a day, and I suggest that everyone continue to work towards this goal.

Based on my personal medical experience, even a temporary lack of exercise can easily cause fascia deformation. For example, long car journeys or plane flights seem to cause certain deformations; sitting at a desk for a long time without getting up and walking around or changing posture will cause deformations; even sleeping in the same posture every day will cause certain deformations (although this sounds a bit extreme). The human body seems to need constant movement to function best.

Another tip is to drink plenty of water. Drinking water is key to keeping your fascia flowing smoothly since fascia is made up of 68% water. Once the human body is slightly dehydrated, it seems to be more susceptible to fascia deformation. Also, remember, don't smoke! Many of my patients with back pain are drug addicts. Smoking causes dryness in the body, which is a very bad habit.

Q: Besides walking, what other exercises do you recommend?

Specific exercises that benefit fascia include Pilates, yoga, tai chi, and gentle stretching. When stretching, I recommend slow movements rather than dynamic stretching that involves bouncing (dynamic stretching is more suitable for exercise and before weight training). I also recommend that patients living in nursing homes do long-term gentle stretching, which is less likely to damage the fascia. Dancing and ballet are also good. Virtually any exercise that allows the fascia layers to glide against each other is suitable. Remember, therapists can’t fix everything; what we can do is get the fascia back into place and keep it there, and then it’s up to the body to heal itself.

Q: Are there any special dietary guidelines that should be followed?

There are many different schools of thought on healthy eating. You can start by eating more vegetables and less meat. At the same time, you must try to reduce the amount of sugar and refined starch in your diet. There is a lot of useful information available on the Internet.

In addition, I also found Andrew. The dietary advice provided by Dr. Andrew Weil was helpful; fish oil and vitamin D also seemed to be helpful. I would recommend that patients discuss with their primary care physician to determine the most appropriate nutritional supplement.

This article is selected from the Dialect Culture "Fascia Repair Symptomatic Hand Therapy Book: Illustrated Explanation of the Six Major Fascia Deformation Patterns, Authoritative Teaching by the American Fascia Deformation Association; Suitable for Chronic Pain, Athletes, and Physical Therapists! 》