Muscle Fascia

In brief

Fascia is a connective tissue network that connects everything in the body
Fascia itself can cause pain and stiffness, especially with little movement, stress, and metabolic dysregulation
Myofascial release (MFR) can reduce pain and stiffness as part of a broader plan
Supple fascia requires daily movement, strength training, good sleep, and stress regulation
When in doubt or with worsening symptoms: consult a doctor or physiotherapist

1. What is fascia?

Throughout the body runs a fine-meshed network of connective tissue: the fascia. This network envelops and connects muscles, tendons, joints, nerves, blood vessels, and organs.

Muscle fascia:

Gives structure and shape to muscles
Helps distribute force between different muscle groups
Ensures tissues can glide along each other
Is rich in nerve endings that register stretch, pressure, and tension

You can think of fascia as a three-dimensional web that connects everything to everything. When this web is supple, the body can move efficiently and almost silently. When this web becomes stiff, virtually any movement can feel heavy, stiff, or painful.

2. Types of fascia

Type	Location	Function
Superficial fascia	Directly under the skin	Temperature regulation, gliding ability, shape
Deep fascia	Surrounds muscle groups, tendons, joints	Force transmission, strongly innervated
Visceral fascia	Surrounds organs in chest and abdominal cavity	Suspension, protection, gliding ability

For muscle and joint complaints, especially the deep muscle fascia is relevant, as it is often involved in:

Muscle tension
Stiffness around joints
Low back pain, neck and shoulder complaints
The feeling of “bands” or “cords” in the body

3. Why can fascia hurt?

For a long time, pain was mainly attributed to muscles, joints, and intervertebral discs. We now know that fascia itself can also be an important source of pain.

Characteristics of fascia:

Contains many nerve endings (more than muscle tissue)
Registers stretch, pressure, chemical signals, and inflammation
Responds to mechanical stimuli, but also to hormones, stress, and metabolic factors

Pain that comes (partly) from fascia:

Is often difficult to pinpoint precisely (“vague muscle pain”)
Feels aching, pulling, burning, or like a tight band
Can be accompanied by stiffness, especially when getting up or after sitting for a long time
Can worsen during stressful periods or with poor sleep

4. How does fascia become imbalanced?

Fascia is living tissue that continuously adapts. It responds to the load you give it, and to the conditions in the body.

Factors that can make fascia stiffer and more sensitive:

Prolonged sitting, little variation in posture
Repeated one-sided loading (work, sports, lifting)
Traumas, strains, bruises, and scar formation
Chronic stress and increased muscle tension
Poor or disrupted sleep
Overweight, especially abdominal fat and insulin resistance
Low-grade inflammation with metabolic syndrome

This can cause:

The gliding layer between tissues to become stiffer
The collagen in fascia to become differently oriented
Blood circulation and fluid exchange to be suboptimal
Sensitivity of nerve receptors to increase

The result: more pain, stiffness, and a greater chance of overload.

5. Role of fascia in common complaints

Low back pain

The thoracolumbar fascia in the lower back is richly innervated. Changes in tension and structure can cause low back complaints, even when the vertebrae show few abnormalities on imaging.

Neck and shoulder complaints

Prolonged sitting, screen work, and stress increase tension in neck and shoulder fascia. This creates a heavy, tired, and burning feeling around the shoulder girdle and upper back.

Post-exercise pain (DOMS)

DOMS is delayed muscle soreness after exercise. Not only muscles, but also fascia and the immune system play a role in this.

Scars

After surgery, adhesions can occur in fascial layers. This can cause pain, pulling sensation, and movement restriction, even at some distance from the scar.

6. Myofascial release - what you can do yourself

Myofascial release (MFR) includes techniques to influence tension in muscles and fascia.

This can be done:

By a therapist (manual techniques, massage, physiotherapy)
By yourself with tools (foam roller, soft ball, massage ball, possibly massage gun)

Goals of MFR:

Reduce tension in muscles and fascia
Improve gliding ability between tissues
Calm the nervous system and reduce pain sensitivity
Improve range of motion around joints

7. What does research show?

Some terms:

ROM (Range of Motion): the range of movement of a joint
DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness): muscle pain that occurs 24-72 hours after exertion

From research:

Effect	Finding
Range of motion (ROM)	MFR can temporarily increase ROM
Pain	Moderate pain reduction, especially in combination with exercise program
DOMS	MFR can reduce intensity without adverse effect on muscle strength

8. How do you keep fascia supple? - core pillars of self-care

Daily movement

Move every day in an accessible way (walking, cycling, stairs)
Interrupt sitting every 30-60 minutes
Vary your posture: alternating sitting, standing, and walking

Strength, mobility, and VO2max

Strength training 2-3 times per week helps make muscles and fascia stronger
Mobility exercises and dynamic stretching exercises stimulate the fascial network
Good VO2max supports blood circulation and recovery

Sleep and recovery

7-9 hours of sleep per night
During sleep, recovery processes in muscles, fascia, and immune system take place
Chronic sleep deprivation increases pain sensitivity and slows tissue recovery

Stress and nervous system

Stress increases muscle tension and makes the whole body more sensitive to pain.

Simple breathing technique:

Breathe in for 4 counts through the nose
Breathe out for 6-8 counts through nose or mouth
Repeat 5-10 minutes, 1-2 times per day

Metabolic health and nutrition

Dietary pattern that prevents blood sugar spikes and reduces inflammation
Adequate protein intake for muscle and connective tissue recovery
Weight reduction with overweight reduces mechanical and metabolic load

9. Practical self-myofascial release - safety framework

Pain scale 0-10:

0 = no pain
10 = unbearable pain

Guideline: aim for 4-6 out of 10. You feel clear pressure and discomfort, but can breathe normally. With cramping, holding breath, or nausea, the pressure is too high.

Start with:

Softer materials (soft foam roller, rubber ball)
5-10 minutes per session
3-4 sessions per week

10. Examples per region

Neck and shoulders

Stand with your back against a wall
Place a soft ball between shoulder blade and spine (not on the vertebra itself)
Bend knees slightly and roll slowly up and down or left to right
Stay 30-60 seconds per sensitive point, breathe calmly

Upper back

Lie on your back, knees bent, feet on the ground
Place a foam roller crosswise under the upper back
Support the head or cross arms in front of chest
Roll slowly a small distance up and down (about 5-10 cm)

Lower back and buttock region

Work around the lower back rather than directly on it.

Sit on a firm surface
Place a soft ball under one buttock muscle
Shift body weight until a clear but tolerable pressure point is felt
Hold 30-60 seconds, breathe calmly and consciously let go

Upper legs

Front (quadriceps):

Lie on stomach with a foam roller under the thigh
Support on forearms
Roll calmly from hip to just above the knee
Pause 20-30 seconds on a sensitive point

Back (hamstrings):

Sit with the roller under the hamstrings
Place hands behind you on the ground
Lift the buttocks slightly
Roll slowly back and forth over the thigh

Foot arch

Sit on a chair
Place a small ball under the sole of the foot
Roll calmly from heel to forefoot and back
Focus on the foot arch, avoid aggressive pressure on the toes

11. How often, how long, and how to build up?

Basic schedule:

3-4 times per week
5-15 minutes per session
30-90 seconds per region, possibly 1-2 repetitions

Building up:

Start with 1-2 regions (for example shoulders and upper back)
Observe how body and symptoms respond after a few weeks
Then expand or shift focus

More important than “long” or “hard” is:

Regularity
Calm breathing
Stopping in time with clear worsening of symptoms

12. When guidance is useful

Consult with doctor, physiotherapist, or manual therapist for:

Prolonged or unexplained pain complaints
Radiating pain, loss of strength, numbness, or tingling
History of vertebral collapse, severe arthrosis, or fractures
Complex scars or connective tissue diseases
Combination of pain with severe fatigue, sleep, or mood complaints

13. Summary

Muscle fascia is an extensive connective tissue network that connects everything in the body. This network itself can cause pain and stiffness, especially with little movement, overload, stress, and metabolic dysregulation.

You keep fascia supple best by:

Daily varied movement
Training strength, mobility, and VO2max
Good sleep
Regulating stress and breathing
Optimizing metabolic health
Applying myofascial techniques calmly, regularly, and safely

Veelgestelde vragen

What is fascia?

Fascia is a fine-meshed network of connective tissue that runs throughout the body. It envelops and connects muscles, tendons, joints, nerves, blood vessels, and organs. You can think of fascia as a three-dimensional web that connects everything to everything.

Why can fascia hurt?

Fascia contains many nerve endings (more than muscle tissue) and registers stretch, pressure, and inflammation. Pain from fascia is often difficult to pinpoint precisely, feels aching or pulling, is accompanied by stiffness, and can worsen with stress or poor sleep.

What is myofascial release (MFR)?

Myofascial release includes techniques to reduce tension in muscles and fascia, such as foam rolling or massage. The effects work through the nervous system, blood circulation, and redistribution of tension. MFR is useful but not a miracle cure - it works best as part of a comprehensive plan.

How do I keep my fascia supple?

Through daily varied movement, strength training and mobility training, good sleep, stress regulation, optimizing metabolic health, and applying myofascial techniques calmly and regularly.

Medische Disclaimer: De informatie van Stichting Je Leefstijl Als Medicijn over leefstijl, ziektes en stoornissen mag niet worden opgevat als medisch advies. In geen geval adviseren wij mensen om hun bestaande behandeling te veranderen. We raden mensen met chronische aandoeningen aan om zich over hun behandeling goed door bevoegde medische professionals te laten adviseren.

Medical Disclaimer: The information provided by Stichting Je Leefstijl Als Medicijn regarding lifestyle, diseases, and disorders should not be construed as medical advice. Under no circumstances do we advise people to alter their existing treatment. We recommend that people with chronic conditions seek advice regarding their treatment from qualified medical professionals.