The ‘No empty spaces’ concept — how fascia permeates everything…and why that is important

In this video, Dr. Spina discusses the misconceptions about the living body created by the resolve of anatomists to only demonstrate the underlying ‘important’ structures.  Frequently, by way of a scalpel, anatomists remove important layers including the fascia superficialis, as well as the profunda fascia overlying the muscular tissue.  By profunda fascia, in this instance we are referring to the connective tissue which has no direct association to any individual underlying structure (muscle, bone, etc.), but that which ‘fills in’ the spaces between the skin and underlying structures.  This connective tissue is also subject to contraction, fibrosis, adhesion, etc., which can negatively affect movement and biomechanics.  Thus assessment and treatment of this tissue is vital when such fascia fibrosis/tension is present.

Another concept that has been discussed here in the past is the fact that we, as manual therapists, don’t actually treat ‘muscle’, rather the connective tissue components of muscle – epimysium, perimysium, endomysium.  Add to this the fascia filling in the ‘gaps’ as noted above and keen therapists will be able to restore full, fluid, and functional movement effectively….if they have an accurate means of locating, and palpating defective/pathological tissues.

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