This discussion group is for questions about Yin Yoga and other body parts, such as shoulders, feet, wrists, etc.... Also, this is the place to discuss various conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.
i've been doing some research on fasciaresearch.com re: how fascia responds to being stretched. If I am understanding the research findings correctly (see below) than after you stretch the fascia, it increases in hydration and becomes stiffer. I don't understand the 'stiffer' part since after a yin practice i definately feel the opposite. Am I just not understanding the wording?
'When fascia is being stretched, water is being extruded from the ground substance and simultaneously there are some temporary relaxation changes in the longitudinal arrangement of the collagen fibers. When the stretch is finished, the longitudinal relaxation of the fibers takes a few minutes to revert (provided the strain has not been too strong and there have been no micro-injuries); yet the water continues to be soaked up into the tissue, to the degree that the tissue even swells and becomes stiffer than before.' http://www.fasciaresearch.de/#For Clinicians
(go to european fascia research project)
I realise that you haven't read the whole article but my understanding was the fascia becomes more hydrated and stronger after a deep tensile stretch than before. Maybe by 'stiffer' they mean contract (meaning stronger?)
In addition to what Paul offers on his website for connective tissue research would you have any additional resources where i can find more info on the phycho/emotional factors relating to fascia?
as always, thank you for all your time, commitment and efforts in helping us understand this beautiful practice.
Interesting article. I had not read it before. Thanks for drawing it to my attention.
From the studies, the researchers are noting that after a certain period of time (around 1 hour or more) the water content in the fascia will be higher than it was before the fascia was "exercised". They believe that the initial stress and subsequent rearrangement of the collagen fibers squeezed water out of the fascia, but then after relaxing, and re-alignment of the collagen, more water was absorbed back into the fascia than was there originally. This extra water made the fascia stiffer.
Your question is about this stiffer part. You don't feel particularly stiffer after a yin yoga session, so what's going on? I think we need to clarify the term "stiffer". Stiffer does not mean shorter or tighter. Since the fascia is not shorter in this example, you would not have a restricted range of motion just because the fascia is stiffer. Think of it this way: imagine your credit card. Visualize it being bent back and forth about 100 times, but not so much that it is broken. Notice the area where it has been folded…you'll see a white line there and you may notice that it is thinner there. If you try to pull the ends of the card apart, the card still has resistance to being stretched in that direction, however if you apply enough stress (let's called it X newtons of force), the card will snap. Now, supposed this card was a living section of lumbar fascia and it was exercised in the way the researchers did their study. After an hour or more, the point where the weakness exists (the white line) will have become a bit thicker due to the extra water absorbed. This extra thickness means that it is "stiffer". It will now take more than X newtons of force to break the tissue if it is pulled apart.
Stiffness will resist stresses but this does not mean it will restrict your range of motion. When we move, our ligaments are not lengthening and shortening (at least not very much, especially compared to the muscles.) Now, over time, ligaments can be made thicker and longer but that is due to the fibroblasts laying down more collagen fibers. The researchers in this study are discovering that stressing and relaxing fascia increases hydration, which leads to strengthening the fascia. I can see how adding water to the fascia will make it stronger (or stiffer in their terms). To grow more length in the fascia will require activation of the fibroblasts.
What is exciting about this whole area of research into the contractile nature of fascia (via myofibrils) is the implication that even over a short period of time, we can elongate fascia simply by training the myofibrils to relax. This has implications for people suffering from some of the severe conditions described in the article, such as Dupuytren disease, and it may also explain the feeling of expansion that we do get after a yin yoga class. Just remember, stiffness is not only related to range of motion. We can get more ROM due to the myofibrils relaxing and/or (more slowly) from the fibroblasts laying down more collagen.
Your second question was about further resources linking fascia to psychological or emotional states. Unfortunately, I don't know of any scientific studies on this: you may want to investigate the linkages from an energy body point of view. Traditional Chinese Medicine has many correlations between the flow of chi in certain meridians, the health of the pertaining organs and our emotional/psychological states of mind.
