It wasn’t until I received an injury to my upper body playing hockey in 2017 that I really understood the role of fascia and how it could affect health and function in the body. Often when a person has an injury from a fall, from an impact playing a sport, or from a motor vehicle accident, the force of impact is absorbed by the dense tissues of the body  (including fascia). The most dense material in the body is water. Water is so dense that it cannot be compressed. Fluid filled organs expand with impact, similar to a water balloon. These internal injuries are absorbed by the organs, as well as bone structures surrounding the pelvis, trunk and cranium, resulting in a variety of musculoskeletal and functional conditions.

The fascia is tissue that encompasses the entire body similar to your skin, such as a one piece pajama around your body, organs and muscles. Having an impact on one side of the body can create an expansion on the opposite side of the body. You may feel pain or restriction of function where the initial impact occurred, but the enlargement on the opposite side may be the cause of the pain and restricted mobility.

When bone encounters a forceful injury it enlarges. In 2005 a researcher at the University of California, Dr. Paul Hansma, verified this and found the molecular mechanism which causes the expansion. A common example is an enlarged head of a femur in the hip. The deformed bone does not fit or move properly in the joint, causing pain and degeneration.

Matrix Repatterning is a fascial therapy that helped me recover from my hockey injury. It was great at assessing where the impact had caused structural enlargement and fascia restrictions. Treatment helped to resolve my pain and restore mobility. I am excited to offer Matrix Repatterning at our clinic.