How Does My Body Get Restrictions?

Over time your body has developed its own unique pattern of combined "kinks" and "pulls", or myofascial restrictions.  Perhaps you've had a recent injury, life stress or diagnosis which has been the "straw that broke the camel's back", and has moved you to take action to relieve your pain and re-examine your health. 

Our bodies respond to immediate traumatic events (illness, injury, surgery, shock) by mounting an inflammatory response.  This inflammatory response is meant to be short term in duration.  However, prolonged inflammatory response (emotional stress, repeated or untreated physical injury, prolonged patterns of poor posture) tends to be cumulative, and results in myofascial restrictions.  These myofascial restrictions are often experienced as "symptoms", such as illness (fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome), chronic pain (headache, TMJ, neck/back/leg pain, pelvic inflammatory disease, etc.), or other conditions such as restless leg syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fascitis, vertigo, tinnitus, among many more. 

Do I Have Restrictions?

Until recently, fascial restrictions could not be detected with any standard tests such as X-rays or MRI's.  As technology continues to evolve, we are starting to see a limited amount of very hi-tech imaging machines that are starting to show fascial restrictions.  It is important to note that these machines are just starting to be used.  

How revolutionary will it be when technology catches up to what John F. Barnes has been teaching for over 40 years and skilled practitioners feel and see everyday?  Everyone has restrictions and eventually you will feel the cumulative affect of life by experiencing some level of pain or dysfunction.  Receiving treatment and learning how to self-treat will help release those restrictions and maintain a quality of life.  The results of creating a balanced body is the reduction or elimination of pain, increased flexibility, and renewed energy!   

What Exactly is a Fascial Restriction? 

In the normal healthy state, fascia is relaxed and wavy.  It has the ability to stretch and move without restriction.  But, when your body experiences a trauma, such as a fall, significant injury, surgery, repetitive motion, habitual poor posture, or an inflammatory process, over time, your fascia will thicken, become solidified and shortened in response to the trauma.  When this happens a restriction is formed.  Fascial restrictions have the ability to place up to 2,000 lbs. of pressure per square inch in restricted areas.  This enormous pressure on pain sensitive structures is what can compromise any system in your body causing pain, limited motion and/or dysfunction. 

Any system?  Yes, because fascia runs throughout your entire body, restrictions can cause pain and/or dysfunction in any system: muscular, circulatory, digestive, neurological, vascular etc.  You now can see that issues you may be experiencing with fertility, migraines, digestion and elimination, TMJ, neck and back pain, as well as so many more, may in fact be undiagnosed myofascial restrictions.  Over time, these restrictions will become tighter and tighter, making you feel as if you were wearing a straight jacket, creating a 'fascial drag' and sending symptoms into seemingly unrelated areas of your body.