What to know about fascia in the body

Some parts of the body do plenty of work and get no credit. One you might not have heard much about yet is called the fascia.

Fascia is the connective tissue that surrounds every part of your body, according to Cleveland Clinic. It’s a stringy, white substance that consists mostly of collagen, a protein that supports strength and flexibility. Its role is to provide structure and support throughout your body. When fascia is healthy, it’s smooth, slippery and flexible, according to John Hopkins Medicine. Limited physical activity, repetitive movement, surgery or injury can cause it to become gummy and crinkle up. This can cause pain.

Fascia plays an important role in our bodies, says Brown University Health. It supports and stabilizes, connects muscles to other muscles and bone, helps tissue move smoothly, supports movement and senses pain and tension.

Matt Kasee, certified personal trainer and founder of Trilogy Fitness Systems, says fascia is what makes movement feel like one fluid motion, not a series of disconnected parts. Here’s what he wants people to know about fascia.

How fascia differs from other connective tissues

Kasee thinks of fascia like spider’s silk or fine mesh. This is what gives it strength and stretch.

“Muscles are the tissue responsible for generating force and movement. Tendons connect muscle to bone, and ligaments connect bone to bone. Fascia is different because it isn’t a single, defined structure in the way a specific muscle or tendon is,” he says. “It surrounds and infuses nearly all of these tissues, forming layers and sheaths that hold everything together and (allows) them to glide against one another.”

Fascia’s role in the body

Fascia has an important and expansive job description. It’s responsible for:

• Maintaining muscle position

• Transmitting force between muscles

• Reducing strain and friction during movement

• Proprioception (nerve endings that help the body sense its place in space)

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The role of fascia as we age

As with other body parts, fascia becomes less elastic and more rigid as we age, even forming adhesions or thickness.

“Areas where layers that should glide smoothly against each other instead stick together. This can contribute to feelings of stiffness, reduced range of motion and a general sense that the body doesn’t move as freely as it once did,” Kasee says.

Though you can’t prevent fascia from aging, you can use regular physical activity, especially exercises that include moving through your full range of motion, he adds.

“Consistent movement helps keep fascial layers gliding properly, supports collagen turnover and reduces the likelihood of restrictions building up over time.”

Beyond regular movement, people should consider the role of the opposite – little movement can contribute to fascial restriction, so avoid staying still for too long.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What to know about fascia in the body