Fascia’s role in pain and dysfunction - from injuries to myofascial pain syndrome

// WHERE TO FOLLOW ME //
Website: elishaceleste.com/
Substack: humanfreedomproject.substack....
Learn Kinetix with me: kinetix.academy/
// 2023 CHANNEL UPDATE //
I’ve moved on from Mobility Mastery (self fascia release) in order to focus on teaching Kinetix, my method of root cause discovery for pain and dis-ease that involves partner fascia release as a “diagnostics” (and regeneration) tool. Kinetix is a complete scientific methodology that I teach to friends, partners and professionals alike inside The Kinetix Academy.
My other primary focus will be the launch and growth of a new podcast and Substack community called The Human Freedom Project.
// NEW CONTENT ON TH-cam //
Sometime in 2023 I will return to TH-cam with HFP podcast episodes and content created to help you know and understand yourself as a whole organism made of body, soul and spirit. This content will feature the Kinetix methodology, pain science, fascia secrets I’ve learned from 15+ years in private practice, neuroscience and evolving beyond the brain, trauma and the body, and more! I’m excited to go on this new adventure with you.
********** // VIDEO DESCRIPTION // *********
Pain gets our attention (some of us faster than others!) But what is pain anyway? I think it’s useful to understand what pain is before trying to make sense of fascia’s role in pain and dysfunction (compensation).
At its simplest, pain could be described as the perception of danger. Said even simpler, pain is always perceived. That doesn’t mean it isn’t REAL. Pain happens due to nociceptors in your body communicating to your brain that something is amiss in one part of your body. Those nociceptors don’t know WHAT is wrong or how to fix it (that’s not their job). Their job is to ping you with a pain signal so you can investigate. It’s YOUR JOB to determine if the threat is credible, and if it is - do something about it to bring your body back to homeostasis, or safety.
The thing is - you (your conscious or subconscious self) can create the feeling inside that something is wrong, and your body might react to that message with a physical pain signal. Your nervous system, mindset, beliefs about yourself - all matter when it comes to the perception of pain.
So keep that in mind as we dive into fascia’s role in pain, injury and dysfunction.
There are 3 main categories of pain that I want to cover today:
Tendon/ligament injuries, joint pain and soft tissue pain.
A tendon or ligament injury includes something like Achilles tendonitis or an ACL tear, to MCL sprains or elbow tendonitis.
Joint pain could be medically diagnosed (not by me, maybe your doctor has said this of you) as arthritis, bursitis or disc degeneration, but I would also include pain in the joint, however it is felt (sharp, nerve-like, dull and achy etc).
Soft tissue pain includes myofascial pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, connective tissue disorder etc.
Nerve pain can happen in a joint or feel like it’s in soft tissue (take sciatica for example, which shoots pain down the leg), so I am not creating a separate category for it but rather including it here.
In the video I break down the role fascia plays in each of these, but the general theory is this:
Fascia wraps every nerve ending, muscle fibril, muscle fiber etc. Fascia is tendon and ligament, just a more fibrous dense version. Fascia largely dictates circulation, because all of your arteries and veins run through the soft tissue structure (aka, your fascial system). Fascia can pull joints out of alignment, irritate nerves, and block precious blood flow that is necessary for tendons and ligaments, joints etc to be happy. Beyond that, fascia is largely responsible for the synthesizing of collagen and hyaluronic acid, both of which are crucial for cellular repair and healing. And finally, fascia has its own pain receptors and responds to chemical messengers like fear or cortisol, and can actually thicken in response.
With all of this in mind it starts to become clear how fascia plays a big role in pain of all kinds, and the healing of it, whether the pain is tendon/ligament, joint or more soft tissue. And beyond these three, you can probably deduce how it might play a role in trauma or stress induced physical pain.
Please share one takeaway from this video that surprised or inspired you! I’ll see you in the comments.

[@lauramauri7399]

I am so surprised to find out that it should’nt hurt to just press on your skin. I have a lot of work to do! Very helpful! Thank you!

[@ArtDocHound]

She's so smart! She gets my severe every day pain.

[@jenrich111]

FASCIA IS EMERGING IN AWARENESS thanks to your yt vids etc. Pain is not just muscle tension, or joint, or soft tissue or nerve pain, or inflamation, but includes sticky fascia membranes, that rap around. lymph is in there too, needing a moving body, of muscles and nerves, to circulate it. our mind, body and organs are all mindblowing collective adaptions to our environment. Thanks for your wholistic explanation and sharing your long experience. Nice vid. More please

[@lucietaylor3162]

Yes! I have an unstable pelvis. I had a 13 level spinal fusion T2 to L4 to correct scoliosis which was thought to be creating the twisted pelvis. This was 5 years ago when I was 44.......although my spine is straight now I need a cane to walk. I lean forward and my pelvis is still twisted. I still have a 2” longer leg even though the CT scan showed there’s only 9mm difference.
I have been diagnosed as having fibromyalgia as I have such widespread pain.
I’ve started seeing a chiropractor weekly, it’s helped so much. She has recommended myofascial massage.
Hence I found your videos trying to find out what it was!
My main pain is in my diaphragm and in my thighs. I can’t straighten my legs when I’m standing. If I do I lean forward.
What you said about the unstable pelvis relating to the legs makes such sense, thank you!
I’ll book the treatment and let you know how I feel. I’m in the UK otherwise I would come and see you 😀

[@e.mothership5322]

Great content! Everything you discussed was clear to me. Thanks for the info 👍

[@jillh6151]

I do believe I'm in all the categories. I've experienced it all from doctors and some therapist in the past of the negative comments, I've refused to believe what they've told me. But it is hard to wipe out the negative comments even from people meaning well. For the last years I've sought out my own natural treatments, I do really believe in the roll the fascia plays. Mine seems to be a very slow go, a couple steps forward and one back. The video's like this really do help in explaining what's happening. Just wish I'd known about this before things got so chronic. Thank you

[@ElishaCeleste]

I think it's important to consider that most (maybe not all, but most) doctors and professionals are well meaning. Many lack the training or awareness of communication and these more esoteric scientific principles. I'm glad you're finding your way now! There's always hope, and I believe healing and freedom is possible for all of us.

[@spreadingrumors]

Hi, I'm trying to gain a deeper understanding of exactly what causes the actual 'feeling' of pain in the fascia? Am I mistaken to think it's basically the build-up of excess calcium molecules in tightly bound fascia adhesion's and/or damaged or torn fascia that has formed scarred tissue that are rubbing up against the pain receptors in the surrounding fascia?
Thank you for your excellent video lectures.

[@ElishaCeleste]

It's a good question, and while some may answer that from a purely scientific perspective (like talking about nociceptors), I think it's more nuanced than that. Pain is personal. What I call painful you might call enjoyable. The MEANING we attach to the sensations we feel - that's a huge part of it. And, there's definitely some science involved too. For instance, we have pain receptors within the fascia itself. If your fascia has lost its water content, become brittle and prone to injury, when compressed it will feel far more painful than if it has a high water content, is supple and not prone to injury via mechanical stress. Scar tissue often has the LEAST amount of sensation. Hope that helps!

[@jenrich111]

Please make a vid on what kind of hyaluronic acid should we purchase and reputable etc and
How can we apply it?
FLEXISEQ is a product clinically proven to hydrate osteo help lubricate protect joints.
You pat it on and it absorbs in and dies. I wish i could buy it in bigger amounts.
$30aud or $21usd australia for 50g.

[@ElishaCeleste]

I don't recommend taking a hyaluronic acid supplement (which will likely just make for expensive pee). I recommend making your OWN hyaluronic acid, which you can do by releasing fascia with compression and shearing. Research from Dr. Carla Stecco in Italy has shown that fasciacytes, a specialized cell within the fascial system, are responsible for synthesizing our endogenous supply of hyaluronic acid, which in turn imbibes the circulating water (that we drink). After we reach adulthood and HA stores decline, Fasciacytes are ONLY activated by compressing fascia with weight and then shearing the fibers apart. When they are sheared this way, it stimulates the fasciacyte to produce HA, and we immediately begin feeling more buoyant as our water stores return at the cellular level.