The body is held together with an integrated framework of spiderwebs known as fascia.
Fascia is strong, flexible, and stretchy and it encases and connects all organs, muscles, bones, and more!
I find that when it comes to fully addressing a problem, we must look to the fascia. Abnormal tone in the web leads to tight muscles that eventually pull bones out of alignment.
What comes first: a tight muscle or a bone stuck out of place?
The answer may confound you.
NEITHER
There is growing evidence that suggests the body is an integrated machine. Not one part moves in isolation; everything is inter-connected.
My personal philosophy is that everything is a matter of tension and tone.
There is layers of fascia surrounding and pulling on all of the body's inner framework. With improper forces working upon this fascia, the body is pulled out of balance.
This is why it is SO IMPORTANT to address small dysfunctions before they become widespread, chronic derangements.
A small dysfunction may be resistance to turning one direction versus the other or slight differences in muscle tone from side to side.
A chronic derangement may be the inability to move a body region without crippling pain and/or recruitment from other bodily areas
It's important to notice subtle changes in your pet's inner "web" so proper balance and tone can be achieved before function is lost.
What does the aging process look like for soft tissues?
I liken it to the process of dehydrating fruit.
As we age, our previous "plump and juicy" muscles will begin to become more fibrous and dried out.
This is why you will notice less muscle mass and increased stiffness as the body ages
This "degenerative drying out" as I like to call it, also predisposes us to a higher likelihood of joint pain and soft tissue disorders,(as the tissues have become less resilient)
Addressing fascia means we have to dig a little deeper.
Adjusting mis-alignments is one piece of the equation... but if we cut the branches off an issue and never dig up the roots, musculoskeletal problems can return.
Some of my favorite ways to address fascial problems is with scraping and taping.
You may notice me bring out a metal instrument during an appointment. I will detect areas of folding or improper glide, and use the instrument to "iron out" tangled fascial tissue.
I may also use kinesiotape. Made of the same cotton as an adhesive bandage, this tape does not provide "support" persay. Tape provides tactile information to the sensors underlying the skin and provides useful feedback for the brain to decipher what's going on in the tissues. This restores proper information between brain and body and allows the body to dynamically heal