The Biopsychosocial Model and Polyvagal Theory
To understand how fascia affects the body from head to toe, we first need to grasp two key concepts: the biopsychosocial model and polyvagal theory.
The Biopsychosocial Model
The biopsychosocial model is a crucial component of healthcare and understanding how our nervous system reacts to various factors. It considers not only physical treatment and biology but also:
- ✅ Your beliefs about pain, wellness, and recovery
- ✅ Outside influences, stressors, and accessibility (trauma-informed care)
Polyvagal Theory
Polyvagal theory explores the physical and mental health aspects of the autonomic nervous system, which is split into three parts:
- 🌿 Parasympathetic (rest and digest)
- 🔥 Sympathetic (fight or flight)
- 🍽️ Enteric (digestion)
When the parasympathetic nervous system is functioning properly, you feel safe, open, curious, collaborative, and grounded. Your body regulates its breath through diaphragmatic breathing, and non-vital organs like skin and fascia receive proper circulation.
The Impact on Fascia
Fascia is a highly innervated body system governed by the nervous system. When subjected to prolonged stress or bad habits, the body achieves homeostasis through “the law of facilitation,” which explains learned behavior and habits. The brain finds the path of least resistance, and these synaptic pathways become easier over time.
The longer you remain in a fight, flight, or freeze state without proper circulation to the tissues, the more adaptive changes occur in the fascia. It enters a state of hypertunicity (stiffness and tightness), affecting not only the body but also the face.
Addressing Fascial Issues
To reduce facial tone and address fascial issues, consider:
- 🧘♀️ Social and psychological health
- 💆♀️ Myofascial release and massage therapy
- 🎯 Neuromuscular therapeutic techniques
These treatments fall under the umbrella of massage and manual therapy, which directly manipulate hypertonic tissues by stimulating mechanical receptors in the fascia. This activates the parasympathetic nervous system response, creating relaxation in the body.
Interesting Facts
- Fascia is the largest sensory organ in the body, containing more sensory neurons than the eyes, ears, and skin combined.
- Collagen, the main component of fascia, is the most abundant protein in the human body, making up about 30% of the body’s protein content.
- Fascia plays a crucial role in maintaining posture, as it connects and supports muscles, bones, and organs.
Correction
The information provided in the text is based on the author’s four years of study as an orthopedic medical massage therapist and does not claim to be from a medical doctor’s perspective.
