scar tissue & how it can affect your movement
To understand scar tissue you need to understand fascia.
Fascia (connective tissue) is fibrous tissue that is primarily made of collagen, located just below the skin surface and throughout the entire body. Fascia begins approximately two weeks into embryonic growth and continues to form and align as we learn to load bear (stand) and ambulate (walk). Fascial tissue has an organised pattern; an individual tensional network we earned with our developmental movement patterns and that every cell is connected into. Each organ, muscle fibre, nerve, bone, artery and vein are comprised of, invested and covered with fascia. I relate the fascial system as our individual blueprint and everything that has had an impact on our bodies and mind lies within.
Fascia is one of the richest sensory organs of the body as it is embedded with an abundant of nerve endings and mechanoreceptors that communicate with the brain on where the body’s sense of position is; it's proprioception. The brain executes the motor signals needed to joint capsules, ligaments and muscles to keep our next movement coordinated and balanced.
When there is a disruption to our fascial system, there is also a disruption to our sensory experience which can alter normal movement. Scar tissue has the potential to alter this sensory-motor relationship.
Scar tissue is the body’s natural response to healing. After surgery, burns, tattoos, piercings, chronic irritation, acute and chronic strains/sprains is when scar tissue growth begins. The last stage of tissue healing, named maturation, is a process that has the potential to remodel tissue for many years. Scar tissue develops in an unorganised way to create stability for the area however has less elasticity. It has similar composition to fascia except that it is less elastic and has an increased amount of collagen. Scar tissue, if you will, acts like glue, filling gaps where tissue integrity has been compromised and due to the unorganised growth of the tissue, scar tissue does not align with the body’s original tensional network therefore alters motor function. Not only does this effect the site of injury, it also compromises distal structures that are connected to it as it adapts to the new stressors. Scar tissue may lead to faulty proprioception, disrupting sensory perception which, in turn, alters the brain’s response to functional movement resulting in a change to the way you move.
Scars are particularly significant with surgeries where skin and tissues are cut, therefore sensory nerves are also affected resulting in that numbing/icky sensation you feel. Underneath laparoscopic/keyhole “entry points” there is a path of scar tissue and disruption of sensory nerves that can lead to faulty proprioception and movement within and around that area.
NKT (NeuroKinetic Therapy) has given me a toolset to assess and treat scars. Through this unique modality I am able to assess which vector (line of pull) that needs release and which needs stimulation. More importantly, this allows me to link the global movement pattern and muscles that may be compromised due to the formation of scar tissue and disrupted motor function. Resolving the fascial distortion and activating the muscles involved creates balanced movement patterns that will give back to the body the missing cues it needs for freedom of movement.
I encourage you to pay attention to your scars, your brain priorities them and so should you.
References:
Petra Valouchov ́a, P.T.,Ph.D.a,,1, Karel Lewit, M.D.,Dr.Sc.b-Surface electromyography of abdominal and back muscles in patients with active scars-Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies (2009) 13, 262–267.
Bruno Bordoni-Dove Press Journal, Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare-Skin, Fascia and Scars: Symptoms and systematic conditions-28 Dec 2003
Department of Anatomy, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans 70112-1393-
Mechanoreceptors in articular tissues-American Journal of Anatomy 1988 May;182(1):16-32-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3291597/