Most pain begins in the connective tissue — and that is where release begins too.

Most of the therapies I do work on the connective tissue — the fascia. So let me explain what it is, and how the work helps your body heal itself.

A lot of people ask me, “So what is it that you do?” After feeling the results, many clients think I practice some sort of voodoo or magic — which is flattering, but not quite accurate. What I actually work on is the connective tissue.

What is connective tissue?

Connective tissue is what holds you together. It’s the most abundant tissue in the body — it gives you and your organs their shape, so it plays a big role in posture and in your overall health. Simply put, it’s the glue, or the saran wrap, of the body: it bundles muscle cells into a muscle, connects muscle to bone through tendons, and bone to bone through ligaments.

Because it’s one continuous sheath throughout the body, a “snag” or adhesion in one place can cause pain somewhere else entirely. To picture it, take the hem of your shirt and pull it toward your hip. A line of tension runs from that spot all the way up to your chest, shoulder and neck. The place causing the pull is what we call an adhesion — and it’s a big deal, because it can create misalignments throughout the body. Walking around in a misaligned body is like driving on misaligned tires: eventually the wear and tear shows up as pain.

What causes adhesions?

Adhesions are caused mainly by inflammation — which can be triggered by injury, infection, allergies, and any number of other things.

How is it treated?

My job is to find the adhesions and release them. I locate where the tissue is tight, apply a small amount of pressure or a gentle tug, and follow the direction of the pull. When I reach the spot that’s stuck, I encourage the tissue to unravel — and when it does, we call that a “release.” Once the connective tissue lets go, the nerves nearby are often freed, the muscles can relax, they stop pulling on the bones, and the bones can realign themselves.

To the person on the table it can feel like magic, because the touch is so light and the changes so subtle. But the real magic is simpler than that: the body wants to heal itself and find balance. Sometimes it just needs a tug in the right direction.