What common conditions and disorders affect fascia?
When your fascia is healthy, it’s relaxed and flexible. As you move, it stretches with you. When the hyaluronan dries up, the fascial layers can tighten around your muscles and other tissues. This can lead to pain and limited mobility. Many conditions and disorders can affect your fascia. These may include:
Plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis causes inflammation and pain in your plantar fascia, which is a thick band of tissue that stretches from your heel to your toes. It supports the arch of your foot by absorbing pressure and bearing your weight. Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain.
Myofascial pain syndrome
Myofascial pain syndrome causes pain and tenderness in muscles in one or more “trigger points” in your body. To the touch, trigger points feel like small bumps or knots in your muscles. They are highly sensitive areas within your muscles that cause pain that you can feel in another area of your body.
Dupuytren’s contracture
Dupuytren’s contracture occurs when the fascia underneath the skin of your palm and fingers thickens and tightens. This causes your fingers to curl or contract. Contracted fingers affect your ability to perform daily tasks such as clapping your hands or putting gloves on.
Frozen shoulder
Frozen shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, is a painful condition in which your shoulder movement becomes limited. It occurs when the fascia surrounding your shoulder joint becomes thick, stiff and inflamed. Lack of use causes your shoulder to thicken and become tight, making the shoulder even more difficult to move.
Peyronie’s disease
Peyronie’s disease is a condition where scar tissue causes your penis to bend, curve or lose length or girth. In some cases, it can cause pain and prevent you from having sex. You may be able to feel the scar tissue through your skin or you may have pain in a specific part of your penis as the scar tissue forms.
Compartment syndrome
Compartment syndrome is a condition that causes painful pressure in and around your muscles due to swelling or bleeding. The condition can limit the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients to a group (compartment) of muscles, nerves and blood vessels in your body. The fascia surrounding the compartment won’t expand to make room, so the swelling or bleeding puts pressure on your nerves and muscles.
Hernia
When your fascia lacks stiffness, internal structures can move too freely causing hernias to occur. Types of hernias caused by defects or disruptions in your fascia include inguinal hernias, femoral hernias and umbilical hernias.
Genetic conditions affecting collagen can lead to issues with your fascia. These conditions include:
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a condition that causes loosened joints and fragile skin that tears easily. A genetic defect leads to weak collagen or not enough normal collagen in your tissues. This defect can harm your connective tissue’s ability to support your muscles, organs and other tissues.
Marfan syndrome
Marfan syndrome is a condition that affects many body systems, including your heart, blood vessels, bones, tendons, cartilage, eyes, nervous system, skin and lungs. Marfan syndrome is caused by a defect in the gene that encodes the structure of fibrillin and elastic fibers, major components of connective tissue.
