Wednesday, 08.24.11: Soft Tissue Mobilization

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Have you ever wondered the exact physiology behind soft tissue mobilization and why you torture yourself with various balls, foam rolls, wands, etc? Here is a brief overview of the next Mobility with Mary Clinic on Monday August 29 @ 6pm. 

I truly believe when people understand WHY they are doing something and know the location of major muscle groups; one is more prone to performing exercises/stretches to improve their overall being and performance. 

Why is soft tissue mobilization important?

When an individual exercises, repetitive micro trauma can occur to muscles, ligaments, and tendons as a response.  Adhesions can form in the soft tissues (collagen fibers) that surround all the muscular structures.  These structures are worse and more abundant after injury or immobilization.  Adhesions can restrict normal range of motion in the musculoskeletal system, thus throwing off your over all Crossfit performance!

Normal Ligament 

Micro Trauma

Why perform Self Mobilization Techniques?

Mobilization of the collagen fibers can help break up adhesions in the tissue. These techniques can be preformed through various modalities including massage, use of an instrument, stretching, or trigger point therapy to increase blood flow and circulation. 

Hope you find this information useful.  If this topic interests you, please feel free to join me in a more educational clinic discussing general muscle anatomy, more in depth physiology, and how you can help yourself improve mobility with a variety of simple techniques and tools. 

Mary Finck, DPT