Sticky Fascia? What Science Says About Densification and Hyaluronan
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[00:00:00] Welcome to what I'm reading, what I'm thinking, where I share the research behind my upcoming book, and how it's shaping the way I think about fascia structure and movement. Let's dive in.
Today we're talking about something you've probably felt in your own body, especially if you've ever had stiffness or pain that just doesn't go away, those tight sticky spots in your muscles and fascia. There's a study I came across that helps explain what might actually be going on under the surface. It's called Evaluation of hyaluranan content in areas of densification compared to adjacent areas of fascia.
That's a mouthful. Is densified fascia just dried out Hay ronin? Or put it another way, does the goo in our tissue get sticky because it dries up? Let's get into it first, what is Hyaluronan? Also called hyaluronic acid, or for short ha.
It's a naturally occurring molecule in the [00:01:00] connected tissue matrix. It's especially abundant in fascia. The stuff that wraps and weaves through muscles, nerves, and organs, ha is hydrophilic. It loves water when it's functioning well. HA acts like a slippery gel. Helping layers of fascia glide over each other without any friction.
That glide is what lets you move smoothly. It's critical for joint mobility, muscular coordination, and even internal organ function.
Now in structural integration, we talk a lot about tissue densification. These are areas where the fascia feels stuck or thickened. It's not scar tissue, it's something different. These points often line up with pain restriction or dysfunctional movement patterns.
So what's going on here?
Study looked at a densified fassal point, specifically a center of coordination in the tensor fas lata muscle, and compared it to a nearby non densified area. What they [00:02:00] found was that the densified tissue had more hyaluronic.
Not less, more, but it wasn't the good kind of ha. It was thicker, stickier, and more viscous. Kind of like old honey instead of fresh gel.
So here's the golden question. Is it fair to say that Hyaluronan dried out and became dense? Not exactly. HA doesn't dry out like a puddle evaporating, it still holds water. But under stress or with changes in temperature, pH or inflammation, ha can polymerize, meaning it links up into longer chains. Those long chain molecules are thicker and less slippery.
That's what creates the densification, not dehydration, but viscosity changes. It is more like jello that got too firm, not because it lost moisture, but because it's chemistry changed. And here's the best part. [00:03:00] It's reversible manual therapy, movement, hydration, and even temperature change can break down those long HA chains and return the substance to its more fluid state.
This is why Rolf structural integration or myofascial release combined with intentional movement can be so effective. You're not just stretching fascia, you're changing its fluid mechanics, you're restoring glide, you're improving coordination. You're reducing pain by restoring the fascia's ability to move.
So to wrap up, Urin is key for FO Glide. Densification happens when it becomes too viscous, not because it's dry, but because it loses optimal fluidity, and you can reverse that thickness with the right movement, hydration and hands-on work. The body is a fluid system, always adapting, always responding.
Always giving you feedback. This study was small, [00:04:00] just one cadaver and one location, but it's a fascinating start. It helps bridge the gap between what we feel and what's really going on at the microscopic level. And for me, this fits right into the bigger picture of my upcoming book on how pressure, movement and hydration are all connected in the way our bodies function and feel.
That's it for today's dive into the research. If you're enjoying this process and want to see how all these ideas come together, make sure to subscribe and stay tuned for the next one. There's a lot more coming.
