SRI SRI UNIVERSITY

Fascia – The enigmatic structure that exists in the body. Not only is it present everywhere, but it also forms an integral part of the encapsulating areas of every structure in the body. Fascia flows, bridges, winds and unwinds the whole body almost like a living, breathing skin that we all have inside, on the under surface.

Fascia is a form of connective tissue and performs the function of organisation and continuity, but recently this structure is starting to be considered as an organ. Fascia has specialised receptors called ‘Interoceptors’ which are found to be responsive to light, gentle touch. They also have a proprioceptive function where a change in spatial awareness creates fluidity in the fascial network allowing the body to adapt to various postures and alignments. The hidden secrets of fascia are slowly being unraveled with neuroscience research which is redefining the understanding of the human body as a whole. Fascia is a fabric that weaves itself throughout the body and binds the various systems together to offer optimum efficiency and performance. Fascia has many other functions apart from interoception. It also plays an important role in communication, immunity, tensegrity, protection etc.

This concept is now slowly being imbibed in the integrated wellness of the patient. Any disease today has a musculoskeletal component.  The WHO (World Health Organisation) has defined health as wellbeing of the mind, body and the spirit, thus inferring that every disease in the body also reflects in the mind. The recovery of a patient today then, is not just dependent on the ideal or near ideal functioning of the organ or body structure but also on the fluidity and malleability of the fascia in the area in question. A huge challenge today is to work with scar tissue, fibrosed tissue, chronic debilitation of function and restriction in the motility and mobility of tissues. Thus, it is imperative that the role of fascia be looked at and addressed for achieving the maximum function in a patient. This application is relevant for patients with both acute and chronic diseases, post-operative care and rehabilitation.

The International Symposium on Fascia to be held on the 17th of January, 2019 at Sri Sri University, Cuttack. The conference is organised by the Department of Osteopathy to addresses the role of fascia in the various areas of the body. The interconnectedness of the body is based fundamentally on the structural integrity of the fascial network. The internationally reputed speakers in this symposium have decades of experience in this area and have authored multiple books. The symposium also includes discussion of case studies with radiological evidence and the relevance of research in this field. The communication between the various aspects of the body structurally and functionally will be the highlight of the symposium and is a one of its kind event happening in the country. It is also a great opportunity to interact with the speakers and address queries in the area of Fascial work. The symposium is open to medical practitioners and students in the health sector. The symposium aims at adding a new dimension to clinical practice and an introduction to new concepts that can be imbibed in the clinician’s understanding leading to integrative wellness of the patient.