by Aviva Tulasi
For the last month, I have been exploring the role of fascia in the overall function of the body. Fascia integrates the entire body, maintains homeostasis, supports nociception and now we will explore how fascia plays a role in proprioception.
Proprioception is the perception or awareness of the position and movement of the body. The body is aware of what muscles are working and where they are positioned in space. You can test your proprioception with a simple task: close your eyes then touch your nose. You don’t need to look to know where the position of your nose is in space and how to bend your arms.
Proprioception is a feedback system between sensory receptors and the nervous system. The sensory receptors located on your skin, joints, and muscles send information about the effort, force, and heaviness of our actions to our brain. And the brain sends signals back to the skin, joints, and muscles on how to respond so that you can complete the desired movement.
However, it is too simple to say that the sensory receptors are simply located on the skin, joints, and muscles. The entire body is a web that is interconnected by fascia. The deep fascia, for example, binds muscles, nerves, ligaments, and joints into one structure. It is a fibrous membrane that envelops and separates muscles, forms sheaths for nerves and vessels, and strengthens ligaments around joints. Therefore, every movement of a muscle causes movement in the fascia and vice versa. So, it is not surprising that researchers are finding links between fascia and proprioception. Stretching fascia communicates the environment of the muscles, not just because the fascia responds to moving muscle, but also because fascia contains mechanoreceptors and proprioceptors.
Yoga develops your sense of proprioception. As you practice yoga, you gain keen insight into what muscles are working and how your body is in space. You learn to recognize when your back is straight and when it is flexed. In addition, yoga stretches muscles and fascia promoting glide and preventing thickening. This allows receptors to properly communicate to the central nervous system. Our well-being is influenced by how we hold our body.
Aviva Tulasi is Dogwood Studio’s newest intern. She is a registered yoga instructor (RYT) who is currently enrolled in a IYAT certified 800 hour yoga therapy program. You can join Aviva Tuesday mornings at 10am for Meditation in Motion Online Yoga Class.
There is one more free opportunity (February 25th) to join Leesann for a restorative and regenerative exploration of Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra. This is a wonderfully nourishing way to end the day and week. Contemplative Yin Yoga paired with the deeply restorative practice of Yoga Nidra.
Click on the link HERE to sign-up and go to the ‘Classes’ tab to sign-up for any sessions, including ABS, Joint Freeing Yoga, Yin Yoga, and Mindful Movement & Yoga Classes, Restorative Yin and Yoga Nidra and Meditation in Motion.
For the latest schedule on the website, click HERE.
On Demand Line-up for February 28th through March 8 & available for signing up:
SAM Sather, a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT), individualizes the yoga practice with appropriate modifications for participants’ unique bodies and medical histories with a focus on finding calm and improving health. She offers several live, online class in yoga as well as weekly recorded On Demand classes. SAM also offers private sessions so you can focus on your needs one-on-one.