How To Care For Your Connective Tissue

Taking care of your muscles’ connective tissue is a key part of staying supple and pain-free. Your connective tissue is otherwise known as fascia and consists of a thick band of tissue that surrounds each of your muscles. In this article, we provide 3 key strategies to keep your connective tissue flexible and your muscles pain-free.

Foam Rolling
Foam rolling has become a very popular method of providing yourself with an effective deep tissue massage. It involves placing a heavy plastic roller (often with protruding nubs) between a part of your body and the floor and moving back and forth in a massage-like motion. Also known as self-myofascial release, foam rolling allows you to get into the deeper layers of muscle to bring relief from trigger point pain and to work your fascia. 

Foam rolling has been scientifically proven to reduce post-exercise delayed onset muscle soreness. Here are four ways it does so...

• By softening fascia. Fascia is surrounded by lubricating oil. When the oil is thick it causes pain. The process of foam rolling thins out this oil, lessening the pain.

• Foam rolling allows the muscles to become more deeply kneaded, improving their pliability and overall quality. To achieve this, you should perform long, sweeping foam roller movements.

• Foam rolling brings relief to trigger points. These are the painful hot spots that are the focus of built-up tension and/ or inflammation. The roller can penetrate deeply and break up these pain areas.

• Foam rolling breaks up scar tissue. Along with those micro gears that come from intense exercise, you can also end up with some scar tissue damage. This can cause discomfort but foam rolling can break the scar tissue up and put an end to the pain.

Stretching
Taking onboard a regular stretching program will do wonders for the flexibility and strength of your connective tissue. Here are 3 great exercises that you should start doing today…

Heel Sit

1. Kneel on the floor.

2. Sit back on your heels.

3. Lean back to enhance the stretch through your quadriceps and back.

4. Hold for 3 seconds.

5. Relax and repeat.
   

Downward Dog

1. Get down on the floor in a tabletop position.

2. With arms and legs, straight thrust your hips high into the air.

3. Hold this position for 60 seconds.

4. Lower your hips back down to the floor.
   

Side Angle Pose

1. Stand with your feet wide apart, with the right foot forward and the left foot slightly angled.

2. Bend your left knee so that it is over the toe.

3. Place your left palm on the floor alongside your foot.

4. Reach your right arm over your head and to the left side to stretch through the sides of the waist.

5. Hold for 1 minute and then repeat on the opposite side.

Eat to Nourish Your Connective Tissue
Your connective tissue is primarily made of collagen. To keep your fascia healthy and strong, you need to be eating foods that will promote collagen production. Include bone broth in your diet, which contains not just collagen but glucosamine and chondroitin, along with calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. 

Be sure to eat vegetables that are rich in sulfate. These include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and onions. Berries that are rich sources of bioflavonoids such as blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries are also great for your connective tissue.

Wrap Up
Look after your connective tissue and it will look after you. Simply make regular use of a foam roller, spend a few minutes each day stretching and nourish your fascia with delicious healthy collagen-rich foods and you will be rewarded with pain free muscles and joints.