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Is triggering the new rolling? Does the trigger point massage make the fascia roller superfluous? Or does both have their advantages? And what are fascia, triggers and tension anyway? The answers are here.
Contents
What is fascia?What does the fascia treatment bring?
What happens when there is tension?
Triggering vs. Rolling
What is fascia?
A few years ago, anyone who put the word "fascia" in their mouth usually only met questioning looks and frowns. "Fas... what?" In the meantime, the term has become a matter of course, at least among health-conscious yogis, competitive athletes and people with physical problems. The (self-) treatment of the fascia – the shell that wraps around our muscles, vessels and organs – has even become a real hype.
What does the fascia treatment bring?
It cannot be denied that the fascial tissue is of great importance in the world of physiotherapy. Fascia runs through the whole body as a network, provides elasticity from head to toe, sorts the inner workings and prevents friction under the muscles. The approach of treating the fascia in the event of tension and pain, for example by rolling on a fascia roller, is not wrong. But aren't we hoping for too much from the fascia?
By rolling, we generate a strong accumulation of fluid - the lymph concentrates on the spot where we roll. The fascia is strongly moistened here, so to speak, and its gliding behavior is improved. In this way we achieve more space for muscles or organs that are wrapped by the fascial sheath. The result: We feel freer and can move better. Unfortunately, this condition only lasts for a maximum of 48 hours, because then the tissue contracts again.
What happens when there is tension?
If we have a strong tension, the structural protein collagen is stored in the connective tissue. As a result, the muscle fiber can no longer move functionally, so-called cross links form and the muscles stick together. By rolling on the surface we don't get deep enough to loosen the adhesions. The collagens are generally poorly stretchable. Apart from strong moistening, we do not achieve any greater effect.
Do you really want to do something effectively against your tension and pain? The bad news is: fascial massages will not be enough. The good news: With the trigger method, you can stimulate the muscles in depth in such a way that it has a direct effect on the painful tissue. In this way, tension can be released in a targeted manner, resulting in permanent freedom from pain.
Triggering vs. Rolling
Triggering brings the well-established acupressure back to the fore. Physiotherapy experts know: We need selective, long-lasting and targeted pressure on the muscle if we want to release deep tension. The pressure pushes the collagens apart. Actin and myosin, the smallest units of the muscle that have bonded, are stretched directly. In addition, the triggering results in a surge of circulation: the blood circulation is enormously stimulated and the metabolism boosted. This is the only way for the tissue to heal itself!
One thing is certain: Both approaches – roles and triggers – have their right to exist. However, it should be known that by rolling we only reach the surface. It is a good tool for regeneration, but not for releasing myofascial tension in the long term.
The method uses therapeutic acupressure. We recommend it as the ideal way to counteract your deep tension yourself and effectively eliminate adhesions. The right functional exercises and sufficient movement in everyday working life, which is often characterized by stress and bad posture, are additional factors to help the statics and the myofascial tissue.
And when do you trigger?
Text: Johanna Meadows
