Adhesions

Adhesions occur when the muscle fascia sticks together.  The myofascia envelopes, separates and binds together muscle fibres.  When the myofascia sticks it means that muscles or muscle fibres cannot run against each other smoothly, impeding normal tissue movement, so that the muscle cannot work to capacity. 

If groups of muscles become stuck together the limitation regarding movement of a limb or head can be very noticeable.  Where as if the adhesion is in the myofascia between muscle fibres the result maybe seen as a weakness in the limb.  Sticky points can also form along the sheaths that protect nerves, glueing the nerve to a neighbouring muscle structure, which can cause an irritation to the nerve.  

Adhesions form due to lack of exercise, inflammation and injury.  Exercise helps to keep muscles and fascia healthy as the movement is required to help keep blood flowing and cells fed.  If exercise is not undertaken, for example because a limb is in cast, an adhesion can form. 

The fascia adapts and changes to new ways of moving, which might have been due to an injury.  It does this to support the body.  If the new movement is non symmetrical the body grows used to moving in this new way.  This creates an adhesion as the muscles stop moving against one another as they should.  As the body gets used to this new movement compensation the adhesion is exacerbated meaning that more areas of muscle cannot work correctly.  Once an adhesion forms the fascia and muscles around it try to compensate, which then puts stress on these structures, meaning that the adhesion can grow.