Fascia has become the new buzzword in the field of rehabilitation and movement re-education. Until recently its contribution to musculoskeletal dysfunction had been underestimated. We know now that fascia plays an important role in health, wellbeing and mobility. It transmits the power of the muscles, communicates with the nervous system and serves as a sense organ. Fascia is innervated, making it a potential pain generator and has strong mechanical presence that can restrict mobility if not addressed.

Many different groups of professionals are now exploring the world of fascia, as evidenced by the explosion of research in this field. However, many physical therapists are still unfamiliar with fascia and continue to think of it as the ‘dead packing material’ that is pushed aside during dissections in order to visualize the ‘important stuff’ like muscles and nerves. It is much more than a passive tension transmitter; fascia is a dynamic and an important communicator among the various systems of the body.

Because of this, a pull on one corner of the connective tissue framework exerts a pull throughout the structure, affecting muscles, bone, nerve, blood vessels, glands and organs. An increase in tension of one of the members results in increased tension in members throughout the structure, even ones on the opposite side. Small kinks in myofascial force transmission such as those provided by scars or adhesions have surprising functional consequences, often at some distance from the site.

Physical therapists with their varied skill-set in manual therapy techniques are well-placed to take on this important tissue. Mobilisation of the Myofascial System aims to help them to do that.

Mobilisation of the Myofascial System (MMS), the technique taught in these courses, has its origins in manual physical therapy for the articular, muscular and neural systems. Tom Myers’ book Anatomy Trains, which examines the myofascial meridians for manual and movement therapists, has been the framework and inspiration for the development of MMS.