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Potential Role of Fascia in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

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Integrative Pain Medicine

Part of the book series: Contemporary Pain Medicine ((CPM))

Summary

Many empirically developed physical therapy techniques as well as alternative manual therapies (e.g., Rolfing, myofascial release) are aimed at treating fascia and other “unspecialized” connective tissues; however, compared with muscles, joints, and the nervous system, very little research has been devoted to the role of fascia in chronic musculoskeletal pain. One possible reason for this discrepancy is the lack of an integrative pathophysiological model linking connective tissue to known musculoskeletal pain mechanisms . This chapter examines the potential role of fascia in musculoskeletal pain, especially regarding how connective tissue remodeling may interact with other factors such as fear of movement, muscle activity patterns and central nervous system plasticity.

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Authors
  1. Helene M. Langevin
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Spaulding, Massachusetts

    Joseph F. Audette MA, MD

  2. Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

    Allison Bailey MD

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© 2008 Humana Press

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Langevin, H.M. (2008). Potential Role of Fascia in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain. In: Audette, J.F., Bailey, A. (eds) Integrative Pain Medicine. Contemporary Pain Medicine. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-344-8_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-344-8_6

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-786-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59745-344-8

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