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Fascia Stretching: Exercises and Tips to Keep Your Connective Tissue Healthy

Written by Kim Grundy, PT | Reviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD

Published on February 12, 2024

Key takeaways:

Fascia is a thin sheath of connective tissue that surrounds and supports all the structures in your body, including your organs, bones, muscles, and nerves.
Unhealthy fascia can get tight and stiff, which may cause pain, reduced range of motion, and muscle weakness.
Fascia stretching, regular exercise, and foam rolling can help keep your fascia healthy and flexible.

An older woman is holding her neck and appears to be in pain — dragana991/iStock via Getty Images Plus

If you have pain and stiffness that seems to improve with movement, your fascia might be to blame. This vital connective tissue supports structures in your body, including your bones and muscles, and it can get tight and stiff if it’s not healthy.

You're probably aware of the many benefits of stretching, such as maintaining range of motion and promoting relaxation. Similarly, a fascia stretching regimen can increase mobility in this connective tissue, allowing it to function as it should. Here's what you need to know about how to add fascia stretching to your routine.

What is fascia?

Scientists have struggled to define the fascial system. But most agree that fascia is a thin sheath of connective tissue made of collagen that surrounds and supports your:

Muscles
Organs
Bones
Tendons
Ligaments
Nerves
Bloodstream

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The fascial system is interconnected, so an issue in one part of your fascia can affect another part of your body. For example, fascial or myofascial pain may cause discomfort in the affected muscle group and surrounding fascia. It can also cause seemingly unrelated or referred pain in other areas.

Healthy, flexible fascia will move and glide with you, supporting your mobility. It helps your nervous system and blood vessels function while holding your organs, muscles, and bones in place.

What causes fascial damage?

Fascia can lose flexibility, tighten up, or develop adhesions. The following may damage your fascia:

Scar tissue from an injury or surgery
Overuse injuries, which can cause inflammation in the muscles and connective tissue
Inactivity, which may cause muscle imbalances
Poor posture
Chronic conditions such as heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, fibromyalgia, and diabetes
Autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus
Stress
Poor sleep

Unhealthy or damaged fascia may cause pain, limited range of motion, and muscle weakness. It is associated with several conditions, including:

Fibromyalgia
Plantar fasciitis
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Trigger points
Myofascial pain syndrome
Dupuytren's contracture
Compartment syndrome

According to experts, certain signs can help you distinguish fascial pain from muscle or joint pain. The following symptoms may be signs of fascia-related pain:

Less pain with movement
Trigger points or muscle knots that are painful to the touch
Less pain with heat therapy, such as a heating pad or sauna

Whatever the source, be sure to talk to your primary care provider if you continue having pain.

What are the benefits of fascia stretching?

Healthy, flexible fascia keeps your entire body working in harmony, from your muscles to your blood vessels to your nerves. Fascia stretching involves taking your joints through their full range of motion to stretch your soft tissue. Incorporating these stretches into your routine can be beneficial in the following ways:

Increasing circulation: Daily stretching has been shown to increase blood flow to skeletal muscles and improve vascular volume.
Improving range of motion: Stretches that move joints through their full range of motion may help keep your muscles and fascia healthy and flexible. According to a small study, stretching may increase mobility in a targeted joint and other areas since fascia is interconnected. The researchers found that stretching the lower body improved the range of motion in the cervical spine.
Reducing inflammation: Researchers have concluded that stretching can decrease inflammation in fascial tissue that’s causing pain and adhesions. But there's a need for more studies to pinpoint a specific treatment protocol.
Helping relieve muscle pain: Fascia stretching may help reduce myofascial or muscular pain by increasing circulation and improving range of motion. This can help relax muscle knots or trigger points.

5 fascia stretches

Try to carve out 10 to 20 minutes to stretch your body daily. Doing so can help you reap benefits such as pain relief and improved mobility.

The following fascia stretches are a great starting point. You should practice these static stretches after a 5- to 10-minute warm-up that includes dynamic movements. You can also do these stretches to cool down after a workout.

Fascia stretching may feel uncomfortable at times, but you should never feel sharp pain, numbness, or tingling. If you do, ease out of the stretch or stop it altogether, especially if these symptoms persist after stopping the stretch.

1. Fascial cat stretch

You will just need a chair for this fascial cat stretch, which is a wonderful full-body move.

Step 1: Stand in front of a chair.
Step 2: Bend over at the waist and place the palms of your hands on the chair.
Step 3: Take a few steps back so your arms are extended straight, while keeping your palms on the chair.
Step 4: Keep your heels down and your legs as straight as you can. Slide your hips back.
Step 5: Hold for 15 seconds.
Step 6: Slightly bend your right leg and reach forward with your left hand. Hold for 15 seconds.
Step 7: Then, switch, slightly bending your left leg and reaching forward with your right hand. Hold for 15 seconds.
Step 8: Repeat on each side 3-5 times.

If you aren’t feeling a stretch with this move, you can do the downward dog yoga stretch instead.

2. Pretzel fascia stretch

This pretzel fascia stretch increases mobility in your glutes, iliotibial (IT) band, lats, lower back, and arms.

Step 1: Lie on your back with your legs straight out in front of you.
Step 2: Keep your left leg on the floor and raise your right leg straight up. Then, bend your right knee at a 90-degree angle.
Step 3: Use your left arm to grab your right leg at the shin and pull it across your body, until your right foot is flat on the floor.
Step 4: Hold this position and extend your right arm up and over your head, so its lying on the floor behind you.
Step 5: Hold for three deep breaths. If you want to extend this stretch, you can push your bent knee down closer to the floor. Then, hold for another three breaths.
Step 6: Hold this stretch for 1 minute before switching sides and repeating the steps.

3. Neck fascia stretch

This cervical fascia stretch helps to stretch the fascia and nerves along your neck, shoulders, and arms (down to your wrists and hands). This can be helpful if you are having neck or upper body pain. Remember, stop or don’t go as deep into the stretch if you feel sharp pain, numbness, or tingling. As your flexibility improves, you will be able to tolerate a deeper stretch.

Step 1: Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, your hands down at your sides, and your shoulders back.
Step 2: Flatten the palm of your right hand so that it’s facing toward the floor. Extend your fingers back, reaching them toward the ceiling as you point your palm down.
Step 3: Hold that position as you tilt your head to the left. Keep your nose facing forward. Hold for 5-10 seconds.
Step 4: Inhale and lift your right shoulder up and then relax it down, pressing your palm down toward the floor.
Step 5: Hold this position as you turn your head to look down at your left armpit. Hold for 3 breaths.
Step 6: Turn your head up to look at the ceiling. Hold for 3 breaths. Keep your palm pressing down throughout this sequence.
Step 7: Repeat the steps with your other side.

4. Spider push-up

This exercise doesn’t require an actual push-up, and we promise that no spiders are involved. The spider push-up is especially beneficial if you have carpal tunnel syndrome. It stretches the palmar fascia (part of the median nerve) and other soft tissue that can contribute to wrist and hand pain.

Step 1: Start in a sitting or standing position.
Step 2: Place your hands together in front of your body, in a prayer position.
Step 3: Keep your hands together as you spread your fingers apart.
Step 4: Separate your palms while keeping your fingertips touching. Your elbows can move up slightly, but your fingertips should stay in contact.
Step 5: Hold for 10-15 seconds.
Step 6: Repeat 10-12 times.

5. Sitting heel stretch

This sitting heel stretch will lengthen the plantar fascia along the bottom of your foot, which is helpful if you have plantar fasciitis. It will also lengthen your calf and hamstring.

Step 1: Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you. You can have your back resting on a wall.
Step 2: Loop a towel around the sole of one foot, just below the toes.
Step 3: Hold onto the towel with both hands, and then pull it back so that your toes are pointing toward you. You should feel a stretch along the bottom of your foot, as well as your calf and hamstring.
Step 4: Hold for 15-30 seconds.
Step 5: Repeat 2-5 times.
Step 6: Repeat on the steps with your other side.

Are there other ways to keep your fascia healthy?

In addition to maintaining a regular fascia stretching routine, the following tips can help keep your fascia healthy:

Stay active throughout the day. According to experts, moving throughout the day helps improve circulation, prevent muscle imbalances, and decrease inflammation, in addition to keeping your fascia flexible. If you have a desk job, try to stand up and walk around or do some quick stretches every hour or so.
Strength train twice a week. You should also aim to do strength training with weights, resistance bands, or workout machines at least twice a week. Resistance exercises may reverse fascia adhesions and muscle atrophy, especially when they’re related to a chronic condition. They also help prevent inflammation.
Try rebounding exercise. Jumping exercises, such as jumping rope or doing rebounding exercises on a mini-trampoline, help to keep your fascia healthy. These plyometric activities can shorten muscle fibers, while lengthening the fascia and other connective tissues. This helps strengthen and keep fascia mobile.
Give foam rolling a try. Research has found that using a foam roller over muscle knots or trigger points is an effective form of myofascial release. It creates friction and heat in the fascia, which helps increase circulation and improve fascial movement.
Stay hydrated. Fascia may contain up to 25% of the water in your body, so it's important to stay hydrated. If you don’t, it can result in dry fascia that doesn’t slide or move like it should, which can cause pain and inflammation.
Manage your stress. Anxiety and stress can play a role in myofascial pain. You can combat those effects by managing your stress with exercise (like yoga), meditation, massage, or talking to a therapist.

The bottom line

Fascia stretching is an important part of keeping this system of connective tissue healthy and flexible. Unhealthy fascia can become stiff and form adhesions, which can cause pain, reduced range of motion, and weakness. This can contribute to conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and muscle knots. In addition to stretching, regular movement, staying hydrated, and managing your stress can also help.

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Written by:

Kim Grundy, PT

Kim Grundy, PT, is a licensed physical therapist and an experienced writer and editor. She worked at an outpatient orthopedic facility, where she treated patients with chronic conditions and post-surgical athletes working towards recovery.

Edited by:

Lauren Savage, MA

Lauren Savage, MA, is a health editor at GoodRx, where she focuses on movement, exercise, and healthy aging. She aims to provide readers with the information they need to live healthier, more active lifestyles.