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Copyright  (c)  2014  Stretch  to  Win,  LLC  
Fascial stretch,
what is fascia?

By Chris Frederick
Co-Director of the
Stretch to Win
Institute at
StretchToWin.com

Copyright  (c)  2014  Stretch  to  Win,  LLC  

 Objec3ves  
Fascia  for  trainers:  
 
1. Func?ons    
2. Problems    
3. Solu?ons    

Copyright  (c)  2014  Stretch  to  Win,  LLC  

Permission:  FasciaResearch.com      
 Mobility  &  Stability  

Fascial  
Stability   Mobility  
Net  

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Func?on  of  fascia  

Force  trans-­‐
 Movement  
mission  
system  
system    

 Communica?on  
system  

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 Force  transmission  system  

Muscle  

Bone     Tendon  

Ligament  

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Movement  system  

Head  to  
toe  
container/
connector  

Nerve     Joint  

Muscle  

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 Communica?on  

Kinesthesia  

Nocicep?on     Propriocep?on  

Interocep?on  

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 Problems  with  fascia…  

Force  
 
trans-­‐
Movement  
mission  
system  
system    

 Communica?on  
system  

…are  training  problems!  

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Common  problems  with  fascia    

Injury   Thickens   Scars  

Glues     Dehydrates    

èRestricts  movementç  
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 Solu?ons  must…    

Heal     Reduce   Release  

Injury   Thickening   Scars  

Detach   Rehydrate  
Glue     Dehydrated    

çFree  movementè  
Copyright  (c)  2014  Stretch  to  Win,  LLC  
 Solu?ons  are  few  
ý Training  cannot  always  correct  
ý Manual  therapy,  massage  or  bodywork            
       techniques.  
ý        Tools,  e.g.  Graston,  ASTYM,  etc.  
 
þ Assisted  fascial  stretching  -­‐  FST  

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 Fascial  Stretch  Therapy™  (FST)  
• Frees  most  restric?ons  to  
movement  
• Trains  the  brain  and  
nervous  system  
• Groove  new  movement  
pa]erns  immediately  
• Faster,  be]er  training  
results  
 
Copyright  (c)  2014  Stretch  to  Win,  LLC  
 Fascial  Stretch  Therapy™  (FST)  
1. All  fascial  layers  accessed  &  corrected  
2. Works  fast  
3. Pain-­‐free  
4. Based  on    
         scien?fic  evidence  

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 PRACTICAL    
Assessments   Fascial  stretch  protocols  
 

 
 
 
 

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  Fascial  Assessments  
 
ROM  of  Linked  Joints    
|  
Myofascial  chain  stability  &  mobility  
|  
Nervous  system  mobility    
||  
Movement  

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  Fascial  Mobility  Assessments  (edited)  
 
Lower  Body  
 
• Squat  
• Check  Leg  Length  (LL)  [edited]  
• Passive  SLR  
• Passive  hip  joint  capsule  trac?on  &  stretch  
• Lateral  neuro-­‐myofascial  chain  trac?on  &  stretch  

Re-­‐assess  LL,  SLR,  squat  [edited]:  Group  1,  then  2  

 
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Hip  joint  capsule  trac3on  notes  

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Copyright  (c)  2014  Stretch  to  Win,  LLC  
 Lateral  Line  Stretch  Movement  

Check  lateral  movement  (moving  to  the  therapist’s  

right  side)  
Goal:  To  assess  the  client’s  ROM  on  the  lateral  side  
of  their  body  and  to  ascertain  where  they  may  be  
restricted  as  you  move  them  laterally.    
Client  posi?on:  Supine  with  arms  at  their  side.  
Therapist:  
•  Lid  both  of  the  client’s  extended  legs  with  
trac?on  at  10°–20°  again.  
•  Hold  both  of  their  heels  in  the  palms  of  your  
hands  and  gently  wrap  your  fingers  around  their  
heels.    
•  Engage  your  core  and  bend  your  knees  
slightly.    
•  Move  slowly  to  the  right  un?l  the  client’s  
movement  stops.  
•  If  their  hip  begins  to  roll  up  off  the  table  you  
have  reached  the  end  of  their  ROM.  
Trac?on:  Lean  back  with  your  body,  stay  relaxed.    

Copyright  (c)  2014  Stretch  to  Win,  LLC  

  Fascial  Mobility  Assessments  
Upper  Body  
 
Supine:  
• Ac?ve  arm  length  (palms  together):  90°,  full  flexion    
• Arms  overhead  (palms  apart)  
• Passive  shoulder  joint  capsule  trac?on-­‐stretch:  90°  

Side  lying:  
• Shoulder  abduc?on-­‐lateral  line  assessment-­‐stretch  

Re-­‐assess:  arm  length  and  overhead  [Group  1  then  2]    

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 Shoulder  joint  trac3on  

Goal:  Target  ?ssues  within  the  posterior  

aspects  of  the  shoulder  joint.    
Check  for  anterior  posterior  joint  glide  
and  restric?ons.  
Client  posi?on:  Client  lying  supine  on  the  
table  
Trainer/coach:    
•  Grasp  client  arm  on  the  lower  arms  
bones  to  trac?on  their  arm  upward,  
keeping  the  clients  elbow  straight.  Hands  
are  placed  on  each  side  of  their  wrist  
above  the  joint.  
•  Trac?on  of  the  shoulder  up  at  90°  
flexion.  
•  Stand  very  close  to  client  and  lean  
slightly  over  them  to  have  the  best  
leverage.  
•  Check  for  posterior  joint  glide  and  
restric?ons  by  gently  liding  the  arm  
upward.  
Trac?on:  Shoulder  up  at  90°  flexion.  

Copyright  (c)  2014  Stretch  to  Win,  LLC  

 Lateral  Line  –  upper  body  (part  1  of  2)  

ROM-­‐with  client  lying  on  side    

•  Hook  your  Trac?on  arm  at  90  deg  abduc?on  
•      Trac?on  up  to  ceiling  

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 Lateral  Line  –  upper  body  (part  2  of  2)  

Stretch  movement  1  
• On  exhale,  trac?on  out  &  down  to  floor  
•      Lid  their  arm  up  and  over  a  stretch  wave  
•      Increase  overhead  abduc?on  
•      Squat  down  for  be]er  leverage  
 
PNF  -­‐  cue  is  have  them  pull  their  scapula  down  
to  their  same  hip  as  they  roll  their  body  back  
down  to  the  table;  Repeat  PNF  2  or  more  ?mes  
 
Stretch  movement  2  
• Maintain  stretch  posi?on  in  #1  &  have  
client  gently  rotate  torso  toward/away  from  
floor/table.  No  PNF.    
 

Copyright  (c)  2014  Stretch  to  Win,  LLC  

 References  

• Frederick,  A.,  Frederick,  C.  2014.  Fascial  Stretch  Therapy.  

Handspring:  Edinburgh.  
• Schleip,  R.,  et  al.  2012.  Fascia:  The  human  tensional  
network.  Elsevier:  London.  
• Frederick,  A.,  Frederick,  C.  2006.  Stretch  to  Win.  Human  
Kine?cs:  Champaign.    
• Alter,  M.A.  2004.  The  Science  of  Flexibility.  Human  
Kine?cs:  Champaign.  
• www.fasciaresearchsociety.org    
• www.fasciacongress.org    

Copyright  (c)  2014  Stretch  to  Win,  LLC  

Thank  you!  
www.StretchToWin.com  

Copyright  (c)  2014  Stretch  to  Win,  LLC