Fascial Adhesions of the Neck

What are Fascial Adhesions of the Neck?

Fascial adhesions, also known as scar tissue adhesions (or fibrous adhesions, or more simply adhesions), are composed of fibrous fascia collagen fibers (see accompanying photo).

These collagen fibers are the same substance that makes up tendons, ligaments, and other fibrous fascial tissues.

Although adhesions are normally thought to be deposited in sites of trauma (i.e., scar tissue), they are in fact deposited continuously between the soft tissues of the body.

These fibers increase the stability of the tissues by binding/connecting the tissues together.

However, if adhesions buildup excessively, they may bind together the two opposing surfaces of a soft tissue interface, which should slide along one another when movement is needed, resulting in restricted mobility.

In a client with an active lifestyle, these fibers do not get the chance to buildup because as the client’s body moves, adhesions that have formed are broken up and resorbed.

However, a sedentary lifestyle encourages adhesions to buildup progressively until mobility is greatly restricted.

Although adhesions do not actually cause an increase in the baseline resting tone contraction level of a muscle, they do add to the muscle’s tightness by decreasing the muscles’ ability to stretch and lengthen.

If a muscle cannot lengthen, then it cannot allow movements of the body performed by the antagonists to that muscle.

The mobility of cervical spinal ligaments, joint capsules, and all other soft tissues of the neck can be affected by adhesions as well.

Chiropractic treatment techniques for the neck such as massage, stretching, and hydrotherapy all help to break up adhesions in muscles and other soft tissues.

Joint mobilization serves to break up patterns of adhesions in the intrinsic fascial tissues (ligament/joint capsule complex) of the cervical spinal joints.

As a general rule, with any chiropractic treatment to the neck, there are always precautions and contraindications to consider given the number of sensitive structures present.