Abstract
Background Latest research shows that the fascia is highly innervated. Especially the thoracolumbar fascia exhibits a high density of mechanoreceptors [1]. They are responsible for afferent proprioceptive information, i.e. implicit information about joint position and movement. In chronic pain patients, proprioception is impaired and studies indicate that connective tissue structures in painful body parts exhibit pathological changes. Thus, a hypothetical connection between the chronification of pain and proprioceptive deficits exists. This should be considered when treating chronic pain [2]. So far, the connection between fascial and proprioceptive dysfunctions has not been elaborated from a physiotherapeutic point of view, even though fascia and its proprioceptive ability could explain the working mechanisms behind physiotherapeutic methods such as manual therapy [3,4].
Highlights
Latest research shows that the fascia is highly innervated
The thoracolumbar fascia is densely innervated with mechanoreceptors, which fulfill an important task in proprioceptive processing
Besides the finding that the thoracolumbar fascia is pathologically altered in a low back pain population, this population displays proprioceptive deficits, measured with joint positioning sense and twopoint discrimination, too [2,5]
Summary
The thoracolumbar fascia exhibits a high density of mechanoreceptors [1]. They are responsible for afferent proprioceptive information, i.e. implicit information about joint position and movement. Proprioception is impaired and studies indicate that connective tissue structures in painful body parts exhibit pathological changes. A hypothetical connection between the chronification of pain and proprioceptive deficits exists. This should be considered when treating chronic pain [2]. The connection between fascial and proprioceptive dysfunctions has not been elaborated from a physiotherapeutic point of view, even though fascia and its proprioceptive ability could explain the working mechanisms behind physiotherapeutic methods such as manual therapy [3,4]
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