Every physician, every personal trainer, every health coach and every wellness professional will always recommend an increase in water consumption to their clients. It’s common knowledge that staying hydrated is beneficial and healthy for many reasons, but why is it especially important for muscle tissue and fascia?
What is the fascia?
When looking at anatomy, there are three distinct ways that fascia is organized to provide structure to a muscle and its smaller components. Fascia wrapped around the entire muscle is known as the epimysium. The covering around each muscle fascicle (a group of 60-100 muscle fibers) is known as the perimysium. Finally, there is a microscopic fascial wrapping around each individual muscle cell or fiber, known as the endomysium. There are also multiple layers of fascia above the muscle and below the skin and fat. In other words, fascia is everywhere in our bodies.
For all the various levels of fascia, the components can be broken down into structuring elements consisting mostly of collagen and elastin fibers, combined with water-loving proteins to retain water inside and around the fascia. This is how the various layers of fascia and muscle slide and glide around each other to allow dynamic and fluid three-dimensional movement.
Why hydration is important for the fascia and muscle tissue
Research has shown that when fascia becomes dehydrated, fascial planes can adhere together preventing fluidity of movement and causing symptoms such as stiffness and pain. The anatomy is now in an unfavorable state because water has more difficulty penetrating fascial planes that are stuck together. Even consuming large quantities of water is often ineffective because the tissue simply can’t absorb it effectively.
It is important to point out that true hydration in the body is not defined by how much water one drinks, but by how much water the body absorbs. Once fascia is adhered together and the muscle becomes congested and tight, consuming large quantities of water still results in dehydration. The excess water that is consumed is simply eliminated rather than absorbed.
At this point of congestion, the mechanical separation of fascial layers becomes critical to allow water to be absorbed into the tissue. Drinking water would be beneficial, but an even more effective solution for hydrating the body is IV hydration. This is why Delos Therapy partners with IVme Wellness + Performance where we have found that collaboration works for the best interest of the client. Dr. Jack Dybis, trauma surgeon and medical director of IVme Wellness + Performance defines IV hydration therapy as “a medical treatment that delivers fluids directly into a vein by way of a needle, tube, and bag of fluids. It’s the fastest way to deliver fluid replacement throughout the body.
IV hydration is a safe and minimally invasive procedure when administered by experienced medical experts who know how to assess a patient’s vitals and health history and adhere to the best procedures and protocols.”
IV Hydration and Delos Therapy
An IV hydration treatment following a Delos Therapy session would effectively supercharge the reabsorption of water into the muscles and fascia by bypassing the GI tract and allow the rapid rehydration of tissue critical for dynamic movement. The various layers of fascia both above and within the muscle would now be able to move with greater fluidity and improved metabolic and cellular function.
- Water, IV Hydration And The Implications For Tight Muscles - July 15, 2019
- The Collagen Craze: How Collagen Peptides Differ From The Collagen Causing Your Muscle Pain - June 28, 2019
- Anatomy Trains, Collagen and the Delos Perspective - September 20, 2018