Guest article by Deanna Hansen, founder of Fluid Isometrics and Block Therapy, author of the books Fascia Decompression: The Missing Link in Self-Care & Unblock Your Body: How Decompressing Your Fascia is the Missing Link in Healing.
Why the Fascia needs to be addressed to manage and potentialLy reverse the effects oF PD
I have been working in the fascia system for twenty three years and have come to understand this system intimately. Spending over 60,000 hours working on both patients, and myself, the changes I have seen from Fascia Decompression, is helping people all over the world.
Firstly, I have a different understanding of what this system is all about. I see the fascia as the surface membrane of each cell, connected to every other cell. It is the communication between all cells and creates both stability and mobility within. If we treat this system and provide it with what it requires for lifelong health through Fascia Decompression, pain, aging and dis-ease take on new meanings.
We are continually under the influence of external forces, gravity being the most impactful. Essentially, as we age, the body compresses – it becomes shorter and wider. As we are asymmetrical due to the overuse of our dominant side, we literally spiral down toward the earth, either to the left or the right depending on several factors. As energy moves in waves and spirals (Fibonacci sequence), this is the pattern of collapse within the layers of fascia.
As we begin to tip off balance, like a spider spinning its web, the fascia reaches out to grip onto anything in its path to create stability, even to bone. This is where the real issues arise as these grips will adhere with a force up to 2000 pounds per square inch. The seal onto bone is magnetic and, in my experience, is the true root cause of all suffering.
These grips act like barricades. Flow within the body becomes blocked, causing a lack of nutrition to cells, as well as creating an environment that is congested. Cells starve of their vital energy and the tissue becomes acidic. Depending on the cells involved will dictate the symptoms that a person has.
I have had the opportunity to work with clients all over the world, with every condition known, including Parkinson’s Disease. I have also seen positive results beyond simply managing their symptoms, but also seeing improvements. When looking at the body, a holistic approach needs to be taken as every cell is interconnected. What happens in the legs, arms and scalp, for example, has a direct effect on the rest of the body.
My system is comprised of three pillars:
Creating Space;
Inflating Space;
Maintaining Space.
Creating space
When a body is perfectly aligned, there is optimal space within and around each cell. This provides easy passage for nutrients to enter the cell, and for waste to be carried away. If there is flow, the cells can function optimally to keep the body healthy. It is when we lose the internal space that adhesions develop, thereby blocking flow.
The combination of gravity, with unconscious posture and incorrect breathing, create compression within, which decreases the internal space. As we age in a forward, rotational direction, adhesions develop to attempt to stop the body from its descent, which ultimately block the flow of all systems within. This also creates a body that has an overall colder temperature as circulation is required for cells to be at their optimal temperature of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fascia Decompression puts the space back into the body that time has taken away. Using either a practitioner’s hands (Fluid Isometrics), or the self-care version (Block Therapy), adhesions that develop between the layers of fascia are melted. This is accomplished though the combination of pressure over time which creates heat to the area, combined with training proper diaphragmatic breathing, which is like turning on the body’s furnace. This provides external and internal heating for greatest efficiency.
Inflating space
Oxygen is the most important nutrient the cell requires to optimally function. When the body is depleted, it functions only to survive, not to thrive. Diaphragmatic breathing can feed the body up to six times the oxygen, so to strengthen this action is the most important practice one can do for overall health and well-being.
The natural reaction when confronted with pain, fear or stress, is to hold the breath. As we are designed to survive, we will still pull air into the lungs, but the secondary muscles kick in for this purpose. As I mentioned that diaphragmatic breathing is like turning on the body’s furnace, breathing through the muscles of the upper chest is like putting a space heater in one room. Only that room will become warm.
Even though many are sharing exercises to strengthen this muscle, the challenge lies in the adhesions that form around the ribcage. As mentioned above, fascia grips and adheres to bone with a force up to 2000 pounds per square inch. If you haven’t been trained to be a conscious breather lifelong, the diaphragm muscle becomes weak. As this is the foundation of the ribcage, the contents above put pressure on this weakened foundation and cause it to collapse into the core. This will displace the internal organs, cause a ballooning belly and create a toxic environment in the gut from inflammation that becomes stagnant.
Through the combined actions of creating space as mentioned above, with the focus of diaphragmatic breathing, which is like turning on the body’s furnace, we effectively melt the adhesions that have locked the ribcage out of alignment. Diaphragmatic breathing provides the opportunity to draw the air deeply into the lungs, where the majority of the alveoli (oxygen receptor sites), reside. This allows for optimal absorption of oxygen into the blood so to feed all cells in the body.
Cells fully oxygenated are like a blown-up balloon -- round, full and almost defies gravity. Cells depleted in oxygen would be like the balloon with less air. It becomes wrinkled, accumulates dirt and debris in the creases and becomes heavy. This is what aging cells look like. Gravity also has a hold on dense tissue, over time, speeding up the body descent as more time accumulates.
In addition, it has been proven that 84% of weight loss comes through proper exhalation due to its detoxifying effects. Breathing through the muscles of the upper chest, as most do, keeps the body starving for oxygen, and toxic.
Maintaining space
Every cell in the body has its correct alignment, and if they are at home, there is optimal space. When we don’t have conscious awareness of postural foundations, cells migrate away from their natural resting place under the influences already mentioned, creating adhesions to keep the body from tipping over.
There are three main postural foundation that need to be observed and strengthened;
The Root;
The Diaphragm;
The Tongue.
The root
The body is like a building. If the foundation is weak and not aligned, everything up the chain is pulled into the system of collapse. Also, because the calves and feet are furthest from the diaphragm, this is where the tissue is most frozen. This is the most impactful cause site in the body. Even if you have issues with your shoulders, or head and neck, if you only work in that area, every time you take a step you will be pulled back into this system of collapse. Supporting our foundation is key to maintaining a body where the cells are aligned.
Rooting is the action necessary to keep the lower body aligned. The feet should be directly under the hip joints, feet pointing straight ahead with the knees slightly bent. The kneecap should be aligned over the second toe. Then, the action of squeezing the anus is required to bring support to the posterior aspect of the perineum. This is what allows the body to bear 60% of the bodyweight on the heels, compared to the average 80% on the balls of the feet as seen in most people. This provides the proper foundation for everything up the chain, most notably, the ability for the diaphragm to move up and down in the core fully and completely.
The diaphragm
We have mentioned the significance of working this muscle, but to add, when breathing from this space, the diaphragm moves down to the feet with the inhalation, and up into the chest with the exhalation. It is the exhalation that is the counter force to gravity. When this muscle moves freely, the abdominal organs, heart and lungs are given a continual massage to keep them heated. This assists with optimal functioning as they are given energy with every breath, compared to when the diaphragm is weak and the contents above collapse into the core space.
In addition, breathing from this space also activates the parasympathetic nervous system, bringing the body to a state of relaxation. Breathing with the muscles of the upper chest creates internal tension and puts you into a chronic sympathetic state of flight or flight, exhausting the adrenals.
The Tongue
The tongue muscle functions not only to talk and chew, but also to support the weight of the head. When it is weak, it allows the collapse of the ribcage to draw the head forward, strangling the carotid arteries, negatively affecting the thyroid gland, and blocking the major lymphatic drainage sites under the clavicles.
When properly aligned, the surface of the tongue rests at the roof of the mouth. This helps to prevent the forward head posture that occurs with aging, keeping the brain properly positioned in the skull. Shrinking of the frontal lobe occurs with ageing, which this helps to prevent. As well, the flow to and from the brain stays optimal as there is no compression on the channels for flow if kept in proper alignment.
These 3 pillars – Creating Space, Inflating Space and Maintaining Space, work in concert to ensure that cells migrate back to where they should be positioned, and once there, maintain the internal space for fluids and energy to flow freely through the body.
Benefits for people with Parkinson’s disease
The main symptoms of Parkinson’s -- tremors, muscle rigidity, weakness, collapsing posture, trouble sleeping…, all occur when there are adhesions that block the flow of fluids and energy to the cells. The most important thing to understand is that without the proper diaphragmatic breath, the body is simply depleted and can’t perform.
Pain, fear and stress cause you to reactively hold the breath. If this becomes a habit, then the secondary muscles of the upper chest take over, drastically limiting the energy for the cells to work. For some, this may result from a physical trauma, for others, it can be an emotional trauma that triggered this response. Either way, something caused the diaphragm to become almost paralyzed, forcing the body to compensate.
Tremors occur when the cells lose integration. This response, like shivering, is the body trying to increase energy to the area. The issue is the weakened diaphragm. Simply doing breathing exercises won’t change this as the adhesions have magnetically sealed the diaphragm out of alignment, causing it to be frozen, forcing the secondary muscles of the upper chest to kick in. There is not enough energy in these muscles to move the blood to the extremities, and as gravity continually adds more collapse to the body, eventually the tremors fall away to rigidity, and the body continues to collapse in and on itself.
My system is designed to melt the adhesions, activate the diaphragm and teach proper postural foundations to undo what time has done and to integrate cells back to life. Having had the opportunity to work with people with Parkinson’s Disease, I have seen improvements in their quality of life. The pace that this work can be applied is dependent on each individual, as there will be a detoxifying effect in the body, and if meds have been taken for years, you need to approach the body at a pace that works for the individual.
This work is self-administered and done in the comfort of your own home. This allows the individual to moderate the positions and the amount of time spent each day to suit their needs. It is also important to understand the cause sites that are holding the body in its rigid state, and to work on melting the adhesions in those areas.
The calves and feet, hands and forearms and scalp are all areas that need lots of attention. As they are the furthest from the diaphragm, they will be most frozen and will be a major holding pattern for everyone. My system is designed to teach people how to approach their body to receive the benefits of melting the adhesions blocking flow, and to activate the diaphragm so new habits can be integrated, and continual positive change can occur.
In my experience, I have seen that if progress is continual, then there is excitement and follow through. This work creates the opportunity for change to be immediate, and continual. Like melting a block of ice, you can’t force it to melt all at once, it will melt at the pace where the energy is enough to change the structure of ice to water. Similarly, you can’t activate all cells in the body in a moment. However, you can sequentially dive deeper through the layers, melting the adhesions along the way, strengthening the breath to increase oxygen in the blood, and build stronger foundations to support the journey back to proper cell alignment.
For as complicated as this disease can be, this approach is simple, safe and continual with the benefits. As more energy is added to the body, there is more repair and integration. I fully believe that all symptoms can be managed, and that for many who adopt this as a lifestyle, can see continual progress to improve quality of life and potentially even reverse it.
Testimonials
Gary Sharpe, Out-Thinking Parkinson’s
I started using Block Therapy just over three years ago. I noticed immediate benefits, including the resolution of any constipation, and the raising of my body temperature. I hadn’t realized how cold my body was, and the impacts this was having on symptoms, so the initial “hot flushes” which the Block Therapy belly positioned induced was a surprise, and a revelation. I also hadn’t realized how frozen my diaphragm was, and how disconnected I was from it. I could neither sense my diaphragm, nor move it voluntarily. I can now, perhaps for the first time in my life, breath diaphragmatically, and feel, sense, and move my diaphragm.
I initially found I could only tolerate small amounts of fascia decompression per day, just two or three positions of the Block Therapy work. One thing that fascia decompression can do is release toxins that have become stored and sequestered in the body. As someone who is stuck in the freeze stress response, my body was a very poor eliminator of toxins such as heavy metals - as confirmed by a mineral analysis of my hair - because I wasn’t able to spend enough time in the calm and relaxed states that are required for detoxification to take place. So, by the time I started practicing fascia decompression, my body was very toxified according to the hair mineral test. Since my system could not detoxify, all it could do was sequester the toxins away in my fascia for safe keeping, preventing harm to the organs.
Thus, I found if I do too much Block Therapy per day, it releases too many toxins into my body at once, faster than I can eliminate and excrete them. This overwhelm is called a “healing crisis” by Deanna. For me it manifests as a temporary increase in symptoms. As time has gone on, and I have released and eliminated a great deal of the toxins, I am able to tolerate doing more and more fascia decompression a day, and so the process is continually accelerating.
At the time of starting the practice, by far my worst and most debilitating symptom was the dystonia - high level of pain, stiffness, rigidity - in my right neck and shoulder, which would come back every time a dose of drugs wore off. When this I happened, I couldn’t stand up for long, as it felt like I was being crushed to the ground, as if someone had turned up the gravity. I couldn’t sit down for long either, because when in the seated positions, the constrictions in my neck felt like the blood supply to my brain was being cut off, which made me feel like a zombie, and made me panic.
Due to the debilitating pain and neck issues, each time the drugs wore off was very frightening and traumatic. All I could do was lay on the bed with my head propped up so much that my chin was on my chest, as this was the only position which brought some modicum of relief. At that time, this wear-off was occurring about 6 times a day, lasting one to two hours or more each time.
Since the neck and shoulder issues were so problematic, I suspected that some serious problem with the fascia in that area had developed over time, or it had been damaged somehow. As I could only manage two or three Block Therapy positions a day, without incurring a healing crisis, I concentrated my fire there, and mainly just blocked the side of my neck, sternum, and my clavicle region. The images below show the photo record of my progress of doing this consistently for the first year of my fascia decompression practice. I think these images speak for themselves.
In the photo records from the side, you can see the vast improvement in my posture, but especially the space that opens in my neck. See how my chin was initially below the levels of my shoulders. The relaxation and the relief in my shoulders is visceral and tangible in the images from the back. It was also very noticeable internally by me, in terms of a marked decrease in the pain and dystonia in my neck. The effect was noticeable by other people too. For example, during this time, one person I saw daily asked me “are you getting taller?”
In the second year, I added in some additional positions, which bought additional relief, including the side of the torso under the armpit, and the outside of the deltoid. I added in blocking the back of my neck and the back of shoulders, which allowed me to begin to be able to lie down without having to prop up my head so much that my chin was on my chest, yet not feel like the oxygen supply to my brain was being cut off.
I began to also supplement the Block Therapy with my hands, applying pressure with my fingers, and moving in small, slow spirals like Deanna teaches. Indeed, I found that using the fingers this way is a great self-assessment tool. When starting to apply fascia decompression to a new area, initially the skin will not move with the fingers, but is stuck down firmly to the underling bone. As you progress, the skin begins to become free from the bone, and starts to glide smoothly with fingers as you make the spiral movements, so the results are tangible and measurable.
In particular, the hands-on approach was for me the safest and gentlest way to release my rib cage. Initially the skin was utterly stuck down on to the ribs, but now it glides nicely and can be pulled or pinched away from the ribs completely.
In the third year of my practice Deanna released a “hair health” class, which is designed to release the scalp from the skull, through a combination of applying the spiralling pressure via the finger tips, and gentle pulling and twisting of the hair.
Using the finger test on my head, I realized that the skin of the scalp was completely stuck down like superglue to my skull, with no movement whatsoever, and was also extremely tight. I realized that the profound constriction this was causing could be feeding into my neurological issues.
I began to do the hair health class daily, and indeed noticed an acceleration in my symptom reduction, especially in regard to brain fog, and improvements in mood and sleep. There is still some way to go, and hence more gains to be had, in releasing my scalp, due to the profound, and possibly life long, stuckness here, and the large surface area which needs to be released, but the skin is starting to free up and glide nicely in places.
I also began to be able access the lower legs, feet and calves. As Deanna points out, these are the most frozen places, and for me seem to be where a lot of toxins are stored. Initially, any attempt to apply fascia decompression to them would result in a healing crisis and overwhelm, so I was exiled from working on them.
As I have had made more space, and addressed some of the other places where major problems were apparent, I have slowly been able to begin to work on these areas. I am now seeing benefits in the reduction of not only the stiffness of my legs, but also further up the chain as Deanna suggests would be the case.
More recently, I have combined my fascia decompression practices with a form of talking therapy with Lilian Sjoberg, who addresses and releases body memories - unprocessed stressful episodes in life which get written into the body and fascia. This combination has further accelerated my progress. Very recently, I have noticed that on good days, that most debilitating symptom of severe dystonia in my right neck and shoulder doesn’t bother me at all anymore.
Florencia Cerruti, person with Parkinson’s Disease and author of Rebirth at 50: in the end, it was not The End
Since being diagnosed with PD almost 10 years ago, I have tried everything I could to decrease my symptoms, slow the progression of the disease and improve my quality of life.
Intuitively, when I came in contact with the Rolfing technique for Fascia decompression, I thought this was a path I needed to explore. In 2020 I had all the sessions included in the protocol. I had also been doing since 2016 with a body therapist weekly sessions of different techniques aimed at aligning the body and eliminating energy blockages.
In 2021 I started with Block Therapy and was amazed at the speed with which the changes occurred, and the multiplicity of dimensions in which they manifested. From the first sessions, I noticed the improvement in my breathing, being able to achieve something I had not been able to do before, and that is that the exhalations were longer than the inhalations. My breathing stopped being spasmodic, my cycles per minute decreased.
Then, my body temperature regulation improved, I stopped having constipation, my stiffness decreased noticeably and my posture improved a lot.
The dystonias that affected my entire left side decreased in frequency, duration and intensity. Each new area of work represented a new field of improvement. In particular, the work at the level of the face and skull made me think that many of the symptoms of PD are related to poor tissue oxygenation, and that by improving the way we breathe and eliminating the fascia adhesions that block the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the cells, it is possible to achieve unexpected results.
This mini video of before/after 30 minutes of block therapy on my face, for me speaks for itself:
In this second video, I asked my body therapist to narrate the changes she observed since we started working, including the improvements she noticed when I started BT:
Here I am speaking with Deanna about my experience: