Happy New Year!
Before you worry — no, this blog isn’t about New Year resolutions or fixing yourself. Let’s be honest, you’re already pretty fabulous.
Instead, I want to share something I did last year that I found genuinely eye-opening and inspiring — and how it reinforced one simple but powerful message about health and movement.
Studying anatomy at the Plastinarium
Back in November, I spent a week in Germany on an immersive six-day anatomy course at the Plastinarium, home of the Bodyworlds exhibitions. The course focused on the fascial connections between the pelvis and the foot, offering a rare opportunity to explore human anatomy in a way very few people ever get to experience.
Bodyworlds is the brainchild of Gunther von Hagens, who developed a method of preserving human tissue so it can be studied in extraordinary detail. While there isn’t currently an exhibition in the UK, anyone who has seen one will know how powerful and revealing these displays are. Working at the Plastinarium alongside world-renowned anatomists was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
Why fascia matters more than we think
Fascia is a connective tissue that weaves throughout the entire body. It surrounds muscles, organs, nerves, and joints, and plays a crucial role in movement, posture, balance, and even breathing.
Although I work with fascia every day as an osteopath, this was the first time I had the chance to truly see it, feel it, and dissect it in such depth.
I’ve been studying and practising osteopathy — and anatomy — for over 34 years. Even so, this course managed to inspire and surprise me. Traditional anatomy often teaches that a muscle runs from point A to point B and performs a specific job. That isn’t wrong, but it’s incomplete. Through the fascial system, everything in the body is connected, often in ways that only become obvious when you see the tissue itself.
A simple way to understand fascia
Here’s a quick experiment you can try:
Tuck your shirt into your trousers and walk around for a moment. Then twist your waistband firmly to one side and walk again. It feels strange, restrictive, and inefficient — and that’s a mild example of what happens when fascia becomes tight or restricted.
The big takeaway: movement is essential
I could talk about this course for hours, but one message stood out above all else:
We need to move.
Not perfectly. Not in a prescriptive “do this exercise exactly this way” sense — although those approaches can help. What really matters is regular, varied movement.
When we don’t move enough, fascia can become tight, shortened, and “sticky.” Tissues stop sliding freely, which affects how efficiently we move. Over time, this can alter posture, reduce mobility, and increase strain on the body.
If you picture an elderly person, you might imagine someone slightly hunched, with bent knees, shuffling carefully and leaning on a stick. That posture didn’t appear overnight. One of the core principles of osteopathy is that structure governs function — what we repeatedly do shapes our body.
The same applies if you spend long hours sitting at a desk or in a car. A sedentary lifestyle physically changes your tissues — and unfortunately, not in a helpful way.
Small movements can make a big difference
The good news? Even very small movements can help keep fascia healthy.
One simple example is rolling the sole of your foot over a firm ball (put massage ball into amazon and you will find one that works well) while sitting in a chair.
Try this:
1. Stand up and see how far you can comfortably reach towards your toes.
2. Sit down and roll one foot over the ball for 30 seconds, then the other.
3. Stand up and try again.
Many people notice a difference straight away. Now imagine what a small daily habit like that — perhaps while watching TV — could do over time.
Finding movement that works for you
Of course, more exercise helps too. We’re fortunate to have excellent local teachers and trainers offering everything from Pilates and Feldenkrais to swimming, personal training, and yoga. If you try a class and it doesn’t click, try a different teacher. Often it’s the connection with the teacher, rather than the method itself, that makes the biggest difference.
Personally, I run (less than I should, but I’m working on it), cycle, attend an outdoor fitness class (yes, even in the sleet and dark), walk the clinic dog, and practise yoga.
Whether you move at home, online, or in a class, the message is the same: move more. It doesn’t need to be complicated — but it can genuinely change your life.