Fascia: New Insights for Your Manual Therapy Practice

Overview

Fascial research has exploded in the past few years triggering vigorous debate and offering new insights into how fascia is not a passive connective tissue, but a dynamic and constantly evolving tissue that surrounds everything in the body. As such, fascia needs to be viewed in a whole-body context in order to understand the significant role it plays in both the structure and function of the tissues it surrounds. This research has demonstrated that fascia constantly changes based on the forces placed upon it, which has a direct effect on the health of the body and disease progression spurring the emerging field of mechanomedicine. This class will highlight the new understanding of what fascia is and the debate surrounding it, the physiological activity that occurs at the cell-extracellular matrix interface, and how these factors affect pain, freedom of motion, body physiology, and overall health. Our focus will be on how manual therapy can positively affect all of these factors, especially when viewed through the lens of biotensegrity, and which techniques are the most appropriate depending on your desired treatment goals.

Learning Objectives (upon completion)

1. The student will understand how recent research has changed the perception of  fascia and the controversy surrounding this change.
2. The student will understand the various layers of fascia and their function.
3. The student will understand the role fascia plays as it surrounds the tissues of the body.
4. The student will understand the composition of the cell-extracellular matrix and the vital role this interface plays in dysfunction, effectiveness of manual therapy, movement, health, and disease.

Details

Duration: Saturday, September 26, 2026 from 8am-5pm; Sunday, September 27, 2026 from 8am-4pm

Location: Kennedy Krieger Institute
International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at White Marsh
425 Williams Court
Suite 116
Middle River, MD 21220

Price: $650 / person

Number of Attendees: 15-20

Instructors: Robert Cohen, M.A., P.T. and Jon Laking, M.A., P.T.

Contact: Robert Cohen, M.A., P.T. at 410-321-9292 or bob@baygrassinstitute.com

Target Audience: Healthcare providers – M.D., D.O., P.T., A.T.C., M.T., R.N., O.T., and other licensed or certified Healthcare Providers.

Continuing Education Credits: NCBTMB Approved Provider #1418. This continuing education has been approved by the Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners and NCBTMB for 15 Continuing Education Hours.