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Ep 496 – The Fascia Debate: More Than Just a Tissue with Rachelle Clauson and Nicole Trombley

04/01/2025
3D animated image of the fascial system.

Fascia has been a hot topic in both research and hands-on therapy for some time now. While the idea that massage therapists affect more than just muscle isn’t new, defining exactly what "the other stuff" is has proven trickier than expected. Today, multiple definitions of fascia are debated worldwide. To bring clarity and foster better communication, a new, unified definition has been proposed in the Journal of Anatomy (January 2025). 

Join hosts Rachelle Clauson and Nicole Trombley, co-directors of AnatomySCAPES, as they dive into this fascinating, global discussion, sharing insights from their recent participation at the Winter School Research Conference in Padua, Italy, on this episode of The ABMP Podcast.

Resources and Author Links:

www.anatomyscapes.com/MATRIX for more information about “Journey Into the MATRIX: the Fascial System” dissection lab workshop!

 

Curious about this new proposed definition of fascia? Check it out here in the Journal of Anatomy: 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39814456/

 

Join AnatomySCAPES for their upcoming fascia-focused webinar Scar Tissue: A View Beneath the Surface. This webinar will take place on May 1 and you can register for this FREE on their website:

https://www.anatomyscapes.com

 

website: www.anatomyscapes.com

FB: facebook.com/AnatomySCAPES

IG: instagram.com/anatomyscapes

YouTube: youtube.com/@anatomyscapes

 

Author Images
Image of Nicole Trombley.
Image of Rachelle Clauson.
Author Bio

 

AnatomySCAPES Co-Directors, Rachelle Clauson and Nicole Trombley, are NCBTMB-approved continuing education providers and teach anatomy explorations for hands-on professionals online and in person. They co-author the “Anatomy for Touch” column in Massage & Bodywork magazine and enjoy helping therapists better understand how anatomy relates to what they are feeling through their sense of touch.

 

Nicole Trombley: As a massage educator, Nicole draws on her passion for human biology to help therapists better understand the tissues under their hands. She owns and operates Equilibrio Massage in San Diego, CA, where she has specialized in massage for pregnancy and postpartum for the past 20 years.

 

Rachelle Clauson: Rachelle loves teaching therapists about the structural organization and beauty of the human fascial system. She served as the Director of Creative and Administrative Affairs for the Fascial Net Plastination Project, and owns Flourish Bodywork, her private practice where she has offered hands-on bodywork in San Diego, CA, for the past 21 years.

 

Sponsors

 

Anatomy Trains is a global leader in online anatomy education and also provides in-classroom certification programs for structural integration in the US, Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan, and China, as well as fresh-tissue cadaver dissection labs and weekend courses. The work of Anatomy Trains originated with founder Tom Myers, who mapped the human body into 13 myofascial meridians in his original book, currently in its fourth edition and translated into 12 languages. The principles of Anatomy Trains are used by osteopaths, physical therapists, bodyworkers, massage therapists, personal trainers, yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonics, and other body-minded manual therapists and movement professionals. Anatomy Trains inspires these practitioners to work with holistic anatomy in treating system-wide patterns to provide improved client outcomes in terms of structure and function.    

                

Website: anatomytrains.com    

                  

Email: info@anatomytrains.com          

 

Facebook: facebook.com/AnatomyTrains

                    

Instagram: www.instagram.com/anatomytrainsofficial

 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2g6TOEFrX4b-CigknssKHA  

 

American Massage Conference

 

Get ready to immerse yourself in the excitement as the American Massage Conference (AMC) arrives to Disney Springs near Orlando, Florida (May 16th-18th, 2025)! With a legacy of 17 successful years in Ontario, Canada, this premier event, proudly hosted by ONE Concept Conferences and expertly produced by Massage Therapy Media (MTM), boasts a lineup of presenters from across the nation and around the globe. 

 

The American Massage Conference began in Atlanta in 2011 and has been hosted through the years in San Diego, Chicago, and Virginia Beach. 

The conference provides educational opportunities with engaging one-, two-, three- and four-hour class formats, networking opportunities, masterminds, MTM Talks, demonstrations, and an extensive exhibitor tradeshow.  

 

Mark your calendars for an unforgettable experience filled with education, networking, and the celebration of massage therapy excellence! ABMP members receive a special discount to attend this in-person conference—log in to your ABMP account to access the discount code and register today.

 

Website: https://www.massagetherapymedia.com/conferences