5 Fascia

Fascia:

Imagine you need to transport something incredibly valuable, like a delicate glass sculpture. Naturally, you’d want to protect it from any bumps and jolts along the way. First, you’d wrap it in a soft layer of cloth, then add some bubble wrap for extra cushioning, and finally, place it carefully inside a sturdy cardboard box. Each layer serves a purpose, ensuring your precious cargo arrives safely.

Now, picture your body’s fascia as the ultimate protective wrapping for all the important structures beneath your skin. The fascia is a connective tissue that not only provides support and protection but also separates and envelopes muscles, organs, and other internal parts. Just like our well-protected sculpture, the fascia has different layers and subtypes, each with a specific role in keeping your body in tip-top shape:

• Superficial fascia (subcutaneous tissue): the outermost layer beneath the skin contains variable amounts of fatty tissue
• Investing fascia (can be divided into superficial, intermediate and deep): covers individual muscle groups
• Endoabdominal fascia: a membranous sheet lining the internal aspect of the abdominal wall before the peritoneum

Below is an image of the gluteal region (which is located on the posterior side of the body), taken from the Bassett Collection (179-5). Using what you learned, try to identify the fascia indicated by the (?) Hint: this fascia is named after two segments of the spine.