Tending Your Core: Fascia, Flow & Freedom In Your Belly and Pelvis
- mfonlmt
- Jun 30
- 10 min read
Updated: Jul 1
In one of my recent movement classes, I was demonstrating some self massage practices for the pelvic area and abdomen when I was asked, “why is it abdominal massage isn’t regularly added into professional massage treatments?” Myself and other participants chimed in with these answers: body shame, over-modesty, disconnect, vulnerability and lack of professional training as a few key reasons. I only started to include the abdomen (even just over the sheet) into my massage sessions after I received a massage many years ago wherein the practitioner lightly touched my abdomen over the sheet while moving from my legs to my upper body and I felt like a circuit had finally been completed. Before this experience, I had long received and given massage without even a graze to the abdomen and really didn’t think twice about it. In massage therapy school, I was taught abdominal massage but it was glossed over and we were even told that it is something most practitioners do not add in to their routines, because most clients do not want it. Now, well over a decade later, I cannot imagine leaving abdominal touch out of a session with all I’ve learned through my own body and professional experience about the core, pelvis, pelvic organs, and the function of fascia as a whole. In this article, we will explore why abdominal bodywork is so crucial to overall health, common complaints associated with the belly, why the core is so important, and some professional as well as self care interventions for relief.
It’s All In The Belly: Fascia & the Nervous System
I don’t think there’s a part of the body where more is constantly happening than there is in the abdomen and pelvis. Aside from your lungs, heart and brain, your abdomen and pelvic bowl are home to the majority of your organs, specifically your digestive organs, elimination pathways, womb, diaphragm, core muscles, lots of lymph and nerves. All of your organs are surrounded by and ‘held’ in place by your fascia - a sticky web of connective tissue that is made up of collagen fibers and a plasma like fluid. It is exceptionally innervated and is a conduit for electromagnetic energy. Adhesions in the fascia can occur anywhere in the body and can affect the functioning of your organs and body systems. Just like your hip is built to mobilize in many different directions and planes of motion, the inside of your abdomen is constantly moving, pumping, mobilizing, filtering, alchemizing and is meant to be mobile and fluid. Your intestines alone are in constant motion - called peristalsis - even if you don’t always feel it. They move, undulate, absorb, squeeze, release - so your body gets all it can out of your food while working to eliminate what is not needed.
It is interesting that fascia and soft tissue make up the majority of the body, yet most medical professionals are not taught much, if anything about it, or how to treat it. Just like how tissue tension in a shoulder can affect its range of motion and can cause discomfort, the same is true for your abdomen and pelvic bowl. You have layers of muscle in your abdomen that are connected seamlessly by fascia. Too much tension or too much laxity in the tissues here can affect your core’s ability to engage reflexively, can affect pelvic organ positioning and function, your digestive system’s abilities, and can cause inflammation/swelling. Your abdomen and pelvic bowl are highly innervated and sensitive to stress - emotional and mental - and is often a place where people experience emotional charge they have a hard time processing/digesting, or where your soft tissue braces when in constant fight/flight. This is a huge reason why bodywork is so beneficial in this area; we’re not only releasing tissue, we are tending to your nervous system to instill a sense of safety.
You may have heard people use phrases such as “hard to chew”, “difficult to swallow”, “hard to stomach” or “bite off more than you can chew” in relation to difficulty in life, and this is no coincidence! How we digest our food can be quite the mirror to how we are handling what’s coming up for us or how we are responding to stress in our inner and outer environments.
Your digestive system, elimination pathways, pelvic floor and reproductive system are largely governed by your parasympathetic nervous system. This is the ‘branch’ of the nervous system responsible for ‘rest and digest’, integration and deep healing. Many of us, however, live in a state of chronic low level nervous system dis-regulation which impacts our body’s ability to feel safe enough to slow down, rest, unwind and reach deep states of healing.
Being in chronic low level nervous system deregulation means that your nervous system is more often in a state of fight/flight/freeze/fawn, as if you are under some unseen threat, and has a hard time shifting gears into rest and digest mode. This can also feel like high stress, anxiety, insomnia, feeling unable to slow down, chronic muscle tension, indecision, pain, and can even develop into auto immunity and syndromes such as chronic fatigue. There’s a lot of nuance to the nervous system bit- that would be a whole other article! If you resonate with any of this, just remember your body has learned to adapt and is trying to help you even if you don’t like how you feel. All sensations and states of being give you information about what’s going on beneath the surface.
Tissue and Emotion
It is often said that unprocessed emotions get ‘stuck’ or ‘held’ in the body’s tissues. There is some truth to this, but it is a bit of a misleading statement. Your nervous system records, stores, remembers and it expresses through the fascia which is why pain and sensation in your body can also bring up repressed trauma, emotions and early conditioning (hello birth imprints!)
This seems to be particularly true for your abdomen and pelvic bowl - your ‘soft underbelly’. This is where your body is most vulnerable - no bony shell like ribcage or cranium to protect vital organs. Only fascia, muscle and fat. It is a sensitive area, one that needs both fortification, i.e core strength, and tender care through self touch and/or professional bodywork. The combination of strengthening and release in this area specifically helps your nervous system feel a sense of safety and over time this equates to balance and vitality on all layers and levels of being - hormonal, digestive, emotional, mental and energetic.
So, let’s talk about some common symptoms and complaints around abdominal and pelvic wellbeing.
From Heartburn to Prolapse
That’s right - fascial restriction can greatly contribute to heartburn or indigestion!
Here are some other common issues that abdominal strengthening and/or release through bodywork can be helpful for:
IBS
Constipation
Gas/abdominal cramps
Pelvic organ prolapse
Interstitial cystitis
Pelvic congestion
Endometriosis
Menstrual pain
Digestive stagnation
Diastases Recti (DR)
Heartburn/Indigestion
Bloating
Hernia prevention
For constipation, prolapse, pelvic congestion, endometriosis, DR, stagnation, heartburn/indigestion and bloating specifically, tissue release/nervous system care from bodywork can help to increase circulation in this area, unwind fascial restrictions, and mitigate excess tension due to nervous system hyperactivity and stress. When there is stagnation in the digestive/pelvic region, then food and fluid isn’t flowing as smoothly as it could. Self or professional massage can assist with intestinal motility and fluidity of elimination processes. Also, the sphincters of your digestive system (i.e the LES which separates stomach from esophagus) close when they are relaxed which is crucial when it comes to issues like heartburn. If there is too much tension around the sphincter/esophagus/diaphragm, the LES remains open which allows for stomach acid to pass up into the esophagus leading to heartburn symptoms. It can also remain open due to stagnation in the gut leading to back up of gas/pressure in the stomach. At the end of this article I will outline some self massage techniques to assist with this.
For IBS, cramping and cystitis, there is generally heightened sensitivity and inflammation which localized bodywork can help through gentle, soothing massage and cranial sacral therapy. With these symptoms, you want to work gently as there is usually less palpable tissue tension/stagnation and more hyper-sensitivity.
In regards to hernias, which stem from an organ ‘poking through’ where it shouldn’t, bodywork and strength training go a long way towards prevention. Fascia in the abdomen that is strong yet flexible allows for greater mobility and resilience.
When it comes to pelvic organ prolapse, which usually affects the bladder, uterus or rectum, the fascia around the organ is often experiencing a blend of tone loss and restriction. This accounts for why it ‘falls’ or gets stuck out of place and why people find relief and sometimes reversal of the prolapse with dedication to gentle strengthening exercises and soft tissue care.
There can absolutely be nuances to each of these conditions. Again, generally speaking - fascia/tissue needs both strength and fluidity to be in a state of optimum health. Strength protects, bodywork/movement releases and both increase flow and tissue hydration.
Self Care Interventions
To tend your core, here are some self care practices you can use to promote fluidity in your tissues, build body awareness and assist yourself with any symptoms or discomfort you may have
Self Massage
To massage your entire abdomen for bloat, constipation, stagnation, IBS and tension relief, it is helpful to follow the flow of your intestines natural motility.
Using a little bit of massage oil (less is more), start from the lower right quadrant of your abdomen and use a firm yet gentle pressure. You want to use a pressure that goes beyond surface level skin brushing but not so deep as to be painful or that you hold your breath.
Massage up from your right lower quadrant to just under your right rib cage (where your liver is), over to under your left rib cage, and down to the left quadrant of your abdomen.
Repeat this motion many times, moving slowly, making it a fluid circular motion up down and around the entirety of your abdomen.
To assist with tension around the LES which may be contributing to heartburn symptoms, try this more localized self massage:
Locate the bottom of your breastbone with your fingers.
Trace the underside of your rib cage with your fingers and assess tension here. If you have tight upper abs, it will be difficult for you to get your fingers to hook under the bottom of your rib cage.
Use a gentle yet firm pressure and no oil here to really work the fascia.
With your fingers placed just under your breast bone, push into your tissue slightly and then slowly drag your fingers down towards your belly button a couple of inches.
Move your fingers to the right of your breast bone - to just under your right rib cage and repeat the process slowly and incrementally all the way to your side body.
Repeat the process on the left side.
You can try this technique either lying down or sitting. Make sure to go slow and breathe.
Alternatively, you can purchase an inflatable pilates ball and only slightly inflate it. You then lie face down with the slightly inflated ball under your abdomen and slowly roll around on it. This can be more intense then self massage but has similar effects.
Breathing
Your breath is an excellent way to help restore nervous system fluidity and instill a sense of safety. Lying down, breathe in a way to fully inflate your belly and rib cage. Inhale to a count of 4 and exhale for a count of 5 or 6. When you breathe slowly, consciously and with emphasis on a longer exhale, you help shift your nervous system into a more parasympathetic (rest and digest) mode.
Core Strength
Core strength is about way more than doing crunches and sit ups - in fact, these two popular core exercises end up creating more intra-abdominal pressure which can exacerbate symptoms such as prolapse, congestion, incontinence and inflammatory conditions such as IBS.
Your core isn’t just ‘six pack abs’. Your core is comprised of fascia that connects your toes to neck, your breathing diaphragm, pelvic floor, low/mid back, hips, glutes and layers of abdominal muscle that work in a variety of ways.
The key is to train a reflexive, functional core, which means the tissue is ‘at the ready’ to engage as needed - neither too lax or too tense. This is trained by how you breathe while doing exercises.
This type of breathing is something I teach in my Restore Your Core series and 1:1 sessions. You can check these out here: https://www.maressafongermckeelmt.com/restore-your-core
Here is an exercise to try that includes the breathing technique:
Single leg lifts on forearms
On forearms and knees, make sure your forearms are parallel to one another. You can place a yoga block between them to maintain position.
Inhale into your rib cage, and as you exhale, draw in your lower abdomen (beneath your belly button)
As you exhale and draw in your lower abs, send one leg back behind you without your pelvis moving or rocking side to side.
Do a few repetitions of lifting the leg sent behind you off the floor slowly. Each time you lift, draw in your lower abs on each exhale.
The exhale + drawing in your lower abs allows you access to your deepest core muscle - your transverse abdominis. It acts corset-like, stabilizes your pelvis/spine and is the foundation to building a responsive core.
If you are unable to draw in your lower abdominals, feel them bulging out, or feel your belly bracing as you do this exercise this gives you vital information that your core is not yet equipped to handle the load you are asking it to. This means you need to walk back the move and start with ‘as if’ lifting the leg. This is foundational work. It’s ok to be wherever you are at. Try to embrace curiosity when working with your body, this helps build self trust and safety over time.
Professional Interventions
While doing at home self care to help yourself with what you are experiencing is key, it can also be super helpful to work with a professional. This allows you to fully relax and receive, which is so crucial for nervous system support. Especially if you’ve had any type of abdominal surgery, C-Section, or medical procedure, receiving bodywork is an excellent way to remind yourself and your body that touch can be nourishing and non intrusive. The body goes through a lot when undergoing any surgery or invasive medical procedure. It can take time to unwind and heal from those experiences.
Here are some treatments with trained professionals that can be beneficial for tending your core:
Acupuncture - helps to open channels of energy flow within the fascia that relates to certain organs and body systems.
Herbalism - a trained herbalist can help you work with certain plants to balance your digestion/hormones/nervous system support
Therapeutic abdominal & pelvic massage - allows you to fully unwind and receive while the fascia is worked with and released. Promotes blood flow, fascial fluidity and proper positioning of pelvic organs while reducing inflammation and nervous system hyperactivity.
CranialSacral Therapy - a subtle touch that works with the deepest layers of fascia which surrounds your brain and spinal cord. Eases nervous system reactivity, promotes greater fluidity and helps you feel more ‘in your body’.
Alignment assessments/Core strength and mobility classes - Alignment is key for enabling your core muscles to respond appropriately. Core strength and mobility goes a long way towards abdominal fortification.
In Closing...
Tending your belly and pelvis - your core - is an excellent place to start (or continue!) to build a firm foundation of health and vitality in all layers of your being. Core strength, fluidity and mobility go hand in hand with digestive and nervous system wellness. Soft tissue is often overlooked when it comes to digestive, pelvic and abdominal issues yet it is a crucial component and one that you have the tools to tend, both at home and with the right professional care.
If you're interested in receiving bodywork centered around abdominal and pelvic care, book a bodywork or pelvic care session with me here: https://www.maressafongermckeelmt.com/book-online
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