Our Glossary of Terms

A compassionate guide to the language we use to understand our bodies.

An open book with anatomical drawings, symbolising learning and discovery.

The language we use to describe our bodies is so important. For too long, we’ve been taught to see ourselves as a collection of separate parts—levers, pulleys, and bricks stacked one on top of the other. But our bodies are far more intelligent and interconnected than that.

This glossary is an invitation to explore a new, more compassionate vocabulary. It’s a guide to the key concepts, anatomical structures, and therapeutic ideas that are at the heart of our work together. Think of it as a map for becoming a detective in your own body, helping you to follow the ‘why’ behind your sensations and rediscover your innate freedom and ease. Go gently.

Carolyn Hitchcock in her calm and welcoming therapy space, smiling gently.

A

Abdominals: More than just a “six-pack,” these are layers of intelligent core muscles that form the front part of our ‘corset of the waist.’ When engaged correctly, they provide essential support to the spine without creating rigidity.

Adhesions: Areas where the normally separate, ‘slidey, glidy’ layers of fascia have become stuck together due to injury, surgery, or chronic inflammation. They can feel like a ‘pucker in the onesie,’ restricting movement.

Adductors: The group of muscles on your inner thigh. They are a key part of our deep core support system (the Deep Front Line) and are deeply connected to the health of our pelvic floor.

Alignment: Not a rigid, “correct” position to be held, but a dynamic and effortless state of balance. True alignment is what happens when your body feels supported from the inside out and can be buoyant in gravity.

Anatomy Trains: A revolutionary map of the body’s fascial connections, developed by Tom Myers. These “trains” or myofascial chains show us how the body is a single, interconnected unit.

Anxiety (in the body): A physical state often characterised by shallow breathing and tension in the shoulders and jaw. Our work helps to soothe the nervous system by unwinding these physical holding patterns.

Axillary Web Syndrome (Cording): The appearance of tight, painful cords under the skin, usually running from the armpit down the arm after breast cancer surgery. This is a fascial restriction that can be addressed with gentle, specific therapy.

B

Back Pain (Lower): Often a symptom, not the root cause. Lower back pain is frequently an echo of issues elsewhere, such as collapsed foot arches, tight hip flexors, or a lack of mobility in the upper spine.

Bicycle Wheel Analogy: A way to understand Biotensegrity. Our body is like a bicycle wheel, where bones are held in floating suspension by the balanced tension of the fascia (spokes).

Biotensegrity: The revolutionary principle that our bodies are not rigid compression structures, but tensional ones. It explains how we are designed to be light, spacious, and resilient.

Body Reading: The art of observing the body’s posture and movement patterns to see the story it is telling. It’s a key part of our detective work to understand where the root of an imbalance lies.

Breathing: The most fundamental movement of the body. The diaphragm is a huge sheet of fascia, and conscious breathing tones our entire core from the inside out.

C

Central Pole: My analogy for your body’s deep, central line of support. When your ‘central pole’ is engaged, the overworked ‘guy ropes’ on the outside can finally relax.

Cervical Spine: The seven vertebrae of your neck. It is designed for mobility but often becomes compressed due to postural habits like a forward head position.

Chronic Pain: Pain that persists over a long period, often a signal that an old compensatory pattern or fascial restriction is creating a constant strain on the system.

Collagen: The strong, supportive fibres within our fascia that give it strength and structure. Think of it as the sturdy thread in our beautiful fascial onesie.

Compensatory Patterns: The body’s brilliant short-term solutions that can become long-term problems, like a limp that remains after the stone in your shoe is gone.

Compression & Release: A gentle, calming technique where sustained pressure on a scar invites a fresh flow of fluids upon release, encouraging it to soften.

Connective Tissue: The biological fabric that holds us together, including fascia, ligaments, and tendons. It forms the wrappings around every part of our body.

Core: Not just your abs! This refers to your deep central support system, like the core of an apple, running from your feet all the way to your tongue.

Cording (Axillary Web Syndrome): See ‘Axillary Web Syndrome’.

Cross-Friction Massage: A precise technique that applies movement across the grain of a ligament or scar to awaken the body’s healing process in a stubborn, old injury.

C-Section Scar: A common scar that can create a significant ‘pucker in the onesie,’ often leading to issues like back pain or altered pelvic mechanics.

D

Deep Front Line: A key ‘Anatomy Train’ or myofascial chain that represents our deep core. This is our ‘central pole,’ providing our primary, effortless support from the inside out.

Dehydration (of Fascia): When fascial tissue loses its fluid, gel-like state, it can become sticky, stiff, and brittle. This is a common cause of stiffness and restricted movement.

Detective in Your Own Body: The curious, compassionate, and non-judgmental mindset we cultivate to listen to our body’s signals and follow the ‘why’ behind our pain or restriction.

Diaphragm: The primary muscle of respiration, a large dome-shaped sheet of muscle and fascia at the base of the ribs. It is the lid on our deep core and is essential for both breathing and postural stability.

E

Effleurage: Long, gentle, gliding strokes that soothe the nervous system and warm the tissues. It’s the body’s sigh of relief, often used to begin and end a session and to promote healthy fluid flow.

Elastin: The elastic, stretchy fibres within our fascia that give it flexibility and recoil. Think of it as the springy lycra in our fascial onesie, allowing for fluid movement.

Empowerment: The ultimate goal of our work together. It’s the shift from feeling like a victim of your body’s pain to becoming an active, knowledgeable partner in your own healing journey.

F

Fascia: Your body’s beautiful, interconnected onesie. Fascia is the intelligent web of connective tissue that wraps around every single muscle, bone, and organ, holding us together as a seamless, integrated whole.

Fight or Flight Response: The body’s emergency mode, activated by the sympathetic nervous system in response to perceived threat or stress. It is characterised by muscle tension, shallow breathing, and a state of high alert.

Fluidity: A quality of movement that is effortless, adaptable, and free from restriction. It arises from healthy, hydrated, and ‘slidey, glidy’ fascia.

Foot (The Arches): The foundation of our entire postural system. The health and responsiveness of the arches of your feet directly influence the alignment of your knees, hips, and spine. They are the start of our ‘central pole’.

Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis): A condition of severe stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint. It is often the final stage of a long-term compensatory pattern, where the shoulder has been overworking to protect another area.

G

Gravity: Not a force to be fought against, but an ever-present partner in our movement. When we learn to work with gravity, our fascial web responds with a beautiful, springy recoil that lifts us up effortlessly.

Grounding: The feeling of connection between your feet and the earth. It is the foundation for creating stability and allows the body to feel safe enough to let go of tension.

Guy Ropes: My analogy for the big, superficial muscles on the front and back of your body (like hamstrings and hip flexors). They are a fantastic safety system that grips on when the body feels unstable, but they are not designed to be your primary support.

H

Hamstrings: The large muscles on the back of the thigh. When persistently tight, they are a classic example of an overworked ‘guy rope’ compensating for a lack of support from the deep core.

Hip Flexors: The muscles at the front of the hip. They often become chronically tight and short from prolonged sitting, pulling the pelvis out of alignment and contributing to back pain.

Holistic: The understanding that the body is a whole, integrated system, where no part exists in isolation. We always look at the entire pattern, not just the single point of pain.

Hydration: Crucial for healthy fascia. Well-hydrated tissue is fluid and supple, whereas dehydrated tissue becomes sticky and restricted. This refers to both the water you drink and the movement that helps distribute it.

Hypersensitivity: An excessive or painful physical reaction to a light touch, often occurring around scar tissue. It’s a sign that the local nervous system is still on high alert and needs a gentle conversation to calm down.

Hypertrophic Scar: A type of raised, often reddish scar that remains within the boundaries of the original wound. It’s a sign of an over-enthusiastic healing process where too much collagen has been produced.

I

Inflammation: The body’s natural and necessary response to injury. It’s the ‘paramedics and firefighters’ rushing to the scene. Chronic, low-grade inflammation, however, can contribute to fascial restriction and pain.

Integration: The process of helping a part of the body (like a scar or a previously injured area) rejoin the seamless conversation of the whole. It’s about restoring connection and fluid communication.

Interoception: The sense of the internal state of your body. It is the practice of turning your awareness inwards to feel your heartbeat, your breath, or the subtle shifts in your tissues. It is the heart of our detective work.

J

Joint Pain: Often a result of compression and imbalance in the fascial web surrounding the joint. By restoring balance and creating space in the fascia, we can often alleviate the pressure that leads to joint pain.

Jaw Tension: A common physical manifestation of stress. The jaw is intricately connected through the fascia to the neck, shoulders, and even the pelvic floor. Releasing the jaw can have a profound effect on the entire body.

K

Keloid Scar: A type of raised scar that grows beyond the boundaries of the original wound. It is a more significant overgrowth of collagen and often requires a very specific and gentle therapeutic approach.

Knee Pain: Frequently a symptom of issues above or below the joint. Imbalances in the foot or hip create compensatory patterns that put unnatural strain on the knee.

L

Lengthening: Not a forceful pulling, but an effortless sense of space that arises when the body feels supported and releases its own grip. It’s a result of finding your central line of support.

Ligament: Tough, fibrous connective tissue that connects bone to bone, providing stability to our joints. They are a crucial part of our fascial web.

Linear Stretching: A mindful and supported approach to lengthening overworked ‘Guy Rope’ muscles. We first establish stability in the core before gently inviting the tight tissue to release its grip safely and lastingly.

Lumbar Spine: The five vertebrae of your lower back. This area is designed for stability but often becomes over-mobilised and strained when the thoracic spine (upper back) is stiff.

Lymphatic Drainage: The process of moving lymph (a fluid containing waste products and immune cells) through the body. Gentle, rhythmic techniques like Effleurage are excellent for promoting this natural, cleansing flow.

M

Mastectomy Scar: A scar resulting from breast surgery. Due to its location on the chest wall, it can significantly impact the movement of the shoulder, arm, and ribs, making specific scar therapy crucial for restoring mobility.

Mindfulness: The practice of paying attention to the present moment without judgment. It is the foundation of our work, allowing us to listen to the body’s signals and respond with compassion.

Mobilization: The therapeutic process of restoring movement to a joint, tissue, or scar that has become stuck or restricted.

Myofascial Release: A gentle, hands-on technique that applies sustained pressure into fascial restrictions. It is a slow, mindful conversation that allows hardened tissue the time it needs to soften, release, and rehydrate.

N

Nervous System: The body’s vast communication network. Our work directly engages with the nervous system, using gentle touch and mindful movement to shift it from a state of stress (‘fight or flight’) to a state of healing (‘rest and digest’).

Numbness: A lack of sensation, often around a scar, indicating that the sensory nerves have been interrupted or have not yet been reintegrated into the body’s map. Gentle therapy can help to reawaken these pathways.

O

Occiput: The bone at the base of your skull. Its relationship with the top vertebra of the neck is crucial for healthy head and neck alignment and is mirrored by the relationship between the sacrum and the low spine.

P

Parasympathetic State: Often called the ‘rest and digest’ state. This is the branch of the nervous system responsible for healing, recovery, and relaxation. Our therapeutic goal is to guide the body into this state.

Pelvic Floor: A diamond-shaped hammock of muscles and fascia at the base of the pelvis. It is an integral part of our deep core and is deeply connected to our breath and the alignment of our hips and spine.

Petrissage: A rhythmic kneading, squeezing, and lifting of the muscle tissue. This technique acts like a pump, flushing out stagnant fluids and inviting fresh circulation into dense, knotted areas.

Postural Alignment: See ‘Alignment’.

Proprioception: Your body’s internal GPS; the sensory information from your fascial web that tells your brain where you are in space without you having to look.

Psoas: A deep and intelligent core muscle, often called the ‘muscle of the soul,’ that connects your spine to your legs. It is a key part of our ‘central pole’ and is deeply connected to our stress response.

Pucker in the Onsie: My analogy for a fascial restriction or scar. Like a pucker in a jumper, it creates a drag pattern that can pull on and distort the entire fabric of your body.

Q

Quadratus Lumborum (QL): A deep muscle in the lower back that connects the bottom rib to the top of the pelvis. It often becomes tight and overworked when compensating for instability in the hips or deep core.

R

Range of Motion: The full movement potential of a joint. Our work aims to restore a free and effortless range of motion by releasing the fascial restrictions that limit it.

Release: The sensation of tissue letting go of its chronic holding pattern. It can feel like a melting, a softening, or a sudden sense of spaciousness.

Resilience: The body’s ability to absorb and adapt to force without injury. This quality comes from a healthy, hydrated, and well-balanced biotensegrity system.

Restriction: An area in the fascial web where the normal ‘slide and glide’ is lost, causing a limitation in movement and often leading to pain or stiffness.

S

Sacrum: The large, triangular bone at the base of your spine that fits between your two hip bones. Its alignment is crucial for the health of the lower back, pelvis, and hips.

Scar Mobilization: A specific technique that gently moves a scar in all directions to restore movement between the adhered fascial layers beneath it.

Scar Tissue: The body’s amazing emergency repair job. A dense, collagen-rich tissue laid down to close a wound. It is strong but often lacks the fluid quality of healthy fascia.

Sciatica: Pain or numbness that travels along the sciatic nerve, often caused by a fascial restriction in the lower back or deep hip that is compressing the nerve.

Shoulder Pain: Like back pain, often a symptom of a pattern elsewhere. It can be the echo of an unstable core, a restricted ribcage, or even an old injury in the opposite hip.

Skin Rolling & Lifting: A technique that gently lifts and rolls the skin and superficial fascia to separate adhered layers and draw hydrating fluids into the tissue.

‘Slidey, Glidy’ Quality: My term for the natural, healthy state of fascia, describing the effortless way layers of tissue should glide over one another. Stiffness is often a loss of this quality.

Superficial Back Line: The ‘Anatomy Train’ that runs up the entire back of the body. It’s one of our primary ‘guy ropes’ that keeps us from falling forward.

Superficial Front Line: The ‘Anatomy Train’ that runs up the entire front of the body. It’s the ‘guy rope’ that keeps us from falling backward.

Sympathetic State: See ‘Fight or Flight Response’.

T

Tendon: Tough, flexible connective tissue that connects muscle to bone. Tendons are part of the continuous fascial web.

Tensegrity: See ‘Biotensegrity’.

Tension: Can refer to both muscular contraction and the balanced, tensile force that holds our structure together. The key is distinguishing between protective grip and healthy support.

Tethering: The sensation of a scar being stuck or anchored to the deeper tissues beneath it, like the skin has been stitched to the muscle layer.

Thoracic Spine: The twelve vertebrae of your upper and mid-back to which your ribs attach. Mobility here, especially rotation, is crucial for a healthy lower back and neck.

U

Unwinding: The process of gently and mindfully releasing the layers of compensatory patterns and fascial restrictions that have built up over time.

V

Vibration Therapy: A technique using gentle, rhythmic, oscillating movements to send soothing waves through the body, calming the nervous system and releasing deep muscular guarding.

Viscera: The internal organs, especially those in the abdomen. The fascia surrounding these organs plays a huge role in our movement and health.

W

Whole Body Connection: The core principle that no part of the body works in isolation. Every movement is a body-wide event, and lasting healing comes from treating the entire interconnected system.

Y

Yawn: A wonderful and spontaneous release of the diaphragm, jaw, and deep neck muscles. We never stifle a yawn; it’s the body’s intelligent way of resetting the nervous system.

Z

Ziphoid Process: The small, cartilaginous point at the very bottom of your sternum (breastbone). It is a key landmark and a meeting point for the diaphragm and abdominal fascia.