Webinar Dr. Jan Wilke: Tackle the cause, not the symptom: understanding myofascial chains in sports and therapy: On demand webinar

Webinar Dr. Jan Wilke: Tackle the Cause, Not the Symptom: Understanding Myofascial Chains in Sports and Therapy

Fascia is no longer seen as a passive wrapping of our muscles—it is an intelligent, contractile, and sensory organ that connects the entire locomotor system.

In this in-depth webinar, Dr. Jan Wilke—head of the Fascia in Motion research group—bridges the gap between laboratory evidence and clinical application. Drawing on two decades of fascial research and his experience as a strength-and-conditioning coach for elite athletes, he explores how the myofascial network influences movement, performance, and injury.

Participants will learn why so-called muscle injuries are often collagenous soft-tissue lesions, how fascial stiffness is actively regulated through cellular contraction and hydration, and why delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) may actually be a fascial rather than muscular phenomenon.

The session integrates recent evidence from Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the British Journal of Sports Medicine consensus on fascial tissue adaptation, providing clinicians with practical implications for assessment, manual therapy, and exercise prescription.

Key topics include:

• Anatomy and physiology of fascia as an active connective-tissue continuum
• Evidence for myofascial chains and force-transmission pathways
• Mechanisms of fascial adaptation, hydration, and stiffness regulation
• The fascial contribution to pain, injury, and recovery
• Practical strategies for strengthening collagen and optimizing rehabilitation

This course challenges clinicians to move beyond local symptom treatment toward a systems-based view of movement and dysfunction.

Learning Goals

1. Critically evaluate the anatomical and biomechanical evidence for myofascial continuity and its implications for functional assessment and treatment.
2. Synthesize current research on fascial force-transmission and stiffness regulation to optimize exercise and manual-therapy strategies.
3. Analyze the pathophysiological role of fascia in delayed-onset muscle soreness and soft-tissue injury based on current imaging and histological data.
4. Design and justify rehabilitation protocols that target collagen remodeling and fascial hydration using evidence-based loading and recovery principles.
5. Integrate the fascial system into a biopsychosocial model of movement dysfunction, connecting molecular adaptation, cellular contractility, and patient-centred care.