Author and bodyworker to lead physical therapy workshops

Fascia, the tissues that connect bones, muscles, organs and the rest of the body, are not always apparent for their importance in long-term mobility. But physical therapists like Karen Gabler have been curiously exploring methods for working with the fascial system in the hopes of reducing chronic pain and improving stability.

The Paradise Center is hosting two workshops with Gabler from 4-6:30 p.m. March 21 and 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. March 22.

Gabler, who is also a licensed massage therapist, has been studying this physical therapy for years, even penning a book titled Your Body’s Brilliant Design: A Revolutionary Approach to Relieving Chronic Pain.

She said in an interview that fascia is “like a spider web.”

“If a bug flies into the web, it changes the shape of the web,” she continued. “Then the spider comes in, takes out the insect, and the web bounces back. When we have injuries or poor posture or surgeries, it all changes the shape of the web.”

Gabler said her job is to find the wrinkle in the web and help a client work it out.

Courtesy image

She first became interested in this form of physical therapy because she was interested in how physical alignment affects one’s emotions.

“If things are stuck and not moving, it changes the state of mind,” she said, noting she has a background in psychology.

As a Boston-based instructor, Gabler said the collaboration with The Paradise Center came about when one of her regular clients who retired to Longboat Key suggested reaching out.

She noted while such physical therapy can be especially helpful for seniors looking to improve their mobility, it can be valuable to people of all ages, including athletes.

“In the Western anatomy paradigm, the body is broken down into parts — muscles, bones, joints,” she said. “Muscles are levers, like when you bring your bicep up and down. But actually, the body doesn’t move that way. We do not move in levers. We move as a whole. The whole arm is connected to the shoulder, hip, leg and foot. When you reach, you’re reaching from your foot, not just the bicep.”

She said these wrinkles don’t just occur because of a sudden incident, but also can develop over time with poor posture. 

“You live in the slumped posture, and you don’t even know it,” she said. “It accumulates over the years, and that’s where many injuries come. You bend to pick something up, and your back gives out. That’s the result of stuck fascia that’s accumulated for many years.”

The workshops take a whole-body approach to strengthening the core. Gabler said they are open to clients of all fitness levels, as they focus on very particular balancing movements.

She said clients should hopefully come out feeling taller, lighter and more stable.