SolCoreFitness

May 13 2025

Fascia Healing vs. R.I.C.E: Why Movement Beats Ice for Recovery

Why R.I.C.E. Isn’t the Best Way to Heal

Most of us grew up hearing the same advice when we got hurt:

Rest. Ice. Compress. Elevate.

This is called the R.I.C.E. method—and while it once seemed smart, even Dr. Gabe Mirkin, who coined the term in 1978, has since retracted it. In his article “Why Ice Delays Recovery,” Dr. Mirkin explains that excessive icing can hinder the body’s natural healing process.

Why? Because fascia healing doesn’t happen by stopping the body. It happens through flow.

What’s Wrong With Icing Too Much?

Ice helps right after an injury—for the first 12 to 24 hours.
It slows swelling and bruising, and that’s useful.

But after that?
Too much ice can block the very process your body needs to heal.

It slows blood flow, pushes out the helpful cells, and delays your recovery.

Fascia Healing Happens in 3 Natural Phases

Let’s break it down simply. When you get hurt or sick, your body starts healing in three steps:

Vascular Phase(2 parts): First Comes the Swelling

When you get hurt, your body quickly sends more blood to the area.
This is called vasodilation, and it’s the first part of the healing process.
All that blood brings oxygen, nutrients, and important “emergency signals” that call for help.

This is the short window where ice can help.
If there’s a lot of swelling or bruising, icing during the first 12 to 24 hours can slow it down and protect nearby tissues.

But then the second part kicks in…

Now, tiny blood vessels open up and allow special immune helpers to pass through.
These cells begin preparing the area for repair. This part needs flow, not freezing.

So ice is only useful in the very beginning.
After that, movement, hydration, and gentle pressure help your body do its job.

Cellular Phase: The Cleanup Crew Arrives

Next, special immune cells move in.
They clean up the mess, fight off problems, and prepare your body for repair.

But if you keep icing?
It’s like putting a roadblock in front of those helpful cells.

Repair Phase: Tissue Starts to Rebuild

Once your body starts to rebuild, the goal isn’t to stay still—it’s to support the process.

Your fascia, muscles, and joints need:

Movement to keep fluids flowing
Breath to improve circulation
Light pressure to guide repair without overload

These things don’t just “speed up” healing—
They help your body do what it already knows how to do.

Cartoon illustration showing fascia healing response—red immune cells with weapons and green repair cells with tools working together inside the body

At SolCore Fitness we don’t fight the body’s response. We work with it—through guided movement and hands on treatment with methods like ELDOA, myofascial stretching, fascia-based exercise and fascial pumping to help your body heal with its natural rhythm.

These are the tools that work with your fascia, not against it.

This is where fascia healing really begins.
New tissue is built. Fluid clears. Your body restores balance.

But here’s the key:
This only happens if there’s movement, hydration, and gentle pressure.

What Helps Fascia Heal Best?

Short-term ice (only in the first 12–24 hours)
After that:
- Breathing
- Gentle movement
- Techniques like pumping and stretching

At SolCore Fitness, we use methods like ELDOA, myofascial stretching, and fascial pumping to help your body heal with its natural rhythm.

These are the tools that work with your fascia, not against it.

Don’t Freeze the Flow. Support It.

Your fascia isn’t just a tissue—it’s a system.
It thrives on movement, hydration, and flow.

The R.I.C.E. method stops that flow.
But fascia healing needs it to recover.

What You Can Do Today

Got an old injury that won’t heal?

Or a new one you’re icing too long?

Try fascia-first movement instead.
Give your body what it’s really asking for: flow, not freezing.

Want to Learn How to Take Better Care of Your Fascia?

If you want to move better, feel stronger, and truly support your body’s natural healing…

Discover the power of Osteopathic Manual Therapy.

It’s one of the most effective ways to restore balance, reduce pain, and help your fascia heal the way it was designed to.

OMT:Osteopathic Manual Therapy

Follow the Thread—Where Movement, Fascia, and Freedom Align

Find more insight, reflection, and fascia-informed care across the platforms where we stay connected:

May 09 2025

She Taught Me to Swim: Fascia, Stress Relief, and the Weight Mothers Carry

A personal moment—and the message beneath it

She taught me to swim.

I was maybe two or three years old when this photo was taken.
My mom knelt beside me at the pool, smile wide, teaching me to float before I ever believed I could.

That memory has stayed with me—and it’s a powerful window into what fascia stress relief for mothers really means.

Because my mom wasn’t just helping me stay above water.
She was holding our entire family afloat—four kids, mostly on her own.

And like so many women, she carried the weight of care in her body.

What I didn’t realize then…
She wasn’t just helping me stay above water.
She was holding our entire family afloat.

She raised four of us—mostly on her own.

And like so many mothers, she carried the emotional and physical weight of the world without ever showing the strain.

Why Fascia Stress Relief for Mothers Matters

Your fascia—a web of connective tissue that surrounds every muscle, nerve, and organ—remembers everything. It responds to your environment, your posture, your stress… and your care.

When you’re constantly in output mode (like mothers and caregivers often are), that load shows up as:

Chronic stiffness or tension
Pain that shifts or lingers
A body that feels “stuck” or dehydrated from the inside out

Many mothers don’t realize that the stress they carry—physically, mentally, and emotionally—directly impacts their fascia system. This dense connective tissue doesn’t just wrap muscles—it helps manage fluid pressure, proprioception, and healing.

When fascia becomes overstressed or dehydrated, it loses its elasticity, its glide, and its ability to adapt. That’s why fascia stress relief for mothers isn’t just a luxury—it’s essential care.

The Causes of Fascia Stress in Mothers: Chronic Tension and Dehydration

1. Chronic stress
Fascia tightens under sustained emotional pressure, limiting circulation, mobility, and even breathing patterns. As described by researchers at Anatomy Trains, fascia forms an interconnected web that responds to everything from movement to mindset.

2. Dehydration
Fascia needs fluid movement to glide, adapt, and heal. Most people don’t drink enough water to support it.

Hydration Guidelines:

Minimum: 1 liter/day

Ideal: Half your bodyweight in ounces

Best water sources: Artisan > Spring > Reverse Osmosis

Healing Is Possible. Care Starts With You.

Fascial health isn’t just about flexibility—it’s about freedom. The ability to move, feel, and live with less pain and more clarity.

With the right care, your fascia can:

Process emotional and physical tension more efficiently

Support better circulation and mobility

Help you feel grounded and strong again

This Mother’s Day, Consider This…

Instead of flowers or brunch, what would it look like to give or receive:

Movement that restores

Hydration that heals

Space to be supported

***On second though also bring flowers***

Want to feel more at home in your body?

Explore our approach to fascia, fitness, and real strength:

The Ultimate Guide For A Holistic Exercises And Fitness Program

Follow the Thread—Where Movement, Fascia, and Freedom Align

Find more insight, reflection, and fascia-informed care across the platforms where we stay connected:

Apr 29 2025

Who is Borelli and How Can His Muscle Range Of Motion Length Law Help You in Your Fitness Routine?

Muscle range of motion is an important factor in training yourself properly. But it’s not just about moving your body. There are different range of motions for different effects. Read more to find out.

Meet Borelli: The First Biomechanic

Borelli lived in the 1600s and was a true Renaissance man — a mathematician, physicist, and physiologist all rolled into one. He’s often called the Father of Biomechanics because he was one of the first to look at the human body and say, “Hey, our muscles and bones work like levers, springs, and pulleys!”

What is Borelli’s Length Law?

In a nutshell, Borelli’s Length Law states: The length of a muscle is proportional to the range of its contraction. Muscles behave differently — and produce different types of strength — depending on whether they’re shortened, lengthened, or somewhere in between. In short, it’s the Muscle range of motion and what they can do for you.

Borelli’s 5 Ranges of Muscle Motion (And How They Help You)

Internal Range Full flexion (muscle fully shortened), very little extension.

Why it matters: Builds stability, tight control, and joint protection.

External Range

Total extension with a bit of flexion.
Why it matters: Strengthens muscles in their stretched, vulnerable positions.

Middle Range

Partial flexion and partial extension.
Why it matters: Where muscles are strongest and most efficient — builds power.

Total Range

Moving from full flexion to full extension.
Why it matters: Trains adaptability and real-world functionality.

Extrem Range

Muscle stretched to max while still contracting — e.g. ELDOA.
Why it matters: Improves deep structural resilience and tissue quality.

Final Thought: Your Fitness Journey is Bigger Than 3 Sets of 10

The world of fitness is vast and full of possibilities. Muscle range of motion is just one factor that you can work with. If you’re willing to look beyond sitting on a machine and doing 3 sets of 10–15 reps.
By training all muscle ranges of motion, you open up new levels of strength, movement, and vitality that most people never tap into.

Borelli’s old-school insights still hold true today: “The body is a masterpiece of mechanics. Train it fully — and you’ll live fully.“

When you start combining Borelli’s Length Law with other timeless principles — like Pascal’s Law, Hill’s Muscle Model, the Delmas Index — through the holistic lens of Biotensegrity, your training, your movement, and your life will expand exponentially.

Methods like ELDOA are modern reflections of this timeless science — helping you build not just strength, but deep, intelligent resilience.

Read more about how holistic exercise and fitness program can help you feel your best and have a body that can keep up with the way you want to live.

The Ultimate Guide For A Holistic Exercises And Fitness Program

Follow the Thread—Where Movement, Fascia, and Freedom Align

Find more insight, reflection, and fascia-informed care across the platforms where we stay connected:

Mar 27 2025

How to Make The Time Go Faster During A Workout

This is an interesting article that I notice often in my studio during workouts.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/mar/26/people-doing-intense-exercise-experience-time-warp-study-finds

In a workout class that includes ELDOA’s, a one-minute stretch can feel like an eternity due to the challenge and discomfort it presents for the joints. However, the entire 45-minute class or session can pass in the blink of an eye because of the constant need for awareness and consciousness during the exercises.

The choice during a workout

The article mentions that time seems to go faster when you are enjoying yourself, and I agree. However, when working out, the goal is to intentionally challenge yourself and embrace discomfort. It is up to each participant to choose whether to set themselves up for success.

They can choose to accept the challenge and even find joy in the process of improvement. The time will pass faster and more enjoyable. Or they can decide that “this is too hard,” “I don’t like it,” or “this isn’t fun,” basing their experience on fleeting emotional states and the belief that they can’t succeed. The time will pass slower and much less enjoyable.

Finding a balance of “fun” in your workouts

While having fun doing activities you love is essential, those activities can take a toll on your body. The areas you use most can become tight, weak, and challenging to work with. However, if you value your body and choose to give it “some love” through corrective exercises, you can continue enjoying your life. Ignoring these issues because they are “not fun” may eventually lead to injury and potentially require surgery. Super not fun.

In the long run, I find it enjoyable to challenge myself to become more than I am. It doesn’t mean the process is always fun, but it makes the outcome more worthwhile for both my body and soul.

Check out this next article on how a Holistic Exercise and Fitness Program can lead you to sustainable progress and a fun life

The Ultimate Guide For A Holistic Exercise And Fitness Program

Find out more @

Jan 11 2025

You are the most valuable thing you have

You’ve heard it before, “Your house is the most valuable thing you have.” While financially that may be true, I would STRONGLY argue that you’re body is your greatest investment.

If you lost your house, it would be traumatic, but you would still be here with a fighting chance. If you lost your health, you would, at best, be here and a burden to those who love you. And worst, you would not be here at all for the people in your life whom you love.

I realize this is a bit morbid, but I see this a lot in the people who come here. Financially and career-wise, they have done very well. They took the time to invest in themselves to have a more fulfilling and generally better-paying career. They invested in financial planners to set up a well-rounded portfolio that could not only weather the financial ups and downs but also bring in a healthy return.

This is the result of well-defined goals, a plan of action, time and money investment, and seeking out expert advice.

But for some reason, most of these people’s plans of action for the most beautiful gift we have, our bodies, involve just walking, being randomly active, sitting on a bunch of machines, taking random classes, and only going to practitioners once something goes wrong.

Sure, by the time they come to me, they realize that what they have been doing or not doing to themselves wasn’t the best, but now it is absolutely harder.

It is not impossible, but in general, most people want working out to be as painless as possible, which is not the most effective way how you should look at it. Working out is more challenging the more deficient you are.

If you are tight, that stretch is going to be much harder.

If you are weak, the strengthening exercise is going to be much harder to do.

If you have lost coordination and body awareness, your whole exercise routine will feel much more foreign in your body.

***And here is a pro tip. Since your body functions and works together it also breaks down together. So, if you are tight, you will also be weak and lose awareness and coordination in your body.

This is not new news, but the quality of your body affects your physical and emotional state for good or bad.

“Structure Dictates Function.” A.T Still

But since you are reading this, I’ll go out on a limb and say you’re alive, which means you have the power to dramatically improve your body and life.

If you specifically instruct your body in the areas you need and use postures to help you perform the motions, you can not only reverse what’s going on with you but also improve it to the point that it can be a strength.

The best way to do this is with a specific, holistic, and integrated program like the one we use here. I have been in Health and Fitness for over 30 years. When I found Osteopathy as a way to train your body as it was designed holistically, the philosophy and detail blew me away, and the results on clients’ bodies and lives were dramatic.

This is a progressive, sustainable program that, if you take your time to learn and improve, will help you feel better, stronger, and more mobile. It will also empower you as you can use what you have been taught to be your own best therapist/trainer.

If you know, there is an area of your body that isn’t feeling the best, or that you want to focus on, you will have the tools to understand how to do it. You won’t be reliant solely on “having somebody fix you.”

“The finger pointing to the moon is not the moon.” Buddha

Please don’t take my word for it; you must experience it yourself.

If you are local in Santa Fe, NM, Come for a two-week trial. Click the button to read more and sign up.

Two Week Trial

If you are not local, then we offer private sessions via Zoom. Your homework is given to you within our member portal, where you will have access to videos of the exercises and stretches that we did so that you can practice.

Schedule a consult to find out more using the button below.