Releasing adhesions
What adhesions are, how they form in the fascia, and how skilled manual connective-tissue work is aimed at helping stuck tissue layers glide more freely again — explained by BodyFix Amsterdam.
Book a free consultationWhat are adhesions?
Adhesions are areas where layers of tissue that should normally glide smoothly over one another can become stuck together. They are generally understood to involve the fascia — the continuous web of connective tissue that wraps around muscles, organs, nerves and blood vessels in the body. In healthy tissue, fascia is supple and hydrated, allowing the structures it surrounds to slide and move relatively independently. When an adhesion develops, fibres in this network can cross-link and tighten, creating a localised ‘sticky’ zone that no longer moves as freely.
You can picture fascia as layered fabric soaked in fluid: when everything is well hydrated and mobile, the layers slip past each other easily. An adhesion is like a spot where the fabric has dried out and bonded together. Because fascia is one connected system, a restriction in one place may subtly influence how tissue feels and moves elsewhere. This is general educational information and is not a medical diagnosis.
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A bonding of tissue layers
Fascia fibres can cross-link where they would normally glide
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Often local, sometimes wider-reaching
Fascia is one continuous network throughout the body
If you would like to understand the connective-tissue network in more depth first, read our background article on what fascia is. Adhesions also matter around scars — read how we approach treating scar tissue.
How do they form?
Adhesions are generally considered part of the body’s natural response to injury, surgery or prolonged immobility. Wherever tissue heals or is held still for a long time, the fascia may lose some of its glide and begin to bond. Understanding the common causes can help explain why a particular area might feel tight or restricted. This is general information and not a substitute for advice from your doctor.
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Surgery and scar tissue
As an incision heals, new collagen is laid down. This scar tissue is typically less organised than the original fascia and can bind neighbouring layers together — a pattern often described after abdominal surgery and a Caesarean section.
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Scars from injury
Cuts, burns and other wounds heal through a similar collagen-building process, which can leave the surrounding tissue feeling tethered.
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Inactivity and immobility
When a joint or region is kept still for long periods — through illness, a plaster cast or a very sedentary routine — the fascia may be denied the movement that helps keep it hydrated and supple.
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Repetitive strain over time
Repeated loading of the same tissues, or holding one posture for long stretches, may gradually reduce the natural glide between layers.
Which complaints do they cause?
Because fascia is closely involved in how we move, adhesions are often associated with a feeling of tightness or restriction, and they can sometimes coincide with tender local spots — see also our explainer on trigger points and muscle knots. Many people describe the experience in similar ways, though everyone is different, and any persistent or worsening symptom should always be assessed by a doctor or other medical professional first. The descriptions below are educational and are not a diagnosis.
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A sense of restricted movement
Tissue that no longer glides freely can make a region feel tight, pulling or less mobile than expected.
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A pulling or tethered sensation
Around scars in particular, the skin and deeper layers can feel stuck to one another.
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Reduced comfort during certain movements
Some people notice that particular stretches or postures feel less easy than they used to.
Please note: this information is educational and is not a medical diagnosis. We do not promise to cure or resolve any specific complaint, and soft-tissue work does not replace advice or treatment from your doctor. If you have pain, a recent operation or an ongoing condition, consult your GP or treating specialist before booking soft-tissue work, and let us know during your consultation.
How do you release them?
At BodyFix we approach adhesions through skilled, manual connective-tissue work. We have specialised in connective tissue and fascia techniques since 2008, and our medically trained therapists — who come from a physiotherapy background with 2,500+ hours of training — apply targeted manual pressure that is aimed at helping stuck tissue layers move more freely again. This is the foundation of the BodyFix Method, developed by founder Agnieszka Kadula: a diagnosis-first approach that begins with a thorough Bodyreading before any treatment, then combines deep manual connective-tissue massage with device-assisted lymphatic drainage. It is intended as complementary care and does not replace advice or treatment from your doctor.
Rather than a single technique applied everywhere, the work is tailored to what the therapist feels in your tissue. Manual connective-tissue massage uses graded, deliberate pressure to work with restricted areas while respecting your comfort throughout. Individual responses vary.
Bodyreading first
Every journey starts with a diagnosis-first assessment. The therapist looks at and feels the tissue to map where it moves freely and where it feels restricted.
Targeted manual work
Using the hands, the therapist applies graded connective-tissue pressure to the relevant layers, working with your tolerance rather than against it.
Lymphatic support
Where appropriate, device-assisted lymphatic drainage is combined with the manual work — the signature combination at the heart of the BodyFix Method.
Build over sessions
Connective tissue often responds gradually, so for many people a series of sessions can be more constructive than a single treatment. Results vary from person to person.
To learn more about the hands-on technique itself, read our explainer on what connective tissue massage is, or browse our full range of treatments.
Scars and C-section
Scars are one of the more common places where adhesions are described, because the collagen laid down during healing can bind the skin to the deeper layers beneath. This is often reported after a Caesarean section, where the abdominal scar may feel tight, numb or tethered as it matures.
Gentle, specialised scar massage is aimed at helping the tissue around a healed scar feel more supple and mobile again. Outcomes vary from person to person and we make no guarantees about how an individual scar will respond. The appropriate approach depends on how well healed the scar is and on your overall health, and this work does not replace advice from your doctor or midwife.
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Only on a fully healed scar
Scar work should never begin until a wound has closed and healed, and only with the agreement of your doctor or midwife.
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Postpartum and C-section care
We aim to support recovery after pregnancy with techniques chosen for your individual situation, in your own time and with your doctor’s clearance.
Have a question about whether your scar is ready for treatment? You will find practical answers in our frequently asked questions, and we are always happy to discuss it during a free consultation.
Start with a free consultation
Not sure whether soft-tissue work is right for your scar or restricted area? Every BodyFix journey begins with a free 20-minute consultation and a diagnosis-first Bodyreading, so our medically trained therapists can assess your situation before any treatment. As Amsterdam’s specialised practice for connective tissue and fascia since 2008, we will give you an honest view of what is — and is not — appropriate for you. Our work is complementary and does not replace advice from your doctor.
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Free 20-minute consultation
Included, with no obligation to book a treatment
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Legmeerplein 7 & Haarlemmermeerstraat 115H
Two locations in Amsterdam-Zuid, Monday to Saturday 09:00–19:00
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+31 6 5580 4938
Or email info@bodyfix.nl