Scars: Stories Written on Our Bodies
October 1, 2025
When we think of scars, many of us picture something purely physical—a mark on the skin, a reminder of surgery, an accident, or a moment when life changed course. Yet scars are more than just lines upon the surface. They are part of the story our body carries, threads woven into the fabric of who we are.
Scars tell of resilience. They are proof that we have lived, endured, and healed, even if not always in the ways we expected. Each one is a doorway to memory—sometimes tender, sometimes painful, sometimes empowering. For some, scars evoke pride and survival; for others, they may carry shame, discomfort, or a quiet ache that is not just physical but emotional too.
The body is not a machine but a living, sensing, expressive being. From this perspective, scars are not flaws to erase, but expressions of our journey. They are like punctuation marks in the story of our lives—commas, pauses, and sometimes exclamation points. They shape how we move, how we feel, and how we inhabit ourselves. They are reminders that healing is rarely linear and that wholeness often includes the places where we feel most marked.
What if, instead of judging our scars, we softened toward them? What if we saw them as places to listen more deeply—to touch with gentleness, patience, and compassion? Myofascial Release can support this process, not only by easing physical restrictions but by creating space for us to reconnect with the parts of ourselves that have felt cut off. Gentle, sustained touch invites the tissue to soften, the breath to deepen, and the nervous system to settle. In that stillness, many people discover that scars no longer feel like barriers but begin to integrate back into the flow of their being.
This October, as we reflect on healing in its many forms, let us also honor the quiet courage scars represent. Whether visible or hidden, they carry truths about our journeys—truths that deserve compassion rather than dismissal. They remind us that healing is not about erasing the past but embracing all of who we are, including the marks left behind.
May this be a season of softening into acceptance, of finding beauty in the places where we have been stretched, stitched, and reshaped. For in those places lies not only the memory of what hurt us, but also the wisdom of how we have grown.
🏠 Our Own Healing Journey 🏠
As we guide our clients through the process of softening scars and finding ease again, our clinic has been living through its own healing journey. The fire left a mark—both on the walls of our space and in the rhythm of our daily work. Like any scar, it’s something we’ve had to acknowledge, tend to, and slowly integrate.
The journey hasn’t been quick or easy. There have been moments of frustration when progress stalled, and moments of gratitude when small steps forward reminded us that healing truly does happen in layers. Just as the body adapts around a scar, we’ve had to adapt—shifting locations, adjusting schedules, and leaning into flexibility.
Now, we’re finally seeing signs of renewal:
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⚡ Power has finally be restored!!! —a vital step in bringing our clinic back to life.
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🛠️ Repairs and finishing touches can finally move ahead, restoring not just the building but the sense of home we’ve all missed.
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🍂 If all goes smoothly, we hope to return just after Thanksgiving. If timelines stretch, we’re holding November 3rd as the latest date for our official return.
Like fascia releasing under gentle pressure, the process has reminded us that true healing takes patience, time, and trust. The scars may always be part of our story, but they don’t define our future. Instead, they give us new layers of resilience and appreciation—for our space, our work, and most of all, for the community that has supported us through it all.
🎀 Awareness Spotlight: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is a reminder to pause, check in, and care for ourselves and our loved ones. Breast health is more than screenings and self-exams (though those are essential)—it’s also about creating space for comfort, movement, and vitality in our bodies.
How Myofascial Release Supports Breast Health & Recovery
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After a lumpectomy or mastectomy, scar tissue and fascial restrictions can create tightness, pulling sensations, or limited mobility through the chest, shoulders, or arms. Gentle myofascial work can help soften these restrictions, restore mobility, and support emotional healing as well as physical.
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For those with dense or restrictive breast tissue, MFR can improve fluid movement in the fascia, enhance circulation, and create more space in the chest wall. This helps maintain comfort, supports lymphatic flow, and encourages long-term breast health.
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For anyone in treatment or recovery, the work is always trauma-informed, gentle, and responsive—meeting the body where it is on that day.
✨ This month, awareness can mean more than noticing—it can mean supporting your body’s ability to heal, adapt, and thrive.
Along with regular self-checks, screenings, and offering compassion to others, consider ways to nurture your own body with care that restores comfort and freedom of movement.
Together, we honor survivors, support those in treatment, and remember those we’ve lost—while also creating space for ongoing healing in every form.
Wondering what you too can do?
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Know Your Body: Make self-exams and awareness of changes part of your monthly routine.
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Get Screened: Regular mammograms and screenings save lives—early detection is powerful.
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Get Treated: prevention is key when it comes to health. Book in with your therapist, and learn also how to continue treating yourself beyond the treatment room.
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Support Others: Whether through listening, accompanying a loved one to appointments, or simply offering compassion, your presence matters.
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Give Back: Consider supporting local or national breast cancer organizations that fund research, education, and patient support.
The Hidden Impact of Abdominal Scars on Women’s Health
As a physiotherapist with a life long involvement in sports and a deepening passion for women’s health—especially since entering the menopausal phase myself—I’ve become increasingly interested in the often-overlooked impact of scar tissue on the body. Over the years, working closely with post-operative patients has only intensified this curiosity, particularly regarding how scars interfere with natural movement and internal function.
While scars are often dismissed as merely cosmetic, they can wreak havoc on our musculoskeletal and visceral systems. Because this is such a broad and important topic, I’ll be exploring it through a series of articles. Today, we begin with an overview of abdominal scars and their connection to dysfunction.
Why Abdominal Scars Matter
Abdominal scars—whether from surgeries like C-sections, laparoscopies, or other abdominal procedures—can lead to adhesions and myofascial restrictions. These restrictions interfere with the natural glide of fascial and muscular layers, disrupting the function of nearby organs and contributing to pain, reduced mobility, and even pelvic floor dysfunction.
Emerging research, including the work of Carol Davies, John Sharkie, and others, highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing these restrictions in clinical practice.
How Scars Can Affect the Body
Because fascia connects and integrates all systems in the body, adhesions from abdominal scars can create a chain reaction of dysfunction. Common consequences include:
- Visceral dysfunction: digestive issues, constipation, bloating, pelvic organ prolapse
- Orthopedic problems: chronic low back pain, hip tightness, limited mobility
- Pelvic floor dysfunction: incontinence, pain with intercourse, core instability
John Barnes Myofascial Release (MFR)Therapy
One of the most effective and gentle approaches to treating scar-related restrictions is the John Barnes method of myofascial release. This hands-on technique involves sustained, low-load pressure into the fascial system to eliminate restrictions and restore tissue mobility.
In the context of abdominal scars, MFR aims to soften adhesions, improve glide between tissue layers, improve rehydration of tissues and reduce pain. In my own clinical practice, I’ve witnessed the powerful impact of MFR in improving not only physical function but also overall quality of life.
The Role of Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy
Pelvic floor physiotherapy works hand-in-hand with MFR to address underlying muscular imbalances and coordination issues, which are common in people with abdominal scarring.
Together, MFR and pelvic floor physiotherapy, offer strategies help restore both muscular and fascial balance, in the hopes of leading to improved bladder and bowel control, decreased pain, and enhanced functional movement.
Conclusion: A Call for Integrative, Fascial-Focused Care
Thanks to Leaders in this field, such as Carol Davies and John Sharkie, important contributions linking fascial adhesions from abdominal scarring to widespread musculoskeletal and systemic issues have been brought to light. Their work reinforces the value of integrative care approaches that consider the whole body—not just the site of the scar. We now know that post-surgical and traumatic scars are not just skin-deep—they can affect the entire body. Combining fascial-based treatments like John Barnes myofascial release with pelvic floor physiotherapy offers a powerful, holistic approach to healing. An integrative model that focuses on helping to relieve chronic pain and support better digestive, orthopedic, and pelvic health outcomes.
It’s time we give scars the attention they truly deserve.
It’s time scars were given the care they truly deserve. (Liza Fortier, PT)
🍂 October Reminders
📅 Book in advance
October is often the time when many people suddenly “remember” they still have insurance to use before the year ends. Don’t wait until the last minute and miss out—give yourself the time and care you deserve now, while schedules are still open.
While we don’t love framing care around insurance, it is a reality here in Ottawa. Maybe it’s also a reminder to pause and reflect: why wait until the end of the year to seek freedom and ease in your body, when you could be supporting that goal all year long? 🌿
💳 Stretch your insurance further
All of our therapists at Fascial Connections are trained in Myofascial Release. If you’d like to use your coverage with another member of our team, talk to your current therapist about who might be the best fit, or simply book an initial appointment online with one of our RMTs, Physiotherapist, or Osteopath. Your care continues seamlessly, no matter who you see, and it can go a lot further.
📲 Stay connected
We post daily on social media—not just clinic updates, but also tips for self-care, gentle reminders to check in with your body, and insights that may support you or your loved ones. You’ll also find updates on local events and seasonal wellness reminders. Following us helps you stay in the loop, but it also helps spread awareness of MFR to others who may need it.
🤲 Share your experience
Every time you tell a friend, family member, or colleague about Myofascial Release, you open the door for someone else to discover a new path to healing. Whether it’s forwarding this newsletter, sharing one of our posts, or simply talking about your own journey, your story can make all the difference for someone still searching for relief. Together, we can bring more awareness to gentle, effective, and compassionate care.
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