Unravelling the Unwind: What Fascial Unwinding Really Is
By Ana – Sports Massage & Myofascial Release | Wimbledon
What is unwinding?
You may have seen spontaneous movements during bodywork — a limb twitching, a shoulder gently spiralling, or someone taking a deep, involuntary sigh. This phenomenon, known as fascial unwinding, is both fascinating and often misunderstood.
Let’s break down what it is, where it came from, and how it can support (but not replace) healing and integration.
A Short History of Unwinding
The roots of unwinding go back nearly a century. In the 1920s, William Neidner DO described fascial restrictions as “twisting forces” and began applying gentle limb spiralling techniques to rebalance clients’ patterns. By the 1970s, Gordon Zink DO expanded this work, proposing predictable fascial torsion patterns along the body’s diaphragms — from the upper cervical spine down to the sacrum.
Perhaps the most well-known advocate of fascial unwinding is Dr. Viola Frymann, a student of William Garner Sutherland. Her insight was profound: if we place the body in the position it was in during injury — and let it move naturally — the fascia may unwind and discharge the force of that impact.
“The principle of this profound technique is to permit fascia to go through whatever motions are necessary to eliminate all forces imposed by the impact.”
— Viola Frymann, 1998
So What Is Fascial Unwinding?
Defined by the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine:
“…a manual technique involving constant feedback… passively moving a portion of the patient’s body in response to the sensation of movement.”
Simply: the body leads, and the therapist follows.
Budiman Minasny, PhD described it as guiding tissue along the path of least resistance until freedom of motion is restored. Meanwhile, fascia-based clinicians like John Upledger and John F. Barnes speak of unwinding as a release of subconscious trauma or emotionally held patterns within the tissue.
“It finds positions of past traumas embedded in the fascia… and helps release their iron grip.”
— John F. Barnes, Massage Magazine, 2020
What’s Actually Happening in the Body?
Touch stimulates mechanoreceptors (such as Ruffini endings and Pacinian corpuscles) located in skin, fascia, and deeper tissues.
These receptors communicate with the brainstem, limbic system, and cortex — influencing breath, heart rate, and emotional state.
In fascial unwinding:
• Interoception (the awareness of internal body sensations) is heightened.
• The sympathetic nervous system may shift into a state of release, allowing the parasympathetic system to re-engage.
• Spontaneous movement, sound, or emotion may emerge — signs of self-regulation.
It’s not mystical — it’s neurological, shaped by safety, presence, and context.
Types of Unwinding You Might See
• Spontaneous movement – e.g. shaking, spirals, yawns, tremors
• Emotional release – often wordless but expressive
• Stillness and micro-movement – often subtle, not dramatic
• Therapist-guided unwinding – slow limb movement led by tissue tension
Unwinding can be soft, deep, chaotic, or gentle — no two are alike.
Not Everyone Unwinds — And That’s Okay
Some clients:
• Prefer structure or proprioceptive input
• May be taking medication that dampens sensory feedback
• Might not feel safe enough yet to access deeper release
Others may unwind often. In those cases, we stay alert to:
• Habitual release as a coping strategy
• People-pleasing patterns
• Overidentification with healing “through release”
As Ruth Duncan wisely puts it:
“Unwinding is a process of realisation, reconciliation and resolution… but it should not last forever.”
What Should Clients Expect?
Clients often describe:
• A sense of lightness or emotional clarity
• Feeling tired, dreamy, or “spaced out” post-session
• Unexpected movement or emotional expression
This is normal. Aftercare may include hydration, quiet time, and grounding activities (like walking, journaling, or stretching).
My Approach to Unwinding at Fascia Massage
At my Wimbledon-based practice, unwinding is never the goal — it’s something that may emerge.
I combine it with:
• Breathwork
• Myofascial release techniques
• Grounded dialogue
• Client education
If unwinding happens, we work with it gently. If it doesn’t, we still create change through fascia-focused treatment and nervous system support.
Final Thoughts: The Body Knows
Fascial unwinding is not a technique, but a natural response.
Your body will lead when it feels safe, heard, and ready.
As practitioners, our job is not to chase it, but to hold space.
We were meant to move.
And sometimes, the most healing thing is to soften, listen, and let the body lead.
Want to explore how fascia-based massage can support nervous system health and tension relief?
Book a session at Fascia Massage, Wimbledon — where your body’s wisdom is always welcome.