Join two of the leading educators in manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy, as they delve into the most intriguing issues, questions, research, and client conditions that hands-on practitioners face. Stimulate your thinking with imaginative conversations, tips, and interviews related to the somatic arts and sciences. For professional practitioners in bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedics, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy; as well as yoga, strength and conditioning, and allied professions. This podcast is not medical or treatment advice.
All content for The Thinking Practitioner is the property of Til Luchau & Whitney Lowe and is served directly from their servers
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Join two of the leading educators in manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy, as they delve into the most intriguing issues, questions, research, and client conditions that hands-on practitioners face. Stimulate your thinking with imaginative conversations, tips, and interviews related to the somatic arts and sciences. For professional practitioners in bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedics, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy; as well as yoga, strength and conditioning, and allied professions. This podcast is not medical or treatment advice.
142: Fascia and the Vagus Nerve (with Fabiana Silva)
The Thinking Practitioner
45 minutes
7 months ago
142: Fascia and the Vagus Nerve (with Fabiana Silva)
🎙Til Luchau speaks with physiotherapist and fascia researcher Fabiana Silva about the emerging connections between fascia, the vagus nerve, and systemic inflammation. They explore both the science and the practical applications of manual therapy, transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation, and the challenges of clinical research in the hands-on healing arts. Fabiana is also the President of the Fascia Research Society, and shares highlights from the upcoming 2025 Fascia Research Congress in New Orleans.
🎧 Tune in to learn how fascia influences vagal tone, inflammation, mood, and more — and how practitioners can work more effectively with these systems.
🌟 Key Topics:
•[02:59] Introduction to fascia and the vagus nerve connection
•[05:02] Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation and clinical uses
•[07:27] Vagus nerve’s role in inflammation and chronic illness
•[09:48] Manual therapy, breathwork, and vagal tone
•[12:26] Fascia as sensory interface and its impact on vagal signaling
•[20:10] Hands-on techniques: suboccipital and gut fascia release
•[23:33] Challenges in manual therapy research
•[28:29] Predatory journals and the need for better fascia research
•[33:59] Fascia Research Congress 2025: what’s coming up
•[37:51] Building community and collaboration in the fascia field
•[41:37] Fabiana’s closing thoughts on the future of fascia research
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đź“Ś Sponsored by: ABMP and Books of Discovery, with in-kind support from the Fascia Research Society
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đź“„ Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites!Â
Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.comÂ
Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.comÂ
Resources discussed in this episode:Â
The 7th International Fascia Research Congress, August 10–14, 2025: https://www.frscongress.org/Â
Fascia Research Society: https://fasciaresearchsociety.org/Â
Sponsor Offers:Â
Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.Â
ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.Â
Advanced-Trainings: try a month of the amazing A-T Subscription free by entering “thinking” at checkout at a-t.tv/subscriptions/,.
Academy of Clinical Massage: Grab Whitney's valuable Assessment Cheat Sheet for free at:Â academyofclinicalmassage.com/cheatsheet
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About Whitney Lowe | About Til Luchau | Email Us: info@thethinkingpractitioner.com
(The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)
The Thinking Practitioner
Join two of the leading educators in manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy, as they delve into the most intriguing issues, questions, research, and client conditions that hands-on practitioners face. Stimulate your thinking with imaginative conversations, tips, and interviews related to the somatic arts and sciences. For professional practitioners in bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedics, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy; as well as yoga, strength and conditioning, and allied professions. This podcast is not medical or treatment advice.
