A Viral Post, Fascia, and the Frustration of Being Misunderstood

Jessica Bento, Physical Therapist (Last days to save 20% on our upcoming Coach’s Corner 2-week online educational course with code “coach20” HERE)

Recently, one of my shoulder integration videos was shared on another platform  without context, without the write-up, and without any of the explanation that was meant to accompany it.

What happened next wasn’t completely shocking, but it still stung.

Comments rolled in questioning my credentials, my approach, and my understanding of human movement. One particular comment stuck with me:

“This is what happens when someone touts their education but clearly doesn’t get it.”

Ouch.

Now, I’d love to say that kind of thing just rolls off my back. That I’m used to it. That I don’t take it personally. But that wouldn’t be honest. The truth is, every time someone publicly questions my integrity or intelligence, it hits a nerve. Because I care, deeply, about doing good work, helping people, and staying rooted in evidence-based practice while exploring things that go beyond the conventional.

But what I’ve learned, especially in this digital age, is this:

People don’t like what they don’t understand.

And instead of asking questions, they often mock it.

Why Did This Video Trigger People So Much?

The video itself wasn’t flashy or outrageous. It showed integrated shoulder movements likely unfamiliar to some, but entirely intentional. Movements rooted in functional strength, joint control, and fascial integration. Nothing circus-y. Nothing reckless. But also, not the traditional scapular squeezes or rubber band rows people expect when they hear “shoulder rehab.”

The problem is, most people didn’t read the explanation behind the video. They saw something different, and instead of asking, “What is this about?” they reacted with, “This looks wrong.”

That’s the downside of fast content: nuance gets lost, and people rush to judgment. And when the post involves something like fascia well, that tends to bring out even stronger reactions.

 

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Let’s Talk About Fascia — And Why It Freaks People Out

Fascia is a word that makes some people roll their eyes and others light up with curiosity.

If you’re not familiar: fascia is the connective tissue web that surrounds and interpenetrates every muscle, organ, and structure in the body. It’s not just packaging, it’s a dynamic, responsive system that plays a key role in movement, proprioception, force transmission, and even pain modulation.

Yet despite its growing body of research, fascia still feels fringe to a lot of practitioners. Why?

Because it challenges the way many of us were originally taught.

Traditional anatomy is presented in isolated systems: muscles, bones, nerves — each with its own compartment, origin/insertion, and mechanical role. Fascia, on the other hand, is messy. It doesn’t fit neatly into the textbook diagrams. It weaves and wraps and connects everything — and it doesn’t stop at the borders we once thought were clear.

To train fascia means to train integration. It means moving away from rigid planes and isolated muscles, and toward:

• Diagonal loading
• Multi-planar movement
• Whole-body coordination

And honestly? That kind of training looks different. It doesn’t always resemble the strict reps and sets we’re used to seeing in rehab clinics or strength programs.

So when someone sees a video of shoulder movement that involves spiral lines, foot positioning, trunk rotation, or even rhythmic load  they assume it’s wrong, because it doesn’t look like what they’ve been taught.

 

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But Just Because Something Looks Unfamiliar Doesn’t Mean It’s Incorrect

This is the part that’s been hardest to navigate over the years , both personally and professionally.

There is still so much resistance to things that challenge the status quo. And in a field like physical therapy — where credentials are worn like armor,  any deviation from the norm can be perceived as threatening.

But here’s the thing: science evolves. Movement is complex. And the more we learn about fascia, the nervous system, and how the body truly moves in the real world, the more we have to evolve too.

My goal with that original post, and with everything I share, is not to look clever, or be ahead of the curve, or even to prove anyone wrong. It’s to open a window into how interconnected our bodies really are.

It’s to show that when you treat the shoulder, you’re not just treating a joint, you’re addressing how it responds to the foot, the core, the breath, and the entire kinetic chain.

It’s to show that rehab and training can be smarter, more layered, more human.

 

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Final Thoughts: Staying the Course When You’re Misunderstood

Getting misinterpreted online is, unfortunately, part of the deal. Especially when you’re trying to teach in a space that is filled with noise, opinions, and (often) limited attention spans.

So yes, fascia still triggers people. Integrated movement still feels “weird” to some. But that doesn’t make it any less valid, and it certainly doesn’t make it any less valuable.

We’re not here to make everyone comfortable. We’re here to move the needle.

Last days to save 20% on our upcoming Coach’s Corner 2-week online educational course with code “coach20” HERE