Your muscles are made up of many small, thin fibers that contract on command, working together to mobilize your muscle groups. These muscles are attached to your bones by connective tissues, called tendons, enabling them to move your body parts. Your bones are then connected by tough bands of connective tissue, called ligaments, for added stability. Your ligaments are covered by yet another connective tissue called fascia. All of these connective tissues can be referred to as “soft tissues.”

Soft tissues help in mobilizing your joints and give your body the strength it needs to perform tasks. Your soft tissues provide you with the ability to do many things; however, they also limit you from pushing yourself too far – even if that’s your intention. These can be damaged by certain stresses, especially those caused by repeated actions within the athletic activity. A tear in the tendon can lead to a significant amount of swelling and inflammation. Many athletes also experience sprains, which are caused by a ligament stretching farther than intended.

These injuries may occur in response to the intensity of your sport, but they can also occur if muscles simply are too tight before you begin one of your workouts. Soft tissue mobilization can help with this, as it loosens up the muscles, and may even prevent some of these injuries from occurring.