Fascia 

Fascia, also commonly known as connective tissue can be found throughout the entire body.  Fascial tissue forms a continuous layer just below the skin.  It surrounds every muscle, every muscle fiber, every organ, every bone, all blood vessels, down to the tiniest cell - similar to how an orange is enveloped, first under the rind, then each individual section, and finally with a fine skin around each fiber. Fascial tissue forms a pervasive all-surrounding connective meshwork throughout the body, a network which supports, cushions and retains shape. It’s one continuous web right down to the smallest square millimeter of the body. 

Simply stated, the structure of the human body is comprised of a three dimensional network of myofascial tissue, which is draped around the bony elements of the body like a piece of clothing.  Because the bony structure is not continuous, the position of the bones, the functionality of the joints, and to a degree, the well-being of the organs, all depend upon the functional organization of this network.  The organization of this network in conjunction with the responsiveness of the muscles continually redefine body structure by virtue of their mutual tensile relationship. 

Structural Integration reorganizes the body by manipulation of the connective tissue.  Gravity fundamentally determines how the body must “erect and align” itself.  The fascial web is methodically manipulated so as to equalize tensile relationships and to make room for optimal muscle and joint movement.  By analogy one could say the body responds to gravitational pull rather more the way a tent does, compared to the way a house does.  The more the tensile relationships within the myofascial network of the body are in balance in relation to gravity, the more upright and generally more pain free the “human tent” stands.