Myofascial Release

What is Myofascial Release?

Myofascial Release is a safe and very effective hands-on technique that involves applying gentle, continuous pressure into the Myofascial connective tissue restrictions to eliminate pain and restore motion. This imperative “time element” has to do with the viscous flow and the piezoelectric phenomenon: a low load (gentle pressure) applied slowly will allow a viscoelastic medium (fascia) to elongate.

But what is fascia?

Fascia is a tough membrane of varying thickness which envelops and separates everything in the body from whole muscle groups and bones down to each individual cell, providing protection and communication.

It is like a three-dimensional net, reaching right through the body, surrounding individual muscle fibers, tendons, ligaments, nerves, organs, lymph vessels, blood vessels and capillaries. Through the meninges and the dural tube fascia plays a crucial role in the central nervous system. Fascia has a tensile strength of around 2000lbs per square inch.

In the normal, hydrated, healthy state, fascia has the ability to stretch and move without restriction. Because fascia is entirely continuous throughout the body, a restriction in one part will affect every other part.

Fascia Image

Fascia and muscular pain

Each muscle fiber has a fascial binding, and so muscle and fascia are functionally linked. Injuries or imbalances in the muscular system will cause the fascia to tighten and dehydrate, and it is often restrictions in fascia which give rise to ‘muscle’ pain or ‘tendonitis’.

Benefits

  • More energy
  • Feel better, even good, overall
  • Pains resolved versus covered up
  • Increased and improved body awareness and more ability to respond to life
  • Greater health and resilience
  • Improved nerve and nervous system function
  • Improved intestinal and organ function
  • A longer, fuller life
  • More confidence
  • Lose that fear that you’ll need the joint replacement or other surgery and trust in your body again
  • More relaxation
  • Back to the stuff you love, not numbed out on pain pills, hobbling around on walkers
  • Decreased medication (you don’t need it as much or at all)
  • Enjoy kids/grandkids more
  • Enjoy work more
  • Your “thing” that you always have to deal with, is no longer a “thing”
  • You forget that you used to feel “like that” every day
  • Life is just plain better, and more fun

FAQ's

Each Myofascial Release Treatment session is performed directly on skin without oils, creams, or machinery. This enables the therapist to accurately detect fascial restrictions and apply the appropriate amount of sustained pressure to facilitate release of the fascia.

There is no set number of treatments as it varies with each individual’s needs. Results are often seen immediately following the first treatment. Goals of this therapy include assisting the client in learning self-treatment techniques, which we begin doing in the very first session, as well as education in body mechanics and postural awareness.

Yes! Myofascial Release is a powerful tool to address the unique needs of children with sensory, behavioral, attention, and attachment challenges. Often times these techniques are also helpful in treating chronic symptoms which seem to be vague in origin and have not responded to standard treatments, such as chronic abdominal pain, headaches, fatigue, and insomnia.

Myofascial release is an effective form of hands-on physical therapy that is extremely useful in treating pain, restoring motion and encouraging the natural flow of body systems. This therapy involves gentle but sustained pressure into fascia, or connective tissue. It can be very useful for the management of jaw pain, neck pain, back pain, pelvic pain, chronic fatigue and sleeping issues, chronic migraines, and so much more.