What is Myofascial Release? It all begins with the fascia…
Fascia is a 3 dimensional connective tissue that surrounds our muscles, nerves, bones, organs and every single individual cell in our bodies from the top of our head to the tips of our toes. Fascia is composed of two types of fibers, collagenous and elastic, and a ground substance, which is a gel-like fluid that lubricates everything in our bodies. Collagenous fibers are very tough and have little pliability, whereas elastic fibers are pliable, and can be manipulated by a skilled therapist
What is a Fascial Restriction?
Normal fascia is relaxed and wavy in configuration and moves without difficulty. Fascial restrictions occur from trauma, scarring, surgeries, disease and/or inflammation. The fascia loses its pliability and becomes tight and restricted causing increased tension and pain in other areas of our body. These Myofascial restrictions do not show up on standard tests (XR, CAT scan, MRI, etc) and tend to be ignored or misdiagnosed. It is estimated that fascia has a tensile strength of 2000 pounds per square inch, so when something is “off” in our bodies, that is A LOT of weight pressing down on other structures.
So…What is Myofascial Release?
Myofascial release (MFR) is a treatment approach that utilizes continuous sustained pressure held by the therapist for a minimum of 5 minutes to safely and gently release the fascial restrictions and allow the body’s systems to work efficiently again. It is a holistic whole body approach to assist the body in healing itself and will never cause injury or harm to the person. Decreased pain, increased range of motion and longer relief are just a few of the many benefits that clients experience from the sessions.
MFR treats many different types of conditions and diagnoses that people experience. It can alleviate pain anywhere in the body, and often helps people who have tried other therapies with little success. Here are some of the conditions that MFR helps:
General Conditions:
Adhesions/Scars
Anxiety/Depression
Arthritis
Back Pain and Injuries
Breathing/Sinus Problems
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Joint Pain
Myofascial Pain Syndrome
Neck Pain
Orthopedic Issues
Poor Posture
Post-Surgery
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic Pain
Concussion
Decreased Range of Motion
Fibromyalgia
Headaches/Migraines
Repetitive Use Strains and Injuries
Sciatica
Scoliosis
Tendonitis
TMJ Syndrome/Grinding Teeth
Trauma- Emotional/Physical/Sexual
Infants/ Children:
Breastfeeding/Latch Issues
GERD/Reflux Issues
Immediately following birth
Plagiocephaly
Tongue/Lip Tie
Torticollis