Does your body always feel tight, sore, or just plain old achy?
Is your neck, shoulder, back or hips screaming for relief?
If you have been looking for ways to relieve your discomfort, myofascial release may be just what you need.
Myofascial Release is a gentle, manual therapy technique that has a profound effect on the deep connective tissues (fascia) of the body. In addition to being very safe, it is also a highly effective technique for eliminating pain, restoring range of motion, and improving quality of life.
What many people do not understand is that fascia pervades every aspect of our bodies. It is like a spider web that surrounds every nerve, muscle, bone, blood vessel, organ and cell in the body. It surrounds and runs through muscles, connects muscles to bones, is part of the joint capsule and surrounds and hold our internal organs in place. You get the idea. Bottom line, you do not move or breath without affecting the fascia!
Enter pain and trauma, whether physical or emotional! They both create tension in the body, which in turn effects the fascia by creating restriction in the “system”. Now consider that myofascial restrictions can produce tensile pressure on your tissues amounting to 2000 pounds per square inch. That’s a lot of pressure and a lot of restriction! This results in the fascia losing its pliability and ability to move. You, in turn, experience more pain and restriction to your movement. Over time this can lead to altered structural alignment, muscular imbalances, decreased strength and coordination, etc. Ultimately, we lose functional capacity and we are in pain!
As more research is being done, studies are revealing that fascial restrictions cause many of the pain symptoms and joint restrictions that people suffer with. MRI’s and X-Rays do not actually show fascial restrictions, but rather, they show the results of the fascial restrictions….the bulging or herniated disc, stenosis, joint degeneration, etc.
It is simply not enough to just treat symptoms. As the saying goes the victim cries (your pain), the criminal hides (the cause of your pain). We must take more of a whole-body approach to reducing pain and restoring function.
MFR is designed to bring the body back into alignment and restore your bodies functional capacity. Your therapist will use specific hands on techniques that create histological changes in your tissues thereby allowing a release of the restrictions. As the tissue releases the therapist follows that tissue into another restriction. Subsequently, the tissue becomes softer and more pliable and releases the restrictive pressure on your nerves, vessels, muscles and organs, creating space and allowing improved movement and a return to proper alignment throughout the body.
MFR is helpful to treat any part of the body. Prior to your treatment your therapist will perform an evaluation that includes your complaints, observing how you move and assessing your tissues for strain patterns. Following your treatment there may be some soreness but you should also notice there is improved freedom of movement. In addition to improving your range of motion, MFR may reduce soreness, assist in recovery post workout, increase relaxation, improve circulation and reduce general stress.
Of course, everyone responds differently and it may take several sessions to get you to where you want to be. But if you have struggled with pain myofascial release may be what you need. Have further questions? Give us a call. Ready to get started? Book your appointment with our therapist now.
