Myofascial Release is a massage therapy technique that can be used to help correct many conditions that result in pain.
What is Fascia?
First we should explain what the term ‘myofascia’ means. As much as we like to sound smart it is more important that you understand what is happening in your body. ‘Myo’ simply means muscle and ‘fascia’ is a connective tissue that forms a matrix or web, much like a spider web, that interpenetrates the extra cellular matrix that surrounds muscles, bones, organs, nerves, blood vessels, and other body structures. Fascia is an uninterrupted, three-dimensional web of connective tissue that extends from head to toe, front to back, and interior to exterior.
Through stress, injury, poor nutrition, postural imbalances, overworked muscles, and repetitive activities your myofascial matrix can become contracted or stretched, thicken, become congested and inflamed, and adhere to surrounding structures such as muscles, bones, nerves, and organs. The result for you is pain and irritation due to the development of trigger points , tight knots, and their resulting pain referral patterns. In fact your myofascial matrix is so interconnected that problems in your foot can actually result in back, neck, or shoulder pain along with digestive disturbances.
The body’s fascial matrix is now one of the most researched areas of medicine and physical therapy. In fact, our entire system of understanding anatomy in terms of muscles, bones, organs, and nerves is being rewritten because of this new area of research. Science is now proving that a healthy fascial matrix is critical to overall health.
At painPRO we think a better term to use for this treatment is Fascial Release. The reason we think this way is because releasing fascial restrictions from any structure in the body, not just muscle (myo), is the ultimate goal.
What is Myofascial Treatment like?
Myofascial release treatments are performed directly on the skin without oils, creams, or medical devices. Your painPRO Massage Therapist will be looking for restrictions in the fascia through careful palpation of the underlying tissue. Once problem areas are identified the therapist applies an appropriate sustained pressure, or stretch, to facilitate the release of the fascia.
Because fascia is so interconnected restrictions in your leg can be the reason you have chronic persistant headaches. We know that sounds crazy but it’s true. Therefore your therapist may not always be working over the area of your pain because the root problem may lie somewhere else.
The release of fascial adhesions and trigger points through gentle stretching or compression of the tissue is the starting point for effective long term pain relief.
