Myofascial Release for Everybody
Myofascial release is an alternative medicine therapy for the treatment and rehabilitation of soft tissue, aches pains, tension and restrictions. Gentle, sustained pressure is used to soften restrictions restoring balance and function, improving blood and lymphatic circulation. Pain or tension can be built up immediately due to an injury, or overtime caused by poor posture and repetitive strain.
Fascia is the connective tissue around our bodies, connecting bones to muscle, surrounding organs. Effectively connecting all systems in our bodies. The fascia runs from head to toe in one continuous connective tissue. Therefore if the fascia is tight or restricted in the chest area due to continuous head forward posture, it may be felt as pain anywhere else in the body. We would normally find pain in the back and around the shoulders as those muscles become overstretched and weak.
What other muscles become tight to compensate trying to keep you upright? Try it! What can you feel? Look at the posture of people around you, where is their pain? Toned muscles are firm, not solid like a rock!
Restricted tissue doesn’t move the way unrestricted tissue does. Healthy tissues glide effortlessly against each other, with fluid precision, allowing the muscles to move around their full range of motion with ease. Try the exercise above again, exaggerate the forward head posture. Now lift your arms above your head and see how far and how easy they go. Now do it standing upright, notice the difference?
Scar tissue, whether it's from a childhood accident, surgery performed in the past or a major accident, can result in restrictions and chronic pain. Scar tissue is a natural process in the body healing itself, but it is weaker than normal tissue, inelastic and more pain sensitive, resulting in restricted movement. This tissue then dries out as movement is what keeps the tissues lubricated, this in effect leads to deeper restrictions around the scar tissue over time. These restrictions must be broken down to restore movement and complete healing.
Myofascial release is performed on dry skin with no oils or lotions to avoid any slip on the skin, therefore any creams should be avoided before treatment. The aim is to sink deep into the restrictions, hold on to them for at least 5 minutes until the tissue begins to melt waiting for it to soften and release.=
Self-treatment approaches are invaluable for carrying on treatment at home, using simple stretches, foam rollers and balls. Those treatments should be performed in the same vane as the treatments carried out in the clinic. Find the restriction, hold the stretch for at least five minutes until you feel the tissue softening. With the foam roller or ball, sink into it with gentle sustained pressure and wait for the release.
The myofascial release provides so many benefits to everyone. Athletes for treatment and rehabilitation or just simple maintenance for increased performance. Chronic pain sufferers for pain management, or simple aches and pains due to bad posture.