Myofascial Release Massages Away The Pain
February 7, 2010
John James, LMT
Myofascial Release is a specialized massage therapy which lengthens your body’s muscles and connective tissue to relieve pain common in soft tissue disorders. You will leave your first myofascial release session more comfortable than you thought possible, more relaxed, and breathing more deeply than before.
Muscles and Fascia
To understand why myofascial release works so well you first need to know a bit about fascia, the thin white layer of tissue which covers every organ in your body. Each muscle group and every fiber of muscle tissue within it is covered with fascial tissue. As much as 40% of each muscle group, or myofascial unit, is composed of this tough, elastic tissue which which protects, organizes and lubricates the associated muscle.
For a massage therapist the myofascia’s function as a muscle lubricant is most important. Normal myofascia enables muscle fibers to move easily within the muscle group, and enables the muscle group itself to move smoothly against other muscles and structures within the body.
Due to injury, repetitive overuse, habitual postures or even emotional states the normally smooth, slick and flexible myofascial tissue can shorten and become rigid, sticky and inelastic. It may lose its lubricant properties and act more like an adhesive – binding muscle fibers to each other. This causes pain, restricts range of muscle motion, may cause muscle spasms, and creates much of what we experience as generalized tension. The stress and imbalance in the muscle and fascia can radiate throughout the body causing pain and symptoms in locations you would not ordinarily expect.
Myofascial Release Aims
Myofascial release aims to restore the normal smooth functioning of the fascia associated with injured muscles, and, to stretch the fascia/muscle unit back to its proper length. Myofascial massage releases the tight, bound-up areas in your muscles gradually thus evening out the tightness of injured fascia.
Practitioners of myofascial release begin stretching your fascia guided by feedback from your body. Tight, short fascia feels very different to the touch than normally functioning tissue. Experienced myofascial release therapists locate the areas of tightness by lightly touching, they stretch a small area with minimal force – often using only two fingers – and then wait for the fascia to relax. Immediately upon its relaxing somewhat more effort is applied to increase the stretch. The process proceeds over the entire affected muscle until it is fully relaxed.
Note that the stretch, or myofascial release, is created by the therapist’s hands and not typically by the patient moving his muscles or limbs. The effect is not painful and most people find it very relaxing, increasingly so as the massage proceeds and more sore areas are treated.
Results of Myofascial Release
Often patients have become so desensitized by continued pain that they are unable to accurately say where they hurt. Not to worry! Guided by tactile feedback, a complete myofascial massage by an experienced myofascial massage therapist may range from the patient’s calves to their cranium – wherever the trail of abnormally tensed myofascia leads.
With treatment these sore myofascial trigger points will disappear leaving you pain-free, with an increased range of motion, and able to breathe more deeply. You can judge your own progress by relief from pain, and by your improved posture.
John James, L.M.T.
Related posts:
- CranioSacral Therapy for Energy and Balance
- Fibromyalgia Dallas: Massage for Pain Relief and Flexibility
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3 Responses to “Myofascial Release Massages Away The Pain”
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Recommended to you by Charlotte Benson. Was a big time runner. had knee surgery a while back. Limited mobility in knee, moreso lately. Also do weights and have issues with back/neck area. Can you help me? Thank you!!!
Hey this was the cool stuff lol…thanks for the massage tips…this article was really great work…nice article….
Myofascial release makes use of hands-on therapy and massage to set the myofascial system right, so that we get freedom from pain and are able to enjoy unrestricted motion of our body. Using Myofascial can release our stress and can help us relax too. Thanks John, i enjoyed reading your blog.