Myofascial Release
Myofascial Release applies hands-on pressure and stretching to the fascial tissue. The good news about fascia is that it can increase in fluidity, flexibility, and change its shape through the introduction of heat and energy of the hands-on techniques. Myofascial release liquefies the tissue, ungluing fascial layers, thus removing pressure on pain sensitive structure, improving individual muscle movement and function, as well as balancing the bodies shape and alignment.
What is fascia?
Fascia is a three-dimensional, continuous system of connective tissue; this system is uninterrupted from head to toe. Everything in the body is embedded within this web tissue. Fascia covers the muscles, bones, tendons, spinal cord, and brain. It holds the internal organs in place and makes the spaces for nerves and blood vessels to pass through. In its optimal state; fascia is a loose, moist tissue. When there is continual free movement and balance in the body, the fascia stays flexible and mobile, facilitating smooth motion between different parts of the body.
What causes injury to the fascial system?
◦ Recent, past, or repeated trauma
◦ Habitual patterns of poor posture and movement
◦ Structural imbalance of the body
◦ Pain, resulting in reflexive spasm and movement avoidance (muscle tension or guarding).
◦ Inflammation
◦ Environmental factors, such as job-related repetitive motion, poor workstation set up, and athletic injuries.
◦ Emotional trauma
What happens when fascia is injured?
Injury causes fascia to bind down, become rigid, and lose its fluid nature. Layers of fascia begin to glue to one another, causing the knots you may have experienced in your back or neck. Fascial restrictions can create pressure on joints, nerves, and muscles, restricting mobility, causing excessive muscle effort, poor posture, movement dysfunction, and pain.
How do you treat fascial restrictions?
Reconditioning the body after it has become rigid and lost fluidity requires not only releasing rigidity form the myofascial tissue, but also bringing awareness to and changing the patterns that cause tissue rigidity in the first place. Hands-On Physical Therapy’s approach has three components-myofascial release, movement education, and integrative dialogue. All three components are important parts that produce long lasting changes.