Myofascial Release
The Fascial System
The fascial system of the body is composed of connective tissue which travels through the body three dimentionally from the top of the head to the tip of the toes. The tissue binds, separates, connects and defends all other tissues in the body, including nerves, muscle, vessels, organs and bone. Since fascia permeates all regions of the body and is all interconnected, when it is injured and scars, the effects will be transferred throughout the system. Imagine the fascia in your body to be the equivalent of a full body panty hose. The tension in the body (or the pull on the panty hose) could cause pain to be felt by pain sensitive structures elsewhere in the body. For this reason, pain can often be experienced away from the site of the fascial trauma. This trauma could have been initiated by soft tissue or bony injury, repetitive strain, infection, surgical incision or any number of causes that would cause a disruption of the glide of the connective tissue. The fascial system is divided into superficial and deep layers. The deepest of these layers are horizontal thickenings of connective tissue which lie in the pelvis, above and below the lungs and at the base of the skull. Often all four of these diaphragms will become restricted when fascial adhesions occur in any other part of the body.
Unlike muscle, which responds to a relatively firm stretch, the fascia in your body gives way to a very small amount of pressure applied by a therapist's hands. Although it is estimated that fascia has a tensile strength of as much as 2000 pounds per square inch, it will soften and begin to release when a very gentle pressure is sustained over time.
Muscle provides the greatest bulk of our body's soft tissue. Because all muscle ("myo" means "muscle")is enveloped by fascia, myofascial release is a term that has been given to the techniques used to relieve soft tissue from the abnormal grip of tight fascia.
What to expect during a Myofascial Release treatment
Your therapist has been instructed in either indirect or direct fascial release techniques and has a thorough understanding of the fascial system in the body. The type of fascial release technique chosen will depend on where they find the restriction of the fascia in your body. With skilled and sensitive hands, your therapist will apply a three dimentional fulcrum and hold a gentle stretch to allow the tissue to release. You may notice subtle movements or full limb unwinding. There may be a perceived warmth, pulsing, tingling or tissue change in the area the therapist is working or in areas that seem unrelated. You may not perceive anything at all during a treatment but your therapists skilled hands will be able to detect areas of fascial restriction and the associated changes that occur with a release.
Myofascial release is a gentle technique but can have profound effects on the body's tissues. You may not perceive any change after your first session but later that day or even a day later you may begin to feel the effects of the treatment.
Occasionally after a treatment, there is an increase in discomfort for several hours, followed by remarkable improvement. This improvement can be noted during or immediately following a treatment. Sometimes, new pain may be noticed in an area that previously did not seem affected. Sometimes there is a short lived feeling of nausea or light headedness. A temporary emotional change may also be noticed. All of these reactions are normal. The fascial system is changing and adjusting to it's new range of mobility.
It is recommended that after a session you drink a lot of fluids to "flush your system". It is felt that after the release of tight tissue there is also a release of trapped metabolic waste products into the surrounding tissue and blood stream. Drinking fluids will limit the feelings of nausea, achiness and light-headedness after receiving myofascial release treatments.
The fascial system of the body is composed of connective tissue which travels through the body three dimentionally from the top of the head to the tip of the toes. The tissue binds, separates, connects and defends all other tissues in the body, including nerves, muscle, vessels, organs and bone. Since fascia permeates all regions of the body and is all interconnected, when it is injured and scars, the effects will be transferred throughout the system. Imagine the fascia in your body to be the equivalent of a full body panty hose. The tension in the body (or the pull on the panty hose) could cause pain to be felt by pain sensitive structures elsewhere in the body. For this reason, pain can often be experienced away from the site of the fascial trauma. This trauma could have been initiated by soft tissue or bony injury, repetitive strain, infection, surgical incision or any number of causes that would cause a disruption of the glide of the connective tissue. The fascial system is divided into superficial and deep layers. The deepest of these layers are horizontal thickenings of connective tissue which lie in the pelvis, above and below the lungs and at the base of the skull. Often all four of these diaphragms will become restricted when fascial adhesions occur in any other part of the body.
Unlike muscle, which responds to a relatively firm stretch, the fascia in your body gives way to a very small amount of pressure applied by a therapist's hands. Although it is estimated that fascia has a tensile strength of as much as 2000 pounds per square inch, it will soften and begin to release when a very gentle pressure is sustained over time.
Muscle provides the greatest bulk of our body's soft tissue. Because all muscle ("myo" means "muscle")is enveloped by fascia, myofascial release is a term that has been given to the techniques used to relieve soft tissue from the abnormal grip of tight fascia.
What to expect during a Myofascial Release treatment
Your therapist has been instructed in either indirect or direct fascial release techniques and has a thorough understanding of the fascial system in the body. The type of fascial release technique chosen will depend on where they find the restriction of the fascia in your body. With skilled and sensitive hands, your therapist will apply a three dimentional fulcrum and hold a gentle stretch to allow the tissue to release. You may notice subtle movements or full limb unwinding. There may be a perceived warmth, pulsing, tingling or tissue change in the area the therapist is working or in areas that seem unrelated. You may not perceive anything at all during a treatment but your therapists skilled hands will be able to detect areas of fascial restriction and the associated changes that occur with a release.
Myofascial release is a gentle technique but can have profound effects on the body's tissues. You may not perceive any change after your first session but later that day or even a day later you may begin to feel the effects of the treatment.
Occasionally after a treatment, there is an increase in discomfort for several hours, followed by remarkable improvement. This improvement can be noted during or immediately following a treatment. Sometimes, new pain may be noticed in an area that previously did not seem affected. Sometimes there is a short lived feeling of nausea or light headedness. A temporary emotional change may also be noticed. All of these reactions are normal. The fascial system is changing and adjusting to it's new range of mobility.
It is recommended that after a session you drink a lot of fluids to "flush your system". It is felt that after the release of tight tissue there is also a release of trapped metabolic waste products into the surrounding tissue and blood stream. Drinking fluids will limit the feelings of nausea, achiness and light-headedness after receiving myofascial release treatments.
posted by Tom and Len | 1:00 PM
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