Part two – Myofascial Release

The muscles in the human body are wrapped up rather like a parcel and each layer of wrapping paper is known as fascia. It provides a connective tissue throughout the body in a web-like formation without interruption or breaks. If this fascia becomes tight as wrapping can it puts pressure on the muscle and surrounding connective structures binding the tissue together thus causing pain and limited movement. An experienced soft tissue therapist will be able to feel the tension in the tissues and define whether the fascia is restricting movement or something other. By using techniques to release the fascia the therapist can then work through the wrapping to get to the taut muscle tissue.
Fascia has the ability to resist strong force causing amazing tensile strength allowing movement of the internal structures of the body. However, this means it does not respond to strong use of force from the massage therapist and needs to be coaxed into relaxation. John F. Barnes, PT a world renowned authority on Myofascial Release gives its aim as allowing the tissue to ‘glide’ and therefore ease pain and restore flexibility (a).

Myofascial Release is perfect to relieve tension from overuse of specific areas; for example the shoulder area of a tennis player. It is also valuable for the treatment of osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and fibromyalgia among other more systemic conditions. A study in 2011 found the following:

“After a 20-week weekly programme of myofascial therapy, fibromyalgia patients showed a significant reduction in pain” calculated using the McGill Pain Questionnaire (b).
The study also reported the techniques did not help improve “postural stability” but this proves an earlier point I made that you need to find a therapist with a ‘tool kit’ of techniques rather than one who specialises in just one.
Once fascia has been released and has the ability to ‘glide’ we can look deeper into the causes of dysfunction and that brings us to Myofascial Trigger Points or MTP’s which I will describe next time.

(a) Therapeutic Insight: The John F. Barnes’ Myofascial Release Perspective—Enhance Your Effectiveness, June 5, 2014
(b) “Effects of myofascial release techniques on pain, physical function, and postural stability in patients with fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial”.  Adelaida Marı´a Castro-Sa´nchez1, Guillermo A Matara´n-Pen˜ arrocha2, Manuel Arroyo-Morales3, Manuel Saavedra-Herna´ndez1, Cayetano Ferna´ndez-Sola1 and Carmen Moreno-Lorenzo.