Myofascial Release is a safe and very effective technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure into the myofascial connective tissue to eliminate pain and restore motion. The therapist applies pressure into the direction of the restriction by following the motion of the tissue, barrier after barrier, with sustained pressure that supports the release. This process relieves restrictions throughout the body, promoting strength, flexibility, full range of motion, aligned posture, and fluid movement.
Myo means muscle and fascia is connective tissue. Think of the thin saran wrap-type film that covers a chicken breast after you remove the skin—that is fascia. This tissue is located throughout your entire body. It surrounds and connects all organs, bones, and muscles including individual muscle fibers. The function of fascia is varied, but it generally acts as a shock absorber. It creates tissue spaces and plays an important role in support, protection, separation, cellular respiration, elimination, metabolism, and fluid and lymphatic flow. It is a major area of inflammatory processes and will often change prior to chronic tissue congestion.
Flexibility is just as important to the stability of our bodies as strength. And when your fascia is healthy, your body moves more fluidly. But your fascia gets gummed up with adhesions when you have an injury due to an accident, surgery, or poor posture. Adhesions are a fibrous band of scar tissue that binds together normally separate fibers. Myofascial Release is designed to loosen adhesions and free up your fascia so that your muscles, organs, and bones move more smoothly and with an increased range of motion.
