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What is Myofascial Release?

Over the past 50 years, John Barnes, PT transformed the traditional forms of Myofascial Release into an art form consisting of basic principles and deceptively simple techniques. When used correctly, these principles and techniques enable profound awareness and healing on all levels: body, mind and spirit, making this a uniquely comprehensive therapy. It has considerable research and mountains of anecdotal evidence proving its efficacy.

Myofascial Release (MFR) reduces or eliminates pain, making it easier to move. MFR is characterized by sustained gentle pressure used to thoroughly soften and liquify hard or tender areas within the fluid components of connective tissue while simultaneously separating, straightening and stretching its fibrous components.

The Biggest Difference

One significant difference between Myofascial Release and Myofascial Massage is that the later tends to be done with a lubricant. Using a lubricant drastically reduces a therapist’s effectiveness when the desired outcome is anything more than temporary gains. The very purpose of myofascial work can’t be adequately achieved under these circumstances, as the resilient, structural fibers of fascia can’t be effectively “hooked” to improve their organization and length. Lubricated techniques do little more than temporarily soften the hardened fluid aspects of the myofascia.

Traditional forms of Myofascial Release (Rolfing, Structural Integration, Hellerwork, Kenesis Myofascial Integration, etc.) do not use a lubricant and are therefore quite good at hooking the fascial fibers. These approaches tend to be more effective than Myofascial Massage at reducing pain, but still of limited benefit for the deepest and most persistent conditions. The problem with these other methods is that they tend to be too fast and forceful. Structural problems just can’t be forced into compliance.

It is sometimes necessary to treat unusually bound or adhered tissue more aggressively. Most of the time, however, these restricted areas respond extremely well to the gentle, sustained techniques characteristic of Barnes method MFR. Each restricted area requires several minutes or more of sustained treatment in order to stretch and align the resilient, structural nature of the connective tissue. Traditional forms of Myofascial Release utilize techniques slower than Myofascial Massage, but often not slow enough to achieve a full release of hard, tender tissue. Time instead of force makes the biggest difference to fully soften, lengthen and reorganize the myofascial system, and only Barnes method MFR consistently seeks to resolve problems in this way.

The therapeutic benefits of Barnes method Myofascial Release reach beyond other myofascial approaches by optimizing the stubborn, structural aspects of the body explaining its unparalleled effectiveness at reducing or eliminating even long standing, chronic conditions.

Fascia is often referred to as a sort of three-dimensional web, much like a spider’s web. Seeing fascia in this way enables you to better understand the interwoven, interconnectedness of it. Are you able to envision it?

Try as I have to envision a three-dimensional web in my body, I’ve come up short. It’s easy to conceptualize it in theory. It’s much easier to feel it as it’s being stretched or treated. But when it comes down to it, it’s just not easy to look at my arm, for example, and imagine the 3-D web within. And I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about this sort of stuff. So, I’m guessing you might have similar difficulty envisioning your fascial web as well.

On a recent, perfectly gorgeous North Carolina day, my ability to envision fascia as a web got a whole lot easier.  I was walking in the woods when I encountered the most unusual spider web. The sun shone right through it, gorgeously illuminating its complicated construction. I lost track of time as I studied its unassuming beauty. I immediately got the metaphor of fascia as a spider web in a whole new way. I’m hoping that by explaining to you what I saw, you’ll find it easier to envision your fascia as well.

I had always envisioned my fascial web looking like the most commonly seen spider webs, which are 2 dimensional orbs. These webs are suspended, transparent circles which snag unsuspecting insects as they attempt to fly through. Fascia does bare resemblances to this sort of web. But the web that I saw was decidedly three-dimensional.

Turns out, this was likely the web of what’s known as a sheet spider. Sheet spider webs consist of interwoven, vertical strands rising up off a thicker horizontal web or sheet at its bottom. By my estimation, a sheet spider’s web much more closely resembles the body’s fascial web than the orb web image I had been working with.Fascia’s  three-dimensional weave is principally oriented vertically in the body. This provides the strength and integrity necessary for the body to rise up and out of gravity. Vertical orientation also enhances the flow of your body’s lymphatic fluid – your primary detoxifier. Lymph flows through the space created and maintained in the body by the fascia’s strong, resilient, three-dimensional web, making its way to lymph nodes where the waste is metabolized.

Like the sheet web, fascia is not only vertical, however. It also has transverse planes or sheets passing through every joint and at 4 key compartments – at the base of the skull, between the neck and the torso, between the torso and the lumbar and at the bottom of the pelvis. These transverse planes help

stabilize the body while also protecting and compartmentalizing your vital organs, keeping them in their proper places.

Just like the sheet web, fascia’s vertical and horizontal aspects allow for different things in your body, but they’re all tied together into one, integrated system. Whether it’s oriented horizontally or vertically, fascia is all connective tissue.

This is the system in your body that ties all the individual pieces and parts together into an integrated, functioning whole. It’s as unassuming as a spider’s web. But without it, your body would amount to little more than a heap of cells in a puddle of liquid on the floor. Just as a spider wouldn’t get along very well without its web, you wouldn’t get along very well without yours. So, take a moment to envision your fascial web. Better yet, take a few minutes to do some of the self-treatment I may have suggested to you. While you’re at it, send your fascial web a little thanks.

Regular massage can be helpful for pain prevention, but it has its limitations. Those limitations become clear with increased understanding of the body’s connective tissue called fascia.

What is Fascia?

Fascia is literally the stuff that ties all the individual pieces of the body  together into an integrated, functioning whole. It spreads continuously throughout the body, surrounding, penetrating and supporting every muscle, bone, organ, nerve, blood vessel and cell. It’s absolutely everywhere in the body. Take away everything from your body, leaving only the fascia behind, and your unique shape and physical features would still be clearly recognizable.

In order to make any lasting changes and improvements in persistent pain or movement problems, your therapy must address the fascia. Turns out that’s not so easy to do, due to fascia’s strong, resilient nature.

What’s the Best Technique?

The continuous, interwoven nature of fascia often allows symptoms to appear in areas well removed from their causes. It’s critical to evaluate patients as they stand or move vertically in gravity, looking for their unique structural compensations. Has your tone and structural alignment been evaluated in this way? This is the only way treatments can be customized to address your unique imbalances, which give rise to symptoms, instead of band-aiding your symptoms alone.

Get Rid of the Lubricants!

Using a lubricant drastically reduces a therapist’s effectiveness when the desired outcome is anything more than temporary gains. The very purpose of myofascial work can’t be adequately achieved under these circumstances, as the resilient, structural fibers of fascia can’t be effectively “hooked” to improve their organization and length. Lubricated techniques do little more than temporarily soften the hardened fluid aspects of the myofascia.

Traditional forms of Myofascial Release do not use a lubricant and are therefore quite good at hooking the fascial fibers. These approaches tend to be more effective than Myofascial Massage at reducing pain, but still of limited benefit for the deepest and most persistent conditions. The problem with these other methods is that they tend to be too fast and forceful. Structural problems just can’t be forced into compliance.

Barnes Method Myofascial Release Gets Lasting Results

Over the past 50 years, John Barnes, PT has dramatically transformed the traditional forms of Myofascial Release. The changes enable permanent reduction or elimination of pain and other symptoms, increasing your quality of life.

Barnes method MFR is characterized by gentle, sustained techniques geared toward releasing stuck, hard fascia. These areas require several minutes or more of sustained treatment in order to stretch and align their resilient, structural nature. Time makes the biggest difference to fully soften, lengthen and reorganize the myofascial system, and only Barnes method MFR consistently seeks to resolve problems in this way.

Remarkably, I am the only NC Licensed Massage & Bodywork Therapist in Chapel Hill specializing in the John Barnes method of Myofascial Release.

Click over to read more about how massage therapy differs from Myofascial Release.

Therapeutic massage has a long history going back to at least the second century B.C. Hippocrates, the father of medicine himself, helped popularize its therapeutic benefits in the west. Today, massage therapy is more popular than ever. Obviously people get something out of it. But do they get enough out of it?

Massage as an application of soft-tissue manipulation used to reduce stress, tension and fatigue is very effective. It helps people feel great, if only temporarily. There are many variations and styles of massage all of which feel quite wonderful depending the skill of your therapist.

Most therapists provide some version of Myofascial Massage, otherwise known as deep tissue. More than easing tension, the goal of Myofascial Massage is generally aimed at reducing pain or enhancing function. Many people prefer it to relaxation massage because the techniques are generally deeper, helping recipients feel good and more thoroughly worked over.

If you make a habit of it, Myofascial Massage can be helpful for pain prevention. It tills the soil as it were, enhancing naturally occurring physiological processes to eliminate the build-up of metabolic waste, which may otherwise stagnate around nerve endings, triggering pain. Myofascial Massage is also a welcome reward after a day’s work in the garden or some other strenuous physical activity.

Massage Therapy Has its Limitations

Fortunately, science has evolved along with the profession, aiding in the development of more specialized forms of manual therapy capable of preventing, reducing or eliminating more serious, chronic or widespread conditions.

Myofascial Release is the most well-known of these therapies. It combines the best of both worlds, stress-reducing, compassionate touch provided in the context of more effective, specialized techniques. These techniques consistently unlock and optimize the structural balance of twisted, crooked bodies, which is very often the underlying cause of symptoms.

Treating the cause of symptoms

Symptoms often appear in areas well removed from their causes. It’s critical to evaluate individuals as they stand or move vertically in gravity, looking for their unique structural compensations. Has your tone and structural alignment been evaluated in this way? This is the only way treatments can be customized to address your unique imbalances, which give rise to symptoms, instead of band-aiding symptoms alone.

Treatments must be customized to your unique posture, imbalances, and pain.

Most therapies view the symptoms as the beginning and end of the problem. It’s only through realizing that all parts of the body are literally held together by the same cloth – the connective tissue called fascia – that one can begin to understand how symptoms can be and often are merely the mouthpiece of a larger problem. They act up in order to get your attention, calling you to action.

Treating symptoms has value, of course; the squeaky wheel gets the grease. But the wheel usually squeaks because it’s misaligned or the entire frame is bent. Grease alone is seldom enough. More often than not, as soon as one symptom is pacified another one pops up. It’s important to treat the whole body for the complete resolution of symptoms.

What is Myofascial Release?

Over the past 50 years, John Barnes, PT transformed the traditional forms of Myofascial Release into an art form consisting of basic principles and deceptively simple techniques. When used correctly, these principles and techniques enable profound awareness and healing on all levels: body, mind and spirit, making this a uniquely comprehensive therapy. It has considerable research and mountains of anecdotal evidence proving its efficacy.

Myofascial Release (MFR) reduces or eliminates pain, making it easier to move. MFR is characterized by sustained gentle pressure used to thoroughly soften and liquify hard or tender areas within the fluid components of connective tissue while simultaneously separating, straightening and stretching its fibrous components.

The Biggest Difference

One significant difference between Myofascial Release and Myofascial Massage is that the later tends to be done with a lubricant. Using a lubricant drastically reduces a therapist’s effectiveness when the desired outcome is anything more than temporary gains. The very purpose of myofascial work can’t be adequately achieved under these circumstances, as the resilient, structural fibers of fascia can’t be effectively “hooked” to improve their organization and length. Lubricated techniques do little more than temporarily soften the hardened fluid aspects of the myofascia.

Traditional forms of Myofascial Release do not use a lubricant and are therefore quite good at hooking the fascial fibers. These approaches tend to be more effective than Myofascial Massage at reducing pain, but still of limited benefit for the deepest and most persistent conditions. The problem with these other methods is that they tend to be too fast and forceful. Structural problems just can’t be forced into compliance.

It is sometimes necessary to treat unusually bound or adhered tissue more aggressively. Most of the time, however, these restricted areas respond extremely well to the gentle, sustained techniques characteristic of Barnes method MFR. These areas require several minutes or more of sustained treatment in order to stretch and align their resilient, structural nature. Time makes the biggest difference to fully soften, lengthen and reorganize the myofascial system, and only Barnes method MFR consistently seeks to resolve problems in this way.

The therapeutic benefits of Barnes method Myofascial Release reach beyond other myofascial approaches by optimizing the stubborn, structural aspects of the body explaining its unparalleled effectiveness at reducing or eliminating even long standing, chronic conditions.

Surgery Injures Fascia

Even when surgery is the necessary protocol, it injures the myofascial system. Once the fascia is cut or torn, it heals with scar tissue. Scar tissue is a very hard, dense substance designed to hold our injured body together and for the most part it does a good job at this.

However, scar tissue can also pull on other areas, compress nerves, bood vessels and organs and restrict physical movement and physiological functioning. This then develops into pain or dysfunction.

Because fascia permeates all regions of the body and is all interconnected, when it scars and hardens in one area, it can put tension on adjacent pain-sensitive structures as well as on structures in far-away areas. This tension is serious stuff!

In fact, it is estimated that fascia has a tensile strength of as much as 2000 pounds per square inch. (No wonder when it tightens, it can cause pain.)

Some people feel pain close to the injured area. Others describe feeling bizarre pain symptoms that appear to be unrelated to the original or primary complaint. These bizarre symptoms can be understood in relationship to our understanding of the ever-penetrating fascial system.

Treating Scar Tissue

I use specific hands-on techniques for scar release and to treat internal adhesions. These are extremely gentle and involve releasing the fascia where appropriate. A more or less intense prickling may be felt where scar tissue is releasing. There is often a significant difference in the feeling around the scarring after just a few MFR treatments.

Call today to get started on your path to a full recovery!

Clients Rave About Owen’s Scar Tissue Work!

Owen manages my chronic pain with his unique and excellent skills in detecting and releasing areas where, through scarring or overuse, my body’s first preference is not to move.

As a bonus, his efforts give me much improved balance and strength for pursuing my ballroom dancing. I am thrilled with the results of his further training as a myofascial release therapist, and give him an unqualified recommendation for his professionalism and abilities.

Jan Yarborough
Attorney

I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 1990. I had a mastectomy, removal of 19 lymph nodes, chemotherapy and radiation. For 19 years, I had limited left arm mobility and chronic neck and shoulder pain. My bodywork with Owen has made an incredible difference in my well-being. I now have much greater arm mobility and decreased to no pain.

Debbie Coffee

Read more testimonials here.

Rebounding is an easy, powerful approach to help you feel great physically. It can also be remarkably effective for the mind. Put it to work for you on days when you’re not feeling good psychologically or emotionally and see for yourself. This technique very quickly soothes, enlivens and uplifts.

Benefits of Rebounding

• profoundly relaxes and rejuvenates
• softens muscles and fascia
• lubricates and increases blood flow deep in joints
• unlocks tightness caused by subconscious patterns of holding
• teaches your brain new options for movement

Have you ever driven on Route 1 up the California coast? It offers some of the most stunning natural beauty I’ve ever seen. The surf of the majestic Pacific Ocean rolls in and collides with giant rocky boulders and cliffs. The water is constantly smoothing and wearing down those rocky obstacles.

This is essentially what Rebounding does to the obstacle of tightness in your body. It utilizes the fluid dynamics of your body to smooth out, soften and release hardness in the tissue. Remember your body is more than 70% water. Rebounding leverages the power of this water into a three-dimensional massage from the inside out.

I’ve created a short video to prime you on how to begin Rebounding yourself. Now you can benefit from this important dimension of self-treatment everyday! If the video isn’t visible below, follow this link.

Cranial Sacral Therapy (CST) is an extremely gentle, hands-on therapy used to enhance the functioning of the cranial sacral system.  This physiological system is comprised of membranes and fluid that surround, support and protect your spinal column and brain.  It is the deepest aspect of your connective tissue called fascia.

Imbalances or dysfunctions within the cranial sacral system can cause sensory, motor and neurological symptoms.

At Triangle Body Therapy, CST techniques are enhanced by using them in conjunction with other powerful Myofascial Release techniques.  This ensures that the three-dimensional, whole body nature of myofascial restrictions is addressed completely.  Myofascial Release techniques bring balance to restrictions in the superficial and middle layers of fascia, and Cranial Sacral techniques balance the deepest layers of restricted tissue.

Life with kids.....getting ready for wave action before 8am.

Can't be at the beach without a kite.

Me.

As close to a whale as we got.

]]> http://www.trianglebodytherapy.com/uncategorized/oak-island-2009/feed/ 2 http://www.trianglebodytherapy.com/myofascial-release/self-care-techniques/ http://www.trianglebodytherapy.com/myofascial-release/self-care-techniques/#comments Sun, 02 Aug 2009 19:20:19 +0000 Owen Dodge http://www.trianglebodytherapy.com/?p=52 There is nothing like the hands-on techniques you’ll experience through my Myofascial Release treatments.  However, simple therapeutic exercises and tools can equip you to successfully treat your own conditions with remarkable effectiveness. Learning how to use these exercises and tools in conjunction with deepening your understanding of your unique structural imbalances empowers you to take control of your own authentic healing process.

I teach appropriate and specific home exercises and provide diagrams when applicable based on a comprehensive evaluation conducted at each session. Exercises may involve stretching, compression, or mind/body integration.   These customized exercises enable the incredible benefits of Myofascial Release treatments to build on themselves, accelerating progress toward your therapeutic goals.

Self treatment using the foam roller:

I can provide you with one of the most effective (and sometimes painful) methods of self-treatment available, a foam roller.  Roll on it until you feel a hard or tender area and WAIT at that point until it releases, usually 2-5 minutes or as long as you can tolerate. Do this everyday, and you will start to notice improvements in less than 2 weeks. You can explore and find many creative, therapeutic ways to use this tool.  Utilize it at your own risk.  It is preferable for me to specifically direct you in how to optimize its use for your particular needs.

Self-treatment using the small ball:

A 4″ air-filled ball is also an extremely effective therapy tool.  Its small size enables more specific treatment than the foam roll in some areas of the body.  The firmness can also be easily adjusted with more or less air, giving you more control with this tool for your unique needs and preferences.  The small ball is used by compressing your body weight into it either standing, sitting or lying down.  Search for a hard or tender area and wait for at least 2 minutes or until you feel the area soften and become less tender before proceeding to the next area.

I will teach you how to use other tools that might be helpful for your particular needs as well.  These may include a large Physioball, Stretch-out-Strap, pelvic positioning wedges, occipivot, sacral wedge, Nola Rola and others.  You can purchase these therapy tools and utilize them to maximize the effectiveness of your self-care once I have shown you how best to use them for your condition.

Myofascial Unwinding:

When stretching, our bodies naturally desire to follow an elongating and uncoiling pattern. This is natural and is analogous to unwinding the strands of a rope. Hence, we refer to this as “unwinding.”  This inherent movement enables stretches to be taken to a deeper level, and can enhance the effectiveness of stretching dramatically.

Simply focusing your attention on the area of your body you are stretching will help you notice the unwinding process.  You may notice parts of your body twist, turn or even shake.  Your body will unwind in ways that are unique to you and will never be injurious.  Maintain an open mind and allow it to happen!  It will when you are ready.  Unwinding is incredibly therapeutic and can faciliatate tremendous fascial releases three-dimensionally through your body, helping you to feel great.