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.