What is Myofascial Release Therapy?
Myofascial Release – John Barnes Approach® is a hands-on manual therapy that helps to release muscular pain and tension that can build in our bodies in response to injury, trauma, or overuse. The name is derived from myo, which refers to muscle, and fascia, which is the basic connective tissue that surrounds every muscle, bone, organ, nerve, and cell of our bodies. Under a microscope fascia appears like a three-dimensional spider web, and is one continuous system from head to toe.
The therapy utilizes gentle sustained pressure into the affected areas to reduce fascial restrictions and restore movement. Your therapist will move slowly throughout the treatment, and may spend several minutes or longer engaged with each restriction found. The added time element for each technique allows the fascia to slowly soften, elongate, rehydrate, and release.
What conditions can be treated with Myofascial Release?
Myofascial Release, or MFR, has been shown be a safe andeffective treatment for many chronic health conditions. In addition to treating symptoms, MFR looks for the root cause and treats each client as a unique individual with their own patterns of pain and tension. Some of the most common conditions include:
How do I prepare for a Myofascial Release session?
Myofascial Release is performed directly on dry skin for most effective treatment. The therapist will use no lotions or oils, as this will not allow the necessary “drag” on the skin to achieve best results. With this in mind please refrain from applying lotions, creams, or perfumes prior to your appointment. Please wear loose-fitting gym shorts for your session. For women, please also wear a sports bra or tank top.
What can I expect during a session?
Your Myofascial Release Therapist will discuss your health history and reason for your visit with you prior to beginning treatment. During the session your therapist will have you lie down on the table and may have you move, stretch, or unwindinto different positions depending on each technique used. MFR is an interactive modality in which movement, sounds, and feedback are encouraged. While the therapist is compressing into areas of fascial restrictions, the client may feel a sensation under the skin that feels like taffy stretching, or butter melting.This is the “release.”
Sometimes emotions may come up during, or after a session. John Barnes likes to say that, “The key to healing is feeling.” With Myofascial Release we all have the opportunity to go deeper and deeper into our own healing journey.
What can I expect after a session?
After a Myofascial Release treatment, you may experience a range of sensations, including increased muscle soreness, fatigue and light-headedness, or increased range of motion and freedom of movement. These feelings vary depending on the individual and the nature of the treatment. Sometimes clients report that their symptoms of pain and tension may actually increase for a day or two after a session. Or they may feel some new pain or sensation that they hadn’t felt before. This is all ok, as the “fascial voice” lets us know where we need more work. Occasionally clients may also feel more emotional as trapped energy and stored emotions are released from the fascia.
It’s very important to increase our water intake after a session to allow our bodies to flush out released metabolic waste, and to increase hydration at the cellular level.
Interested in trying out Myofascial Release? Call us at 302-999-9565 for more information or schedule a session with David below.
Resources to learn more about MFR:
https://myofascialrelease.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky0BmGP5nbU