Myofascial Release: Is it Right For You?
Myofascial Release-
Physical therapists utilize many different treatments to address symptoms like pain, tightness, and restricted motion. These symptoms can arise for many reasons and sometimes fall under the chicken or egg paradox when it comes to injury or activity limitations. At times pain or lack of normal tissue mobility leads to changes in activity or injury and other times, it occurs the other way. In either case, if you are experiencing these symptoms you are likely looking for a solution. As physical therapists, we look at the whole body as well as how it moves to determine a course of treatment to address your concerns.
Physical therapy often consists of graded movement and exercise but hands-on techniques are also an important tool in a therapist's toolbox. Manual therapy is one category of treatment in which a therapist uses their hands or other tools to mobilize or manipulate soft tissues or joint tissues to improve their symptoms or address underlying causes. This is many patients’ favorite part of going to physical therapy! While there are many types of manual therapy, myofascial release is a common manual therapy technique that a physical therapist may utilize to address pain and movement restrictions. In this article we will review the history of myofascial release and explore who may benefit from this technique.
FIRST, WHAT IS FASCIA?
To understand the benefits of myofascial release techniques, let’s first get to know the fascia itself. Most of us are familiar with the basic anatomical layers of the body. In the center we have our skeleton, next we have muscles then fat and skin with other tissues like organs existing in the hollow cavities of our body. Fewer people know about another layer of connective tissue that courses throughout the entire body from head to toe, like a web, encapsulating the muscles, bones, nerves, organs and vessels. This layer is called fascia. Where the fascia surrounds a muscle it is referred to as myofascia. This tissue layer contains many important components including immune cells, nerves, fibroblasts and collagen, water and hyaluronic acid.
Four types of fascia exist in the body. The superficial fascia is found directly under the skin and superficial layers of fat. The deep fascia surrounds our bones, organs, muscles, nerves and blood vessels. Visceral fascia surrounds organs like the lungs, heart and abdomen while parietal fascia lines body cavities like the abdomen.
The deep fascial layer that surrounds structures like our nerves, blood vessels and muscles has several roles. First, as was known a long time ago, it stabilizes nearby structures. Second, it helps maintain patency in vessels, separates muscles from one another and imparts strength in the structures it attaches to and surrounds. Even the nerves found mostly in the deeper layers of fascia have an important role. They transmit information about pain, chemical changes, temperature, mechanical changes and joint position.
Fascial layers are complex, and as it turns out, play an important role in the way our body moves and heals. These layers can be negatively affected by both inflammation and trauma. Inflammation and trauma can cause the fascia to tighten and become restricted which can cause pain and impede movement both locally but also farther away in the body. It can also reduce localized blood flow. With a new understanding of fascia, it helped to explain why treatments aimed only at the muscles and joints may not have resulted in a full resolution of symptoms. Therapists had been missing an important piece of the puzzle! With this new information in hand, though, physical therapists became interested in how to affect this important web of connective tissue.
ENTER MR. BARNES
With the understanding that ignoring the fascial layers could result in incomplete resolution of symptoms or injuries, attempts at targeting the fascia began to accelerate. This led to the development of the myofascial release treatment. Popularized by John Barnes, PT, LMT, NCTMB, this gentle manual therapy technique was developed to target the fascial layers. By applying gentle, sustained, low load pressure to the fascia, Barnes found he could elongate the fascia resulting in reduced pain and an improvement in range of motion. When used as part of a comprehensive physical therapy program many patients found relief using this technique.
It makes sense that including fascial work could improve patient symptoms. We know that nerve signals play a large role in acute and chronic pain, resting muscle tension, range of motion and muscle flexibility. We also know that blood flow, fibroblasts and immune cells are necessary for completing the inflammatory process required for healing. All of these structures exist within the fascia so it is reasonable that improving the mobility and function of the fascial layers would have a positive effect on all of these structures resulting in relief of symptoms like pain, tightness and restricted movement.
IS MYOFASCIAL RELEASE RIGHT FOR YOU?
Myofascial release, like all manual therapy, is one piece of the rehabilitation plan of care. By itself, myofascial release may provide short term relief but likely would not lead to the long term results you want. Instead, myofascial release is typically included alongside other techniques like stretching, joint mobilization and therapeutic exercises. It is often prescribed to help treat those with musculoskeletal or soft tissue injuries, those who have undergone surgery or are experiencing pain, movement dysfunction or difficulty performing daily activities. All of these scenarios may indicate a restriction or impairment in your fascia.
Some conditions commonly treated with myofascial release include postural dysfunction, neck or back pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, migraines, post-surgical scar tissue, sports injuries, scoliosis, and fibromyalgia. If you are interested in this technique, you should ask your therapist if they are trained in myofascial release. If your therapist feels you could benefit from the technique as part of your therapy plan of care, it is a great time to get started! If you would like to learn more about our therapists trained in myofascial release techniques, call Evolve PT today to schedule an evaluation.
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About EvolveNY-
Brooklyn's Premier Holistic Physical Therapy Clinics-
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First we evaluate, then we heal, then we strengthen our clients so they can reach their goals, feel better, and live happier lives. We do so by utilizing a range of core techniques and specialized treatments to reduce pain, improve mobility, enhance physical strength and deal with the underlying issues, not just the pain itself.
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