Advanced Myofascial Release Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Drucilla J. Likens Pape OTR/L
Drucilla J. Likens Pape, OTR/L
About Myofascial Release
Is Your Body Asking For Relief?
Athletes * Women's / Men's Health * Pediatric Health * Geriatric Health
Whiplash Sports Injuries Chronic Fatigue Disc Problems
Cervical Pain Spasm/Spasticity Fibromyalgia Back Pain
TMJ Pain Scar Release Mastectomy Pain Scoliosis
Headache/Migraine Carpal Tunnel Chronic Pain Piriformis Pain
Tinnitis (ears ring) Plantar Fasciitis Menstrual Pain Sciatica
Bell's Palsy Frozen Shoulder Knee Pain/Injury Hip Pain
Eye Strain Restless Leg Heel Pain/Spurs Edema
Sinus Issues Chronic Tension Bowel/Bladder Sacroiliac Pain
Esophageal Reflux Tennis/Golf Elbow Lymphedema Arthritis Pain
Cervical Pain Spasm/Spasticity Fibromyalgia Back Pain
TMJ Pain Scar Release Mastectomy Pain Scoliosis
Headache/Migraine Carpal Tunnel Chronic Pain Piriformis Pain
Tinnitis (ears ring) Plantar Fasciitis Menstrual Pain Sciatica
Bell's Palsy Frozen Shoulder Knee Pain/Injury Hip Pain
Eye Strain Restless Leg Heel Pain/Spurs Edema
Sinus Issues Chronic Tension Bowel/Bladder Sacroiliac Pain
Esophageal Reflux Tennis/Golf Elbow Lymphedema Arthritis Pain
What is Myofascial Release?
The answer is very exciting!!!!! Let's Begin with learning about Fascia.....
Q: What is Fascia?
A: Fascia is an amazing fluid "web" of highly specialized connective tissue which spans our body three-dimensionally, uninterrupted from head to toe. Fascia surrounds, supports, and infuses with every structure of the body. It connects bone to bone, muscle to muscle, organ to organ, nerve to nerve, blood vessel to blood vessel. It is able to withstand tremendous internal (hydrostatic) and external (gravity, pressure) forces, with the tensile strength to withstand 2000 pounds per square inch of pressure! That's the strength of a radial tire....!
Fascia is actually made up of basically three things:
1. Mucopolysaccharideamino "ground substance"
"muco" = mucous, for lubrication of fibers
"polysaccharide" = many sugars, for cellular energy
"amino" = protein, for cellular power
2. Collagen Fibers which give strength, form, and shape
3. Elastin Fibers or, "elastic" fibers, which have memory (like a
rubber band...these fibers can stretch out to any length, yet
return to their original shape.
So, fascia is a tissue that surrounds, supports, protects,
divides, infuses with, nourishes, excretes waste, has memory,
is resilient, is uninterrupted head to toe, and is a
superhighway of information
......pretty important tissue, yes?!!!
A: Fascia is an amazing fluid "web" of highly specialized connective tissue which spans our body three-dimensionally, uninterrupted from head to toe. Fascia surrounds, supports, and infuses with every structure of the body. It connects bone to bone, muscle to muscle, organ to organ, nerve to nerve, blood vessel to blood vessel. It is able to withstand tremendous internal (hydrostatic) and external (gravity, pressure) forces, with the tensile strength to withstand 2000 pounds per square inch of pressure! That's the strength of a radial tire....!
Fascia is actually made up of basically three things:
1. Mucopolysaccharideamino "ground substance"
"muco" = mucous, for lubrication of fibers
"polysaccharide" = many sugars, for cellular energy
"amino" = protein, for cellular power
2. Collagen Fibers which give strength, form, and shape
3. Elastin Fibers or, "elastic" fibers, which have memory (like a
rubber band...these fibers can stretch out to any length, yet
return to their original shape.
So, fascia is a tissue that surrounds, supports, protects,
divides, infuses with, nourishes, excretes waste, has memory,
is resilient, is uninterrupted head to toe, and is a
superhighway of information
......pretty important tissue, yes?!!!
Q: What is a Myofascial Restriction?
A: Ideally, fascia is very fluid in its healthy state. (Think of the resilience of a sponge, full of water, or a bowl of wiggly jiggly jello). When prolonged inflammation occurs, the ground substance of the fascia begins to dry out (think of the same sponge, bone dry and curled at the edges, or the bowl of jello, left uncovered and drying out overnight!). The collagen fibers begin to thicken and harden by shortening and "knitting" themselves together by laying down fiber after reinforceing fiber (think of sewing a crocheted piece together, bunching and sewing....bunching and sewing...until you have a knot of thread and yarn that is almost impossible to pull apart, or cut). The elastin fibers become trapped and shortened within the collagen fiber knots, and can no longer expand and contract. This is how myofascial restrictions are formed, including the toughest of them all....scar tissue.
You would not be able to forcefully pull the knot of thread and yarn apart...it would just tighten even more...unless you carefully worked the knot three-dimensionally by carefully and gently loosening the threads and yarn much the same as the gentle pressure and elongation of the tissue, or fascia, eventually lengthens and softens the restrictions. Applying gentle compression and/or stretch over time is the principle for performing myofascial release.
A: Ideally, fascia is very fluid in its healthy state. (Think of the resilience of a sponge, full of water, or a bowl of wiggly jiggly jello). When prolonged inflammation occurs, the ground substance of the fascia begins to dry out (think of the same sponge, bone dry and curled at the edges, or the bowl of jello, left uncovered and drying out overnight!). The collagen fibers begin to thicken and harden by shortening and "knitting" themselves together by laying down fiber after reinforceing fiber (think of sewing a crocheted piece together, bunching and sewing....bunching and sewing...until you have a knot of thread and yarn that is almost impossible to pull apart, or cut). The elastin fibers become trapped and shortened within the collagen fiber knots, and can no longer expand and contract. This is how myofascial restrictions are formed, including the toughest of them all....scar tissue.
You would not be able to forcefully pull the knot of thread and yarn apart...it would just tighten even more...unless you carefully worked the knot three-dimensionally by carefully and gently loosening the threads and yarn much the same as the gentle pressure and elongation of the tissue, or fascia, eventually lengthens and softens the restrictions. Applying gentle compression and/or stretch over time is the principle for performing myofascial release.
Q: How do Myofascial Restrictions Occur?
A: Over time your body has developed its own unique pattern of combined "kinks" and "quirks", or myofascial restrictions. Perhaps you've had a recent injury, or diagnosis which has been the "straw that broke the camel's back", and has moved you to take action to relieve your pain and re-examine your health.
Our bodies respond to immediate traumatic events (illness, injury, surgery, shock) by mounting an inflammatory response. This inflammatory response is meant to be short term in duration as we seek medical care to address the issue(s). However, prolonged inflammatory response (emotional stress, repeated or untreated physical injury, prolonged patterns of poor posture) tends to be cumulative, and results in myofascial restrictions. These myofascial restrictions are often experienced as "symptoms", such as illness (fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome), chronic pain (headache, TMJ, neck/back/leg pain, pelvic inflammatory disease, etc.), or other conditions such as restless leg syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciaitis, vertigo, tinnitis, among many.
A: Over time your body has developed its own unique pattern of combined "kinks" and "quirks", or myofascial restrictions. Perhaps you've had a recent injury, or diagnosis which has been the "straw that broke the camel's back", and has moved you to take action to relieve your pain and re-examine your health.
Our bodies respond to immediate traumatic events (illness, injury, surgery, shock) by mounting an inflammatory response. This inflammatory response is meant to be short term in duration as we seek medical care to address the issue(s). However, prolonged inflammatory response (emotional stress, repeated or untreated physical injury, prolonged patterns of poor posture) tends to be cumulative, and results in myofascial restrictions. These myofascial restrictions are often experienced as "symptoms", such as illness (fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome), chronic pain (headache, TMJ, neck/back/leg pain, pelvic inflammatory disease, etc.), or other conditions such as restless leg syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciaitis, vertigo, tinnitis, among many.
Q: How does the Fascia "Release?"
A: Myofascial Release addresses these fascial restrictions using gentle, sustained pressure into the tissue over time, which helps to re-liquify and restore elasticity, strength and health to the tissues, or fascia....down to the cellular level! Sustained pressure into the tissue helps to soften the ground substance (think jello). Sustained stretch of the tissue is gently applied to elongate collagen and elastin fibers (think of a rope slowly unravelling). At times, sustained compression is also used to facilitate more resistant areas to soften (think of the old wooden screen door...you could pull, pull, pull..and it would not open...but give it a little nudge, and it would spring open!). The compression gives that little "nudge" to "stubborn" areas.
A: Myofascial Release addresses these fascial restrictions using gentle, sustained pressure into the tissue over time, which helps to re-liquify and restore elasticity, strength and health to the tissues, or fascia....down to the cellular level! Sustained pressure into the tissue helps to soften the ground substance (think jello). Sustained stretch of the tissue is gently applied to elongate collagen and elastin fibers (think of a rope slowly unravelling). At times, sustained compression is also used to facilitate more resistant areas to soften (think of the old wooden screen door...you could pull, pull, pull..and it would not open...but give it a little nudge, and it would spring open!). The compression gives that little "nudge" to "stubborn" areas.
Q: How does MFR compare to other therapies?
A: Myofacial release addresses the health and functional ability of the fascial system, an incredible 3-dimentional network of tissue which connects the body, head to toe, three-dimensionally. Working with this expansive, integral system of the body makes actual permanent changes toward vastly improved posture, alignment and function, down to the cellular level. These changes tend to "hold" as they occur, so that as you continue to receive MFR treatment, you will feel the positive changes in your body, feel the increasing proficiency in your ability to self treat, and feel the decreasing need for MFR treatment sessions!
A: Myofacial release addresses the health and functional ability of the fascial system, an incredible 3-dimentional network of tissue which connects the body, head to toe, three-dimensionally. Working with this expansive, integral system of the body makes actual permanent changes toward vastly improved posture, alignment and function, down to the cellular level. These changes tend to "hold" as they occur, so that as you continue to receive MFR treatment, you will feel the positive changes in your body, feel the increasing proficiency in your ability to self treat, and feel the decreasing need for MFR treatment sessions!
Should you choose to participate in other forms of therapy, MFR actually enables your body to better receive and benefit from other types of therapy (such as chiropractic, physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, energy work, healing touch, etc). It also greatly enhances your ability to perform and benefit from many forms of exercise (such as yoga, tai chi, aerobics, weight training, sports in general, etc).
Treatment In A Nutshell...
Individual Session length...
Individual Session length...
