Myofascial release is an alternative medicine therapy claimed to be useful for treating skeletal muscle immobility and pain by relaxing contracted muscles, improving blood and lymphatic circulation, and stimulating the stretch reflex in muscles. Some of the benefits of myofascial release include:
- Reduce aches and pain
- Release knots and trigger points
- Increase range of motion, mobility and flexibility
- Improve muscle tissue functionality
- Increase circulation in areas where blood flow seems restricted
- Reduce exercise-related soreness
- Assist in speeding post-workout recovery
It is a type of physical therapy often used to treat myofascial pain syndrome. Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic pain disorder caused by sensitivity and tightness in your myofascial tissues. These tissues surround and support the muscles throughout your body. The pain usually originates from specific points within your myofascial tissues called “trigger points.”
Myofascial release focuses on reducing pain by easing the tension and tightness in the trigger points. It’s not always easy to understand what trigger point is responsible for the pain.
Localizing pain to a specific trigger point is very difficult. For that reason, myofascial release is often used over a broad area of muscle and tissue rather than at single points. There are numerous techniques and tools to assist this process.
Ricardo, our Wellness Coach will gently massage the myofascia and feel for stiff or tightened areas. Normal myofascia should feel pliable and elastic. Based on ongoing assessments, he will work on releasing, massaging, pressing and stretching the areas that feel rigid with light manual pressure, as well as determine the ideal techniques and tools that best serve the particular scenario and objective.