Myofascial Therapy for Back and Beyond

Whether you’re an athlete striving to enhance your training and performance or someone endeavoring to alleviate pain and achieve better alignment, myofascial release therapy is likely to offer assistance.

This form of manipulative therapy zeroes in on hard knots and trigger points within the muscle tissue that can give rise to tenderness, pain, stiffness, and even twitching.

Even though it’s still regarded as an “alternative treatment,” one that has been investigated significantly less than comparable approaches, there’s evidence suggesting that it might be advantageous for those coping with pain or inflexibility even after attempting surgery, medication, and stretching.

What Is Myofascial Release?

Myofascial release (MFR) is a kind of hands-on treatment employed to alleviate tightness and pain in the body’s connective tissue system. Its aim is to enhance the range of motion, flexibility, stability, strength, performance, and recovery.

The objective of MFR is to identify fascial restrictions – areas of connective tissue that are tight, painful, or inflamed – and then apply sustained pressure to those regions in order to release the fascia.

Since its origin in the 1960s, the literature concerning the effectiveness of MFR has been limited, presenting mixed outcomes and not being of the highest quality. Nevertheless, a 2015 systematic review concluded that “MFR is emerging as a strategy with a solid evidence base and tremendous potential.”

What is fascia?

Although experts currently do not concur on a single official definition of fascia, it is regarded as a band or sheet of connective tissue, composed mostly of the type of collagen protein that attaches and stabilizes muscles and other internal organs. It is described as having an appearance similar to a spider’s web or a woven sweater.

This system envelopes every muscle, bone, nerve, artery, vein, and internal organ, spanning the entire body from head to toe. It surrounds and attaches to all structures, supporting the overall functionality of the body.

Normally, fascia is relaxed and possesses the ability to stretch and move, but when it becomes inflamed or damaged, it begins to become tight and restricted in movement as it loses its pliability.

Not only can this result in inflexibility and pain, but it also causes tension to develop in other parts of the body too, since the body’s fascia is an interconnected system.

Myofascial release therapists frequently describe dysfunctional areas of fascia as trigger points, knots, adhesions, ropes, or scar tissue. When someone has numerous of these, it is referred to as myofascial pain syndrome.

Releasing these trigger points or knots, as well as the surrounding area, is the focus of MFR treatments. Not only does this dispel pain at the specific trigger point, but it can also help prevent pain from “rippling out” to other parts of the body.

How does MFR compare to other manipulative techniques?

Is foam rolling the same as myofascial release? The utilization of foam rollers is prevalent for practicing self-myofascial release.

MFR does not necessarily require the use of a foam roller (since it can be executed with a therapist’s hands), but foam rolling serves the same purpose: It employs the application of pressure to assist in breaking up scar tissue and soft-tissue adhesions that lead to pain and stiffness.

The main distinction is that foam rolling is performed by the individual on herself, rather than by a practitioner.

Foam rolling is also advocated as part of a warm-up or cool-down before and after a workout since it boosts blood flow to muscles and helps “lengthen” connective tissue, improving the range of motion.

What is a myofascial release massage, and how does it differ from other massages?

The MFR technique is somewhat dissimilar to some other types of manual adjustments, including other massage therapy techniques and rolfing, as it is performed for a shorter duration and directly on the skin without oils, creams, or machinery.

MFR, massage, and rolfing incorporate some of the same techniques, but with MFR, there is greater emphasis on specific trigger points, rather than the entire body.

MFR maintains pressure for three to five minutes at a time on a targeted area. It also demands steady pressure to soften and stretch the fascia.

Overall, it tends to be firmer and more targeted (and sometimes less relaxing) than typical massages.

How It Works

Myofascial release therapy involves applying gentle and sustained pressure to the connective tissue using the therapist’s hands. Another way it is characterized is “low load, long duration stretching.”

According to the MFR Treatment Centers & Seminars website, “This essential ‘time element’ has to do with the viscous flow and the piezoelectric phenomenon: a low load (gentle pressure) applied slowly will allow a viscoelastic medium (fascia) to elongate.”

MFR therapists employ a variety of myofascial release techniques and tools, treating each patient uniquely based on the specific symptoms.

Here’s what you can anticipate from an appointment with an MFR therapist, which typically lasts between 30–60 minutes per session in total, including discussions before and after:

1. Initially, your therapist will strive to locate the areas of fascia that seem to be restricted.
2. Tests will be carried out to measure the level of loss of motion or pain you are experiencing.
3. Your therapist will perform hands-on treatment that is slow and gradual. Usually, this takes place in a private therapy room, much like with physical therapy.
4. Ideally, you will continue to be treated weekly or several times per week, for several weeks or even months. The duration depends on your specific condition and symptoms.
5. You might also be instructed to perform myofascial exercises at home between sessions.

In many instances, MFR will be combined with other treatment approaches and remedies for pain management. Some examples include the use of hot or ice packs, stretching, acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and the use of non-prescription pain relievers.

Who Can Benefit

People who can reap the greatest benefits from myofascial release therapy include those with:

• Pain predominantly felt in one area, such as the neck, back, shoulders, hips, or one side of the body
• Physical trauma, such as a fall, car accident, or whiplash
• Chronic injuries
• A history of inflammatory responses that lead to physical limitations
• A history of surgical procedures that result in scarring
• Emotional trauma that causes muscle tension
• Habitual poor posture
• Repetitive stress and overuse injuries among athletes
• Temporomandibular joint disorder pain
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Migraines

You may be a suitable candidate if you grapple with pain and limitations, but the results of standard tests like X-rays, CT scans, electromyography, etc., have not been able to pinpoint a specific physical problem.

Myofascial restrictions are not always straightforward to detect on these tests, but they can still exist and impact your quality of life.

How can you find a qualified myofascial release therapist? 

Treatments are offered by practitioners including osteopathic physicians, chiropractors, physical or occupational therapists, massage therapists, or sports medicine/injury specialists.

Look for a provider who has completed specific myofascial release training courses and has earned a certification.

One of the founders of myofascial release massage is John F. Barnes, PT, LMT, NCTMB, who is regarded as one of the most influential figures in the field of manipulative therapies.

Benefits

1. Helps restore proper body mechanics

MFR treatments focus not only on reducing pain but also on restoring postural and movement awareness to minimize future injuries.

Good posture is crucial for preventing the tightness of tissues that leads to restriction and pressure.

Over time, poor posture can cause parts of the body to be pulled out of alignment, leading to muscular compensations and overuse injuries. This commonly affects parts of the body including the shoulders and hips, in addition to the glutes and back.

2. Helps reduce pain

Myofascial pain is believed to have several primary sources: pain within tight skeletal muscle or connective tissue that is being contracted and pain that spreads outward to a nearby structure that is being deprived of blood supply or subjected to pressure.

MFR treatment is thought to assist in loosening “bound down” fascia so that movement is restored, while also preventing other connected parts of the body from suffering.

There’s evidence that not only can this type of treatment alleviate muscle pain in specific parts of the body, such as the shoulders or back, but it can also diminish symptoms arising from tension throughout the body, such as headaches and neck pain.

3. Enhances strength and performance

Myofascial release massage enables the body to handle stress and impact more effectively, including the types deliberately applied to the body through exercise and strength training.

Sometimes MFR is utilized prior to training to help athletes prepare, or used in combination with other treatments to promote recovery and make other forms of stretching/strengthening more efficacious.

Research indicates that some of the benefits associated with MFR for athletes include improving the range of motion, blood flow, and joint function; safeguarding against injury; reducing soreness; and shortening the recovery time (post-exercise fatigue) after a workout.

4. Improves flexibility

Fascial restrictions have a negative impact on both flexibility and stability, so resolving tight areas of fascia can be an effective means to enhance mobility, the ability to perform daily activities, and the overall quality of life.

5. Emphasizes self-help and patient independence

While it’s not precisely the same as visiting a therapist, you can practice mysofascial release on yourself at home.

How do you perform myofascial self-release? The most popular way to do self-myofascial release is with a foam roller.

Massage balls and sticks are also available, which assist in applying pressure to specific areas of muscles.

Some experts recommend limiting use to about two minutes or less per muscle group, specifically concentrating on muscles that feel tight.

Foam rolling for too long or with excessive pressure can actually reduce the effectiveness (especially if you’re doing it as part of a warm-up before exercise) and start fatiguing your muscle, so keep it brief.

Begin by moving at a consistent tempo of approximately one inch per second while remaining on areas of tension for up to 90 seconds. You should feel your muscle warm up, loosen, and relax.

Risks and Side Effects

When carried out by a trained therapist, this type of manipulative therapy is considered to be very safe. However, it should not be performed on anyone with open wounds, burns, fractured or broken bones, or deep vein thrombosis.

Because some studies suggest it does not work for everyone with chronic musculoskeletal pain, it also should not replace other treatments or doctor’s visits.

Does myofascial release cause pain? Some people report experiencing some discomfort during or after myofascial massage, but it should not be overly painful.

You may temporarily feel sore or have difficulty moving, but this should improve within one to two days.

If you have concerns about getting started, it’s a good idea to speak with your doctor, chiropractor, or orthopedist first. He or she can recommend which type of manipulative therapy is best for your condition and provide you with instructions for practicing self-MFR at home.

Final Thoughts

• What is myofascial release? It’s a type of hands-on/manual therapy technique that focuses on reducing tightness and pain arising from dysfunctional myofascial tissue.
• It targets trigger points or knots, which are inflamed or damaged parts of fascia, a system of connective tissue that wraps, connects, and supports your muscles.
• Myofascial massage benefits may include improving the range of motion, flexibility, stability, strength, performance, and recovery, while reducing pain.
• Trained therapists or doctors typically perform MFR. You can also perform self-myofascial release using a foam roller, balls, or sticks.