Myofascial Release Therapy is Fascia-nating

Myofascial Release Therapy is Fascia-nating

Man getting Myofascial Release Therapy

The Latin word fascia means "band, bandage, ribbon, swathe." Other words used to describe this connective tissue, which surrounds our muscles, blood vessels and nerves like saran wrap, include "fluid web, weaving, matrix."

However you chose to describe this flexible swathe of tissue, it is important to know the essential role it plays in our bodies.

Fascia is the most abundant tissue in the body, making up 60% of our bodyweight.  It envelopes and isolates each and every one of our muscles, providing structural support and protection. It binds some groups of muscle and fiber together, while allowing others to slide smoothly over each other.

If you've ever skinned a chicken, you've encountered fascia. It's the whitish tissue between the skin and muscle of the meat.  Fasciae (the plural of fascia) are similar to ligaments and tendons, as they are all made of collagen. The tissue can be injured, manipulated and healed.

Imagine fascia as a full-body matrix. Due to its fluid connectivity, it is able to communicate throughout your system, affecting joints, posture, mobility, and even organ function. Therefore, when there is a snag in the web - caused by trauma, poor posture, or biochemical stress - the fluidity of the fascia is disrupted. And this equals pain.

Fascial pain is one of the most undiagnosed problems among patients today. Often disguised as musculoskeletal injury, fascia is overlooked as the cause of acute and chronic pain. Therefore, traditional therapies such as stretching and strength building do not address the fascia. But in order to heal, this connective tissue, which has its own nervous system, needs to be repaired.

Myofascial Release (myo is the Latin word for muscle) is the process of applying gentle sustained pressure to fascial adhesions in order to eliminate pain and restore motion. Myofascial Release is one of the techniques I use in my practice and have seen extraordinary results. When the fascial planes are relieved from compression, it is hard to imagine a condition that will not benefit from this type of massage.

Releasing fascial adhesions allows the fascia to retain its full flexibility, loosening its grip on muscles and freely gliding between fibers. Blood and nutrients can once again reach injured tissues. This not only restores structural support and mobility, but it relieves you from pain.

For more information on Myofascial Release Therapy, visit my website.

Healthyfully Yours
Eugene Wood LMT
NYC Massage