Myofascial Release (MFR)

Fascia

Myofascial Release focuses on the fascial system but affects every part of the body. Fascia is a continuous web of connective tissue that connects every cell to all of your other cells. Everything in the body — muscles, organs, nerves, bones, and more — is suspended in and supported by the fascial system. Essentially, the fascia connects, protects, and shapes the human body. 

In its optimal form, fascia is fluid, flexible, and resilient and provides the glide for muscles and tissue to move with ease. The structural component of fascia is a web of hollow microtubules formed by collagen and elastin fibers. The fluid component is a gel-matrix, called ground substance; it flows through every microtubule and fills every space within the web.

Experiencing Myofascial Release

During treatment, you may experience pressure or a slow stretch in the immediate area under the therapist's hands. It's also common to feel sensations in seemingly unrelated areas of the body, maybe the site of an old injury or scar. These fascial connections may or may not make sense to you at the time, but instead of figuring out the sensations, simply feel them. All you need to do is tune in and allow yourself to feel whatever is there.

MFR Principles

 Several methods and tools use the term Myofascial Release but many of them are too harsh; instead of releasing fascia, they tear or overstretch it. There are two fundamental principles of releasing fascia — use no force and engage the barrier for a sustained period.

Restrictions in Fascia

Injuries and trauma (both physical and emotional) create restrictions in the fascial system because the fascia braces to protect the body from harm. This bracing causes areas of the ground substance to become dehydrated, which makes the tissue feel thick, stiff, or hard.

The restrictions can pull in any direction through the whole web and are capable of putting a tensile pressure of up to 2,000 pounds per square inch onto sensitive structures in their path — like joints, nerves, tendons, and blood vessels — resulting in pain, limited mobility, and decreased function.

MFR's Effect on Fascia

 In true MFR, the therapist's hands sink slowly into the tissue until the tissue resists, which we call engaging the fascial barrier. The therapist waits at that barrier for a sustained period, generally a minimum of five minutes.

After the first few minutes, the body begins to release various cytokines (interleukin-8, interleukin-3, and interleukin-1b), which have anti-inflammatory properties. Sustained pressure is critical for releasing these cytokines, and without them, fascia won't release. In essence, these chemicals get the message to the fascia that it's safe to stop bracing to protect.

As a result, the dehydrated fascia melts, and the tissue transitions back to its natural gel-like consistency. Finally, the tension in the web softens, easing the pressure off pain-sensitive structures, allowing natural body processes (e.g., circulation, nerve function, cellular hydration) to return to healthy function, and the pain to subside.