Myofascial Release, otherwise known as Myofascial Manipulation, is a whole body soft tissue therapy that aims to help reduce pain and discomfort by targeting the fascial network.
The fascial network is a series of fascial tissues that run throughout the whole body and connect the muscles, tendons, organs and bones together. Physical trauma, injury, emotional trauma, ageing, poor posture and inflammation can all negatively affect our fascial system by building up tension, restrictions and adhesions in the tissue.
Myofascial Release, or manipulation, uses different hands-on techniques to help reduce these restrictions in the tissue, restoring health and fluidity to the fascia. This has a positive physical and mental impact on your body and improves your ability to move freely again without pain.
Myofascial release can help a whole range of problems, injuries or traumas. Here is a non-exhaustive list of the things Ben can treat at Comfort Health.
Your therapist will first take a thorough medical history and chat through what you want to get out of your treatments. They will then assess your movement patterns to identify any fascial restrictions, this can involve recreating pain. Specific points on the body may be palpated to find tense and painful fascia. Once these points are identified a tailored treatment plan is devised for you.
The Fascial Manipulation technique is different to ordinary massage and is normally performed without oil which allows your therapist to feel and work deeper into the myofascial tissues. To return the fascia to its normal state it needs to be heated up and this is done by rubbing the tissue in a specific way. This breaks down the bonds and allows the fascia to move freely again, releasing tension and enabling long lasting change. Movements performed at the beginning of the treatment may be performed again throughout the session to assess any changes in the fascial system.
For chronic problems, a series of myofascial treatments may be recommended to treat the whole body effectively.
Some therapeutic discomfort may be felt during the treatment, but this should only bring positive benefits to the body. It is normal to feel stiff or tired temporarily after your session if you have been holding a lot of tension in your body or have experienced an emotional or physical release. It is also common to have redness and tenderness due to the body’s inflammatory response. Your therapist will provide home care advice to get the most out of your session, including possibly some remedial exercises.
At Comfort Health our fantastic therapist Ben offers 60 minute Myofascial Manipulation appointments. Ben is a highly qualified Massage Therapist, with 20 years of experience, specialising in a variety of therapies from Myofascial Manipulation, Deep Tissue and Sports Massage to Acupuncture. After years of extensive studying and practice, his extensive knowledge allows him to quickly diagnose problems and offer effective treatment.