Myofascial Release (MFR)

Ruth Duncan provides an overview of myofascial release (MFR), a physical therapy used to help alleviate chronic and acute pain and dysfunction.

What is it?

MFR is a manual physical therapy that treats pain, tension and dysfunction. Myo means ‘muscle’ and ‘fascia’ is the connective tissue network.

Fascia is a three dimensional network that extends without interruption from the top of the head to the tips of the toes. It is a tensegrity network that is in constant tension and compression in order to retain function and balance. This network supports the bones, muscles, organs and vessels right down to the cellular level.

Fascia is responsible for maintaining structural integrity, providing support and protection, and acting as a shock absorber. The network has an essential role in hemodynamic and biochemical processes; provides the medium that allows for intercellular communication; and after injury, creates an environment for tissue repair.

Fascia, like muscle, has the ability to contract and relax but, unlike muscle, fascial restrictions creep insidiously throughout the entire network affecting the tension and function of many anatomical structures, eventually creating the pain that we call symptoms. These symptoms include muscular strains, trigger points and joint dysfunction.

‘Bodies are conservative; they take time to change’ Ida Rolf

Application of MFR

MFR offers the same benefits as massage but also goes beyond and targets structural imbalances within the fascial network. There are many different views as to the application of the approach, all with benefits.

MFR includes (but is not limited to):

• Strumming, stripping and skin rolling (myofascial mobilisations) • Soft tissue release • Trigger point therapy • Craniosacral therapy • Bowen therapy • Rolfing® • Hellerwork • Active release therapy® • Structural integration.

Some myofascial therapies treat certain aspects of the fascial strain pattern in order to obtain change within the entire network. Trigger point therapy is one of these approaches, as it targets the fibrous build up in the soft tissue that creates the referred pain pattern. However, a trigger point manifests due to fascial strain, therefore just deactivating the trigger point will produce limited results unless the entire network is treated.

Soft tissue therapy, Rolfing®, Active Release Therapy (ART)® and structural integration treat the muscular and connective tissue systems in order to create change. Connective tissue is the specialised fascia around the muscular system, which some call the deep fascial network. These therapies aim to change the entire network by using the muscular system as handles to access the entire fascial web.

Craniosacral therapy and energy work, such as reiki and shen, use the dural system and energies of the body in order to catalyst change within the entire fascial network. It could also be said that the talk therapies such as hypnotherapy, gestalt and psychotherapy aim to change attitudes and negative belief systems that can allow the release of emotional strain and tension throughout the network, so that cellular memory can then change and adapt accordingly.

The term MFR is eclectic; it is a very broad term with many sub domains and whilst we can say it is predominantly a physical therapy, as the human body is spiritual, emotional and physical, change can also occur from many different sources. However, the main aim is to maintain and progress these changes.

Many therapists say that they do MFR but they may only offer one technique such as the myofascial mobilisations of skin rolling, strumming and stripping, or they may use an approach that treats a certain aspect of the entire structure. This is technically not a misrepresentation of their skill. They are indeed doing a myofascial approach but

true MFR treats more than just muscle; it treats the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of an injury.

‘Find the pain and look elsewhere for the cause’ John F. Barnes

Benefits of MFR

MFR is not using talk therapy to access the physical but using the physical to help change negative beliefs and attitudes. An MFR therapist uses skills from craniosacral, soft tissue and other manual approaches. but is also taught to feel beyond muscle and bone into the delicate fibres of the fascial web where cellular memory lives. In releasing fascial strain patterns, muscle can relax, bones can realign, attitudes can change and structural balance and function can return.

Fascia is predominantly made of the protein, collagen, which means glue producer so therapists should feel for this glue-like texture which, when dense, thick or hard, defines a fascial restriction. True MFR is very different to that of massaging muscles, tendons and the ligaments of the body. Therapists are patient, waiting for the fascia to yield and release, allowing their hands to be fluid in applying the pressure and to slowly move though each and every fascial restriction. The time element is a vital factor; fascia cannot be forced, as it will naturally meet that force in return. Therefore, the MFR therapist provides a sustained, gentle pressure for a minimum of 90 to 120 seconds, allowing the fascia to elongate naturally and return to its normal resting length, restoring health, and providing results that are both measurable and functional.

About the author:

Ruth Duncan is an advanced MFR therapist. She trained in the USA with John F. Barnes who is a pioneer in MFR. Ruth assists on John’s workshops as well as running her own MFR treatment centre in Glasgow along with three other advanced MFR therapists. Ruth also offers MFR workshops to healthcare professionals around the UK.

For further information on MFR, please visit www.myofascialrelease.co.uk

Picture: MFR UK