What is Myofascial Release (MFR)?
Myofascial release (MFR) is a gentle to firm form of bodywork that re-hydrates and re-balances the structure of the body, the fascia. This engagement is always adjusting depending on what your therapist hears and observes in the wider system of the body and electromagnetic field of the body.
Myo in Latin means muscle, and muscles can be thought of as bundles of multi-fiber fascia. Fascia is the strong and pliable connective tissue found under our skin that encases the entire body and threads through the body like a three-dimensional, fiber-optic web. You can think of fascia as every membrane in our body down to the cell. Through this web of fascia weave other sensitive structures such as blood vessels and nerves. Through the threads of the web should flow fluid, and the web itself is supported by fluid. Restrictions within the fascia cause tourniquet effects that restrict flow of fluid causing varying levels of dehydration. The dehydration slows down conductivity of light and energy through the body.
Our myofascial system has amazing intelligence and memory and is always communicating through all of the systems of the body whether through our electromagnetic field that rides on the waves of healthy fascia, or through the incredible balance of elements in our bodies that regulate sodium, sugar levels, hydration, energy to name a few. When our fascia is healthy, it supports, stabilizes and protects us, allowing us to enjoy vitality and movement.
As fascia protects us from harm, it as a living organism can only take so much before it begins to signal to us to ease up or cease. Unfortunately, many of us have been made to believe we have no control over the pace of our lives, and no ability to make changes. Change therefore becomes “just one more thing we need to do”. In this practice, we offer gentle changes, sometimes bigger changes which invites you to re-consider, muse about decisions made perhaps a long time ago, whether those old decisions still work for your life at present, and how you might like to re-prioritize, shift, integrate, re-integrate.
Restrictions within the fascia set in through stress, micro-trauma, trauma. Birth can be joyful, and it is a trauma in and of itself on the spectrum. We all have some level of restriction from that time and our bodies can do very well in spite…until at some point, our tipping point is reached and we find we are struggling more and more. Other traumas are smaller, micro, repetitive such as learning how to dribble a basketball or hit a tennis ball. And other traumas are bigger such as a car accident, sports injury, bad fall, recovering from surgery, how medications may affect the unique chemistry of each persojn. All of these traumas can eventually culminate in that tipping point where stiffness appears, pain appears, we push through, until we are no longer able to.
Through Myofascial release, you will regain the ability to unwind restrictions through the support of hands-on work and gently learn how to care for this unique organ/system of fascia. The process will allow you to shift from trying to fix ourselves, to allowing our bodies to show us what it needs for us to move through an experience and reorganize at a higher level.
Some signs that fascia is in dysfunction is when you go on your walk or your run and it feels like you are moving through mud or even cement. It feels like a strait-jacket on an area of the body and frozen shoulder is an example of the strait-jacket. Loss of range of movement is an example of the strait-jacket. Cramping and spasms are other signs.
How often should I receive MFR? And how long will it last?
Each person is unique in when they find this modality, how dense their system of fascia is. Some clients will know right away that this is what they want to incorporate as part of their overall health and wellness program while others can get attached to expectations of miracles from just one treatment.
We invite you to let go of miracles and expectations and simply be in the process of unwinding stress, trauma, scars whether physical or psychological, accidents, even postural imbalances you may have had from your early adolescent years, and postural imbalances that you may have accrued from the ways you have used your body+mind+spirit. When we let go of expectations, it allows for more possibilities to appear versus how expectations can strangely create limiting beliefs.
When we meet, we will assess and begin to soften the armoring, the bracing, and the holding that has gotten tighter over time. Each treatment session is different because your body will undergo change. Here are some guidelines:
As a new client, we ask that you book at minimum, 3-5 weekly appointments to release the armoring and give us an opportunity to work deeper into the web of fascia. Preferably, 10 treatments will allow you to see even better benefits, releasing deeper restrictions still. Each session, your therapist will check in to see how your system is holding on to the re-balancing and re-education, and where restrictions in other areas may be pulling you back into dysfunction. We will offer self-care exercises to practice between treatments which will change over time as your system changes. Self-care is an important component in our work together as it empowers you to understand what you can do for yourself when away from your therapist.
If a client has been experiencing chronic, debilitating pain for years and perhaps decades, the recommendation would be for weekly treatments for up to 10 weeks, possibly up to 15 weekly treatments as the therapist’s schedule allows.
If a client is wanting more treatment than 10-15 weekly treatments before moving to a biweekly or monthly frequency, we recommend communicating with your therapist who can help with feedback.
If you feel you cannot wait and want to go much faster through treatments, you can look into a 2-week intensive at one of the John F. Barnes Myofascial Release Treatment Centers. Please note that you will need to contact each of the clinics to see what availability looks like. Each clinic does their own scheduling. And the fee for service is $280 an hour.
Arizona: Therapy on the Rocks
676 N State Rte 89A, Sedona, AZ 86336
(928) 282-3002Pennsylvania: The Myofascial Release Treatment Center
(aka The Sanctuary)
42 Lloyd Ave A, Malvern, PA 19355
(610) 644-0136
How long will MFR last?
Results differ based on the client’s type of fascia and how it is restricted and how you use or do not use your body. In general, even a single treatment can last for 1-2 weeks where you may benefit more ease or less pain. Sometimes, 3 weekly treatments can last a few months.