After sustaining an injury to muscle and soft tissue, regardless of the cause, it is imperative to address the severity to ensure further damage is not done nor scarring incurred. With minor strains and sprains or even contusions (bruising) often rest and hydrotherapy using ice initially and heat after swelling has gone down will do the trick, but for more intense injuries where tissue damage and scarring has taken place, an approach that helps is known as Myofascial Release Therapy.
What is Myofascial Release?
This technique is a soft tissue therapy used in the treatment of skeletal muscle in order to improve mobility and reduce pain. The manual therapist will identify tight, contracted, or scarred tissue and will engage in the shortening and lengthening of the muscle while applying pressure to the skin to repair immobility, improve circulation, and increase flexibility. The practitioner repeats the process in the same area until the contracted tissue softens, allowing for release of deeper fascial layers until a maximum therapeutic benefit is reached.
What can I expect during a Myofascial Release Treatment?
While each patient is assessed and given an individual treatment plan, the general procedure of Myofascial Release is the same. Be prepared in loose fitting/comfortable clothing as you will be going through range of motions in order to engage the contracted musculature. The practitioner will be using a manual (hands on approach using fingers, hands, knuckles, elbow, etc.) or an instrument/tool to contact the skin. Next the muscle will be contracted (by your practitioner in a passive format or actively on your own) and tension will be drawn, engaging the fascia, taking our any slack in the tissue and pressure will be applied as the therapist glides over the problem area. Try to remain relaxed and breathe. Once a few passes are made, a new area will be challenged. The use of heat prior to treatment and use of ice or other cooling methods may be used after to reduce any inflammation incurred with treatment.
How can it reduce immobility?
By removing the areas of interference (the contracted muscles, trigger points or knots) the skeletal muscle is returned to a more relaxed state where it can move freely through the ranges of motion without limitation. Healthy fibres will be subject to increased flexion and will be at less risk of injury during exercise, sport, or repetitive stress.
How does it relieve pain?
Though the procedure of Myofascial Release can sometimes be painful, it can help reduce pain in the long run as it relieves the strain, unwanted tension, and painful spasms that occur in damaged tissue. By releasing the tight muscle, pressure is removed from the nervous and circulatory system, allowing for reduced pain fibre activation in nerves, improved circulation, and overall better health and wellness as the muscle has an easier time returning to a healthy state without the myofascial adhesion causing dysfunction.
What is Myofascial Release?
This technique is a soft tissue therapy used in the treatment of skeletal muscle in order to improve mobility and reduce pain. The manual therapist will identify tight, contracted, or scarred tissue and will engage in the shortening and lengthening of the muscle while applying pressure to the skin to repair immobility, improve circulation, and increase flexibility. The practitioner repeats the process in the same area until the contracted tissue softens, allowing for release of deeper fascial layers until a maximum therapeutic benefit is reached.
What can I expect during a Myofascial Release Treatment?
While each patient is assessed and given an individual treatment plan, the general procedure of Myofascial Release is the same. Be prepared in loose fitting/comfortable clothing as you will be going through range of motions in order to engage the contracted musculature. The practitioner will be using a manual (hands on approach using fingers, hands, knuckles, elbow, etc.) or an instrument/tool to contact the skin. Next the muscle will be contracted (by your practitioner in a passive format or actively on your own) and tension will be drawn, engaging the fascia, taking our any slack in the tissue and pressure will be applied as the therapist glides over the problem area. Try to remain relaxed and breathe. Once a few passes are made, a new area will be challenged. The use of heat prior to treatment and use of ice or other cooling methods may be used after to reduce any inflammation incurred with treatment.
How can it reduce immobility?
By removing the areas of interference (the contracted muscles, trigger points or knots) the skeletal muscle is returned to a more relaxed state where it can move freely through the ranges of motion without limitation. Healthy fibres will be subject to increased flexion and will be at less risk of injury during exercise, sport, or repetitive stress.
How does it relieve pain?
Though the procedure of Myofascial Release can sometimes be painful, it can help reduce pain in the long run as it relieves the strain, unwanted tension, and painful spasms that occur in damaged tissue. By releasing the tight muscle, pressure is removed from the nervous and circulatory system, allowing for reduced pain fibre activation in nerves, improved circulation, and overall better health and wellness as the muscle has an easier time returning to a healthy state without the myofascial adhesion causing dysfunction.
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