M Y O F A S C I A L   R E L E A S E

What is fascia?

Fascia is tough connective tissue  which spreads throughout the body in a three-dimensional web from head to toe without interruption.  Trauma, incorrect posture or inflammation can cause fascia to tighten or contract, which can lead to pressure on nerves, muscles, blood vessels and organs.  The result is for many people unexplained pain or restriction of motion. 

Myofascial release is the gentle application of sustained pressure into the fascial restrictions.  A firm but gentle pressure allows the tightened fascia to elongate. Muscle is made up of linear cells - in other words they line up in a predictable way, which allows conventional massage, using linear strokes, to release any knots or adhesions.  Fascia by contrast has a 'fractal' structure, so a linear approach is not effective.  By applying slow, deep and gentle pressure, the complex structure of fascia has time to release.

This technique is effective in correcting postural distortion and certain kinds of restricted motion, notably in the shoulders and hips.