Myofascial Release

Myofascial release is a difficult term to understand because of the many websites and books that talk about it have such varying information on it. No wonder people are confused about it when wondering if they should get a myofascial release treatment or take classes in MFR.

The word Myofascial is a combination of two elements – “Myo” meaning muscle and “fascia” meaning connective tissue. The fascia is one of many types of connective tissue. It covers the muscles and each fiber of the muscle. Fascia creates space in the tissues and is involved in the body’s postural balance, movement and nervous system. It acts as a shock absorber and is involved in inflammation.

There are two different types of myofascial release – direct and indirect. Direct uses just that – direct application of pressure to release the myofascial tissue. Indirect methods use contract/relax methods that gently release the tissue. Many positional release techniques are indirect methods.

There is no accurate info as to who first started using the word myofascial release. The best explanation I found is in the book from Carol Manheim in her book The Myofascial Release Manual.She has a section from Robert Ward an early Osteopath says:

Myofascial Release can be used inclusively to mean any form of soft tissue release work

And that about sums it up right? That of course is only the beginning…

In the early 40’s, Janet Travel referred to myofascial pain but never used the word myofascial release. She worked with myofascial trigger points in a variety of pain syndromes.

The next mention of it supposedly came in 1981 when it was found in the title of a class at Michigan State University and taught by Anthony Chila, DO and John Peckham, DO.

Andrew Still, an early DO in the late 19th century is thought to have used indirect methods of myofascial release.

Carol Manheim also list Rolfing, strain counterstrain (Jones) and soft tissue mobilization to be based on the same myofascial models.

John Barnes has also developed his own version of something he calls Myofascial Release as a result of his own injuries from weight lifting. He teaches classes around the US and is the author of a book on the topic – Myofascial Release: The Search for Excellence–A Comprehensive Evaluatory and Treatment Approach (A Comprehensive Evaluatory and Treatment Approach)

The Research Says

The skeptics and evidence based massage therapists say that there is just no way that anyone can stretch, manipulate, release, lengthen or change Fascia.

Paul Ingram of in his article Does Fascia Matter on www.painscience.com says:
“There is no evidence or any reason to suspect that the state of fascia can be changed even by forceful manual therapy, let alone delicate manipulations. There is no way to think it can be changed gently without faith.

It’s not completely implausible that skilful, gentle manipulations could have an effect on fascia, but there is absolutely no reason to believe it — or believe that it matters therapeutically — just because some massage therapists say it’s so.”

Alice Sanvito on Massage and Fitness Magazine’s article says:

“Many massage therapists and personal trainers believe that they can stretch fascia or break adhesions with manual therapy, foam rollers, or other tools and methods. However, no quality evidence exists to date that says we can stretch or change the shape of fascia in any lasting or meaningful manner. The idea is just implausible.

Although “The Effects of Manual Therapy on Connective Tissue” by Dr. A. Joseph Threlkeld was published in 1992, the information is still relevant. (1) If we talk about the effects of massage and manual therapy on fascia or other connective tissues, we should be familiar with this important paper on the tensile strength of collagen fibers, the primary component of fascia. You can open the document and reference it to the “figures” mentioned in the paper.”

So what is a person to do?  Should you seek out someone giving Myofascial Release sessions?  Should you learn myofascial release?