Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain

Thank you for this post! I also find Essentrics movement helps.
Take a look at Essentrics.com
There is a lot to unpack and learn on this website and I would recommend sharing this information with your therapists or doctors to see if it is right for you.

Many on this site, myself included, need to be diligent in making sure, we move towards health by carefully moving forward under the direction of our health professionals.

That said, Essentric movement is another tool in the toolbox that may help us find relief.
Essentrics movement is what occupational therapist often recommend.

Essentics has movement programs for all ages and levels of activities. Books, CD’s, live classes locally, streaming. I personally have used the paid $15 monthly subscription service that is month to month and can be canceled at any time, however Amanda teaches on PBS weekly as well.

Gentle full body workout that combines dynamic strengthening and stretching.

Site is worth a look simply for education on facia and connective tissue, pain relief etc.
TS

Hi,
Yes, Myofascial release is beneficial. Have you tried Strain-Counter Strain therapy? Again, finding a therapist who is trained in it. I feel using both together helps me with my pain. Drug-free

Have a good day.

Hi -- no I have not and will ask about it at PT today! Thanks! I might have had a functional doctor introduce this early on after this traumatic accident, but I did not stick with it if she did. Several hospitals and therapists at that time. I am living proof that the body wants to heal!

I am also going to look into ART Active Release Therapy again. I used it before my micro disc on L2/L3 in 2014, but I had surgery as pain became too great.

Hi,
Myofascial Release is very helpful; I have had it for 25 years. The article was very nice, so many people don't know. Things are changing regarding physical therapies, and it is a blessing.

Strain Counter-Strain is another modality that they use in physical therapies. It truly can help with pain.

Blessings

Ha, I missed the second half of my thought. I will blame the dogs! Besides all of the stuff I do, named above, I have added MFR. What a difference! It has helped immensely where I have injured myself, and the resulting injuries from compensating. @sassytwo mentioned working back from the position of the injury, absolute brilliance on that PT's thought process. Some people just see the injury, and not the tangental trauma from that injury. My foot/ankle are week, because I severely dislocated my knee, and multiple dislocations following, thus I spent a loooonnng time on crutches and have a weak ankle and foot. I recently had MFR there, I can not wait to do it again.

@jfn I'm right there with you. I had a compound bimaleolar ankle fracture a few years ago. It was a fracture, dislocation and sprain, and I came home with a cage on the outside of my ankle that was screwed into the tibia in front. That was to let the swelling go down before the surgery to fix it. With no weight bearing for 8 weeks, my other leg became a super leg. I was scooting up the stairs on my rear and standing up at the top on my good leg from a squat.

I quite often have pain in the ligaments on the outside of my injured foot. I have figured out that the muscle imbalance between the weak side of the injured leg and the stronger side creates pressure on the ligaments. I started doing all the MFR I could figure out to release the tension. It has taken me a few years, but I figured out that the scar tissue was pulling from the scars on the tibia where the cage was attached and pulling through the ankle joint that was causing my ankle to collapse now and then when I took a step. I worked on that fascia too, and it has stopped the weakness and collapse when I step forward off my foot. That is a major improvement, and along with that, I've been trying to strengthen the injured leg and rebuild the muscle. I'm hoping that my strength and endurance will continue to improve while I maintain better movement. Ankle fractures can be a tough recovery. I do well walking on solid ground, but walking on uneven ground or mud where I need to stabilize causes fatigue and pain and kind of kicks up the sprain injury.

You are right about instability in joints affecting other joints in the leg. My physical therapist says that a lot. If the hips and pelvis are out of alignment, it puts pressure on the knee and over time, this can create a need for a knee joint replacement. I have custom orthotics to support my feet and ankle joints.

I'm glad MFR helps you. It really is a good tune up strategy for life long fitness.

Jennifer

MFP is a life savor for me! It works wonders on sciatica, and any area of concentrated pain.
I’ve been seeing my therapist since 1992. He does a maximum of 2 sessions with you. I leave there feeling well, and with instructions on the exercises necessary to prevent future issues.
Once every year or so I find myself back in his office.

@kensiejames That’s good to hear. I do a lot of self treating at home to maintain what my therapist has done for me. Every now and then a tweak from your MFR therapist helps get you back on track.

Jennifer

But I don't see "muscle spasm" on the list and that is quite different from the other maladies mentioned. But thank you for the info. might be useful for some people...Susan

@ksdm Susan, I think MFR may help. A muscle spasm is a contracted muscle and it's tight. The spasm could also be happening from fascial tightness if that is compressing a nerve that feeds that muscle as it passes through very small spaces in the body. The list was compiled by John Barnes (I think), but probably isn't all inclusive. I've got tight knotted muscles that I've had in my neck for years. Sometimes those do need more aggressive deep tissue massage (like pushing on it with rocks or sticks), and MFR can help maintain the progress made.

Jennifer