Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain

Lumbo Sacral Decompression video with John Barnes

Heart Disease and MFR
https://www.massagemag.com/therapeutic-insight-the-john-f-barnes-myofascial-release-perspectiveheart-health-12702/

Problems that MFR helps
https://myofascialrelease.com/about/problems-mfr-helps.aspx
Benefits of Massage-Myofascial Release Therapy on Pain, Anxiety, Quality of Sleep, Depression, and Quality of Life in Patients with Fibromyalgia
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3018656/
Therapeutic Insight: The Myofascial Release Perspective—Depression John Barnes
https://www.massagemag.com/therapeutic-insight-the-myofascial-release-perspectivedepression-8584/
Use Fascia as a Lever John Barnes
https://myofascialrelease.com/downloads/articles/FasciaAsALever.pdf
Therapeutic Insight: The Myofascial Release Perspective—Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Shock
https://www.massagemag.com/therapeutic-insight-the-myofascial-release-perspectivesympathetic-and-parasympathetic-shock-7709/
Therapeutic Insight: The John F. Barnes' Myofascial Release Perspective—Rufus, the Cat
https://www.massagemag.com/therapeutic-insight-the-john-f-barnes-myofascial-release-perspectiverufus-the-cat-12559/
There's the Rub
https://myofascialrelease.com/downloads/articles/TheresTheRub.pdf
Therapeutic Insight: The Myofascial Release Perspective—Myofascial/Osseous Release
https://www.massagemag.com/therapeutic-insight-the-myofascial-release-perspective-myofascialosseous-release-7597/

Myofascial Release and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

TOS causes tingling in the pinky finger from the ulnar nerve. It is a compression in the chest between the collar bone and ribs, or from tight scalene muscles in the neck, and there is a compression point under pectoralis minor in the chest. My Physical Therapist does myofascial release work to stretch the front of my chest and neck, and exercise to strengthen the back and muscles around the shoulder blades. TOS is a positional problem. When you read or type, your head is likely forward and shoulders moved forward which puts pressure on the compression points. Sleeping does this too because of raised arm positions. One test for this is the doctor raises your arm in a bent arm position and checks for your pulse to stop, and also when turning your head. A lot of doctors miss this and don't understand TOS because it's glossed over in med school (per my neurologist). Specialists in TOS are usually at university teaching med centers that treat it (check on website for conditions treated). Mayo is a good place for evaluation of TOS. I am a pine surgery patient who also has TOS.

Here is some information for you about TOS and MFR.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thoracic-outlet-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20353988
https://mskneurology.com/how-truly-treat-thoracic-outlet-syndrome/

Psoas muscle tightness

Fascial restrictions can affect anything in the body and I think it's always worth asking the question of my physical therapist anytime something changes. MFR can prevent health problems that would be caused by compression of something. If you compress a nerve enough there is pain, but eventually as the nerve is affected, the muscle that it served withers away. If you compress a blood vessel enough, it either starves part of the body for the blood and oxygen supply, or it pools fluid somewhere with the potential for blot clots. Blot clots can be serious business if they come loose and move through the circulatory system. The human body was meant to move. MFR can get the body back to normal functioning and reduce pain, and also allow the fluids to circulate through the tissues, not only bringing oxygen, but also removing waste products of metabolism. The blood cells are contained within vessels, and the lymph fluid actually is in contact with the cells of the organs and bring the dissolved oxygen directly to the tissues as it can pass through the capillary walls. The body has a system to return the lymph fluid back into the blood stream.

I do a lot of MFR work myself at home to build on what my physical therapist does in my weekly session. She has explained to me how to do this and you learn the feel of it, so you can actually feel the tight pathways, and also feel when the fascia begins to slide and open up. I would encourage you to do a lot of at home work stretching too. I did some this morning... too much sitting at the computer and my low back hurt because my psoas muscles where tight. They connect from the ilium of the pelvis ("hip bone") to the lumbar spine. I laid on my stomach with 2 small balls, one just inside each ilium and waited, then moved the balls and waited until I had worked through all of it. I also twisted my lumbar spine to the right because my left side is tighter while I was on the balls. I also laid on my right side at the edge of the bed and let my left (top) leg hang off the edge to further stretch that area. I probably spent an hour doing that and it relieved my low back pain. I also have a rubber thing called a Sacro Wedgie that I lay on while on my back. it cradles the sacrum to support it in proper alignment and it just uses my body weight to do it. Then I also can reset my pelvis with a move my therapist taught me. It's common to have alignment issues because the pelvis is jointed and has the ability to shift. I pay attention to the length of my stride when I walk, if it is too short, my leg will not extend far enough behind me, and then it is time to stretch and get it working again. You've probably noticed people with very short strides who walk a very short step.

This is an amazing description of what myofascial release does. I had a double knee replacement a year ago and have had a rough go of it. I’ve withstood a ton of pain in my life, but nothing like rehab for the surgery. With Months on end of no more than two hours sleep, constant pain, as well as aggressive Physical therapy that left me with PTSD, I finally found relief with alternative therapies. Acupuncture and myofascial release has been a god send and just makes sense. My physical pain is subsiding as well as the emotional pain that has been stored in my body. It’s giving me back my life!

@golfshrink That's wonderful that MFR is helping you recover. Surgical scar tissue is something that it helps. I had spine surgery on my neck at Mayo, and I also have thoracic outlet syndrome which is a compression of nerves and vessels between the collar bone and rib cage that affects my arms. My surgical incision was on the front side of my neck close to the TOS issues, and the TOS got worse because of the neck surgery and because I was in a neck brace for a few months, but I've been able to recover well from that and make progress on the TOS with MFR therapy. It's also a learning experience when you overcome chronic pain and the fear that goes with that. You can use the MFR techniques for self treatment on muscles that are hot, hard or tender, and you can prevent joint problems by preserving proper alignment by keeping the muscles functioning as they should. Your therapist can show you some things to do. Thanks for sharing your story.

There is a video on You Tube called "Strolling Under the Skin" that shows living fascia and explains how it moves and is interconnected. The video shows living tissues from surgery at the beginning of a tendon and blood vessels sliding back and forth (which is why I didn't post the link here). The second half shows close up the living fascia which is like a clear spider web moving and explains how it works. For those who are interested, you can always watch the second half of the video.

@jenniferhunter Thanks I will look it up

Does anyone know of a therapist in the Rochester, MN area that specializes in MFP? I'm thinking it will help with lower back ache that I'm guessing is part old age, part osteoperosis and most likely poor posture ☺ I've had it for years but it's better some days and not so other days.