← Return to Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain

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@helennicola

I’m surprised that I never heard of it before now, having been to many P/T’s over the years but I guess there are always new trends in healthcare and everyone respond differently; I had plantar fasciitis 3 yrs. ago and was told by my foot dr. that the fascia had stretched due to overuse of an elliptical machine and that is what was causing the pain which after 1 yr. was resolved with a steroid injection.I also had gone to a “rolfer” in Ca. prior to a hip replacement which was quite painful but had excellent results lasting for almost 1month when I could not walk w/o pain prior. I found dry needling to be of no help, and trigger point therapy to work but again, too painful. I have found someone in my area who performs the MFR type of P/T and think he could be helpful to my husband who has back issues. Thanks again for your input.

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Replies to "I’m surprised that I never heard of it before now, having been to many P/T’s over..."

@helennicola You're welcome. The John Barnes MFR has been around for 40 years. Sometimes health care is just slow to accept something that prevents problems and doesn't involve drugs. The medical community in the last few years announced a "discovery" of the new organ they called the "interstitium" which is the fascial system. It is a semi liquid that converts between solid and liquid and also conducts electricity and stores tissue memory. There can be an emotional release with the regained function and maybe that wasn't accepted because it isn't just a mechanical tissue. It's a net that stretches different ways like a Chinese finger game that locks around your finger. My physical therapist says that plantar fasciitis actually starts with tightness in the leg or hip that pulls down to the feet causing pain. Hammer toes happen that way too according to my mom's podiatrist from the tightness of the path of the connective tissue. I had plantar faciitis for about a year and did a lot of stretching and relieved it. It might be your hip replacement that was involved, and the scar tissue from the surgery tightened the fascia. I get tightness in my neck from my surgical scar for spine surgery and I keep loosening it. A lot of PTs hand off to assistants who work with the patient, but my PT is a hands on person who does all the manual work herself and I have sessions that are all manual therapy instead of prescribed exercise routines. I can do strengthening exercises myself at home, but I can't do all of the releases she does in the clinic by myself. It takes more time for a therapist to do this and they can't supervise multiple patients at the same time in the name of profit, but it's the good ones who work this way.