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Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain
What is Myofascial Release (MFR therapy)? How can it relieve pain? Let's discuss how MFR has improved our health and reduced pain and share articles about how MFR works. MFR helps so many different conditions that have compressed tissues, and entrapped blood vessels and nerves. The time to avoid MFR treatment would be if a person has cancer, because in releasing tight tissues, cancer cells could be released and able to migrate through the body.
Myofascial release is a way to stretch the fascial layers that holds our body together. The fascia is connective tissue that forms a web matrix that interconnects everything in the body. It has recently been described as the "Interstitium" or a new organ in the body.
Fascia can be too tight from injuries or surgical scar tissue, and hold the body in poor ergonomics which can lead to nerve compression. Fascia can be stretched or "released" and it will remodel itself by changing from a semi solid to liquid form which brings circulation to an area of compressed tissue which then expands the tissue and circulation, and it enables removal of metabolic waste products. Using their hands, the trained therapist will find the path of fascial restriction in the patient's body and push against it gently in a shearing motion, and wait for the tissue to start to slide. The patient can feel the movement and become body aware. This path of fascial movement can reach the full length of the body and cross over between sides. This path changes as it unravels, and often there is a vasomotor response that can be seen on the skin temporarily as a reddish area where circulation has been restored which is shown on the photo below near the therapist's hands. Treatment must be slow and gentle to prevent the body from guarding in a protective response. This is why aggressive methods to stretch fascia often fail and can cause injuries by tearing the fascia and forming scar tissue that just adds to the problem of fascial tightness.
Fascia also holds tissue memory, and in releasing it, sometimes there is a release of emotions tied to an injury that was a cause of the problem. Stress and injury can cause guarding behavior and tissue tightness that become permanent over time, and MFR and working on emotional health helps a person recover from the physical and emotional effects of stress and trauma on the body.
MFR is helpful to so many conditions that have an underlying physical cause. The physical therapist who developed this treatment method forty years ago is John Barnes. He has developed courses and MFR certifications for physical therapists. There is a lot of information about MFR at myofascialrelease.com as well as directory of therapists treating with MFR. A person may also contact Therapy on the Rocks in Sedona, AZ, and ask for recommendations of therapists who have been trained in the John Barnes Methods. MFR therapy is becoming better known and accepted healing therapy, although there are some doctors who are unaware of the benefits.
I wanted to create this discussion to help organize this information and I thought the Neuropathy group would be a good place to start because someone in pain might look here, but we could have this discussion in many discussion groups. Animals such as dogs, cats and horses have also benefited from this therapy. Hopefully as we collect information here, this discussion can be referenced and shared in the many other discussions on Mayo Clinic Connect.
Here is an incomplete list of conditions that can be helped with MFR treatment.
You may find this list and further information at https://www.myofascialrelease.com/about/problems-mfr-helps.aspx
Back pain
Bladder Problems (Urgency, Frequency, Incontinence, Overactive Bladder, leakage
Birth Injuries
Bulging Disc
Bursitis
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Cerebral Palsy
Cervical and Lumbar spine injuries
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic Pain
Degenerative Disc Disease
Endometriosis
Emotional Trauma
Fibromyalgia
Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)
Herniated Disc
Headaches or Migraines
Infertility
Interstitial Cystitis
Menstrual Problems
Myofascial Pain Syndrome
Neck Pain
Osteoarthritis
Pelvic Pain
Plantar Fascitis
Pudental Nerve Entrapment
Scars (hypertrophic, hypersensitive, painful, burn scars, mastectomy scars)
Sciatica
Scoliosis
Shin Splints
Tennis Elbow
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
TMJ syndrome
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Vulvodynia
Whiplash
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@rwinney Welcome to connect You do have to be your own advocate you know your body better then anyone so glad you spoke up Dr,s don't know everything ,new bugs are coming alive everyday so yes talk to your Dr. that's the only way he knows maybe how to help (I'm on my soap box to others here also. )All drugs have side effects and interaction with others so research them here,s a good website Drugs.com. Take care Hope you post again
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3 ReactionsDoes anyone have a recommendation for an MFR therapist in Rochester, MN?
Unfortunately not. But if anyone in Tucson, AZ needs a recommendation, I have found a wonderful therapist who is doing great work. I just finished my 2nd session, but I posted here that after the 1st session I was already feeling the relief. The day of and day after the procedure my body is still in a state of shock of sorts from all the manipulations. But along with doing home MFR that has been recommended, and helping, I also do the yoga pose where your legs are up the wall, you can literally feel tingles, spasms, and internal heart beats within your body, indicating good blood flow. I have for the first time in several years where I actually can say that I feel good, not just ok, or hanging in there etc. The MFR treatment has caused my small nerve neuropathy in my feet to GO AWAY. For hours on end. I would wake up in morning with feet burning and needles poking, but have had several days of waking up pain free in that respect. I am still taking gabapentum, but feel immediate relief after my session, that I will hopefully be able to lower the dose if this therapy continues to produce positive results and my Dr is on board. I am cautiously optimistic as usual.
Hope this helps those who are considering MFR. I have even seen it posted on Groupon with discounts !!!
Go for it. It’s worth it. Be patient as we all know, as each one reacts differently. Good luck.
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3 ReactionsWow That sounds wonderful for you. Has anyone in the Houston area tried it. I would love to find a good one north of Houston
@peggyn, Good evening. I am happy that you want to try MFR. Here is a link to the page with certified therapists and you can search by city. http://mfrtherapists.com/
I did go to the link and found several. Some may be closer to you than others. All are in the Houston area.
Align Myofascial Release
Expert level. Tanya Torres
Nassau Bay, Houston 77058
(936) 244-0095
Riverbed Myofascial Release
Novice level Janice Paige Allenheim
Serving Houston, Katy, Pearland
Houston Myofascial Release
Advanced level Tommy Brooke
2400 Augusta Dr. Ste 356
Houston, 77057
(832) 489-1950
Hopefully one of these practitioners will be a good choice for you. I would love to know which one you chose. If you can share your experience with us that would also be just super. Have a restful sleep. Chris
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1 ReactionThank you so much.. I actually live north of Houston In The Woodlands Tx. All of these are very far away and I am not able to drive on the Freeway anymore. Are there any in that area or how can I find out??
@peggyn The myofacialrelease.com website lists the MFR therapists who have trained with John Barnes who pay for the listing on the website. You can also call Therapy on the Rocks in Sedona, AZ which is the clinic of John Barnes and ask for names of therapists who have trained there. This is from my physical therapist who has expert level MFR training, but isn't listed there. Here is the link http://therapyontherocks.net/
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1 ReactionDo you know if this has helped anyone with pain and burning in the feet?
@peggyn If you go to page 2 in this discussion, Chris Trout @artscaping has a post about numbness and pain in her feet and getting feeling back from myofascial release and that she can feel her feet again to be able to drive. MFR can bring back circulation to dehydrated tissue and possibly help heal it. That might be different for different people. My experience is with physical causes of nerve pain, and I've had good results.
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3 ReactionsHi. Yes it has helped me tremendously. I’ve had 2 MFR sessions and within 2 days after 1st treatment, I had very little neuropathy and the pins and needles that go with it. I also compliment the therapy with a pose where you put your legs up against the wall. Your legs are vertical as you lay on the ground. With your legs elevated, the blood and lymph nodes will use gravity and will provide relief by not having too much fluid in your lower extremity of legs. Drain if you will.
It usually takes more than one session to get additional relief, but I highly recommend trying this therapy. Good luck !!
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