Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain

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.

Jennifer this is great. I found a wonderful book that supports MFR. It is Forever Painless by Miranda Edmonde-White. It has a general warmup and specific exercise for every body part.
Using the warm up has helped to relieve my hip pain. The slow exercise movements serve to align, lengthen, and strengthen the body. I highly recommend it.

Jennifer this is great. I found a wonderful book that supports MFR. It is Forever Painless by Miranda Edmonde-White. It has a general warmup and specific exercise for every body part.
Using the warm up has helped to relieve my hip pain. The slow exercise movements serve to align, lengthen, and strengthen the body. I highly recommend it.

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.

@jenniferhunter Does MFR help after fushion back surgery. Had generation in my spine, which caused a scoliosis and stenosis in my L-4, L-5 and S1. It was a 9 hour surgery. I'm 6 weeks post-0p and the surgeon wanted me to get off of all my pain medicine. I got off of Oxycodone, but still on Tramadol. Have lots of pain in the morning and continued pain off and on during the day. I am suppose to walk short distances several times a day.

@jenniferhunter Does MFR help after fushion back surgery. Had generation in my spine, which caused a scoliosis and stenosis in my L-4, L-5 and S1. It was a 9 hour surgery. I'm 6 weeks post-0p and the surgeon wanted me to get off of all my pain medicine. I got off of Oxycodone, but still on Tramadol. Have lots of pain in the morning and continued pain off and on during the day. I am suppose to walk short distances several times a day.

I have had 2 sessions so far and the therapist said I should see definite results after 5 sessions. Does this seem copecetic?

@artscaping I took this list from the information on the MFR website. It may be that neuropathy wasn't on this list because there are different types of neuropathy and several causes. The physical causes where nerves are compressed can be helped by MFR if it relieves that compression and re-hydrates the tissues, and gets the body back to better alignment. There are cases where MFR probably doesn't help, and they probably didn't want to give false hope to people with those types of issues. It really does help a lot of conditions, and tissue restrictions can lead to other problems and even possible cancers according to my physical therapist because the waste products and toxins are trapped in dehydrated tissue. Cancer would be a reason to avoid MFR stretching because it can liberate cancer cells and allow them to migrate. John Barnes who invented this therapy about 40 years ago is older himself and stays in pretty good shape because of MFR, so he is an example of what is possible. I know mentor, John Bishop, mentions this discussion a lot and his experience might shed some light on it. Thanks for your kind words. It always helps especially when a person is recovering. As I write this, I am not in pain, but I have limits on how much I can do before my ankle will swell inside the cast. That kind of makes me crazy when that happens and I can't escape, so I stay patient and take it easy. FYI for anyone else just tuning in, I fractured my ankle several weeks ago.