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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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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.
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2 Reactions@abmjr Thank you for the book suggestion. I've been receiving MFR for the past year and am interested in doing more at home.
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1 Reaction@abmjr Thanks for the tip! I will need to look for that book. I'm glad that it helps you. MFR becomes a way of living and not just something at an appointment. Once you learn it, you can help yourself as need arises. Thanks again for the suggestion.
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1 Reaction@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.
Hi Jennifer. I would give myself some more time to heal. I have a long fusion, T4-L3, which was done decades ago. These days, after having years of various bodywork therapies, I have regular sessions with an MFR therapist using the John Barnes method. It causes no pain and gives me relief from body traumas (surgeries), scar tissue, and spinal stenosis. Good luck!
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1 Reaction@lilypaws That is a good question. I think MFR can help because it helps break up surgical scar tissue, but I also know from my own experience that 6 weeks postop is a bit soon to start doing MFR after major surgery. Your sutures take about 6 weeks to heal completely from what I was told by my spine surgery team. The fusion takes longer to heal too, and my cervical fusion was beginning at 3 months post op as shown by X rays. I was permitted some physical therapy for some breathing issues (related to my thoracic outlet syndrome) before 3 months, but working on my neck was off limits until the vertebrae started to fuse. My rehab and MFR really began at about 4 months post op. You are probably still under surgical restrictions for lifting, twisting and bending and for good reason because those would exert forces on your spine. MFR can also exert forces against bone and muscle depending on where the therapist directs it, and of course, any physical therapy must be approved by your surgeon. You can look for a MFR therapist now so you will be ready when you get clearance. I remember I felt frustrated by pain too at 6 weeks and had to be patient. Your surgery was bigger than mine and working on the lower end of the spine is a longer recovery because it us bearing most of your body weight and fusions can fail for various reasons, so it's important to be careful. I have had to be patient also because of my current ankle fracture and I've been in pain for the last 2 months and this was a lot more painful than my spine surgery and I am still in my cast and not yet ready for rehab. I have realized how difficult it is to be disabled and try to move around the house, and it is very tiring. Hang in there, it will get better!
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4 ReactionsI have had 2 sessions so far and the therapist said I should see definite results after 5 sessions. Does this seem copecetic?
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1 ReactionHello again @bustrbrwn22, I want to make sure I understand. You are seeing an Expert MFR Therapist. She feels that it will take 5 sessions. I think that is reasonable. Sometimes, my therapist is able to relieve the restriction completely, and sometimes, it will take 3 sessions because of the layers of fascia to be released. There are some areas that may need a little maintenance work every week to keep the area free of the tangly fascia.
It is interesting to watch an MFR therapist decide where to start. They observe your body or ask you to walk up and down the corridor with an without shoes. The clues are there to the trained eye. My feet need to be done every week so I can drive safely. I also do feet, neck, and other areas at home with props that help define the area, relieve the pain and keep the fascia under control.
Good luck with your sessions. In what areas are you working now? Please let us know how it goes.
Be safe and protected from inner and outer harm.
Chris
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1 Reaction@jenniferhunter I have so enjoyed reading everything you have posted about MFR. An injury to my back in early March and ensuing pain was dismissed by the PT I was seeing following knee replacement surgery in February. I finally spoke to my surgeon, who sent me to a physiatrist, and an MRI showed endplate compression fractures at L4 and L5, a bulging disc at L4-L5, severe stenosis at L4-L5, and mild stenosis at L3-L4. Two lumbar injections are not providing the relief either my physiatrist or I had hoped for, and I keep thinking “If I could just get everything to relax and stretch out, maybe my poor spine, butt, hamstrings, and calves could figure out how to be normal again.” I definitely do not want a typical PT experience, so I located therapists in my area trained in the John Barnes’ MFR method, had a wonderful conversation with a therapist, and hopefully have a first appointment in a couple of weeks. Thank you for all your thoughtful, detailed, and informative posts.
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2 ReactionsDoes anyone have soreness and pain after MFR treatments? I have been going to a physical therapist for MFR for 14 months now to try and help, or shall I say maintain, use of my body from Small Fiber Polyneuropathy. I rotate weekly from upper body to lower body. My legs have weakness. My quads flare with tightness and cease up sometimes. They have a mind of their own regardless of stretching and it still takes a day or two after MFR for them to be less painful. Also. my legs may wake up aching terribly or after a treatment. Same goes for my upper body, shoulders, arms and hands. I just wonder if others continuously have these problems. I have let my therapist know if he is applying too much pressure but, still, I feel like I should be over the hump by now. Any input would be valued. Thanks a bunch.
Rachel
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