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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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There is no mention of peripheral neuropathy in the link provided above, myofacialrelease.com, or even tarpal tunnel.
Thank you for taking the time to enlighten me.
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1 ReactionHi, Jennifer: Do you know if Barnes' myofascial release techniques can be used on people who have osteoporosis? Mine is advanced, but I am on a med to build back bone -- Tymlos. I also have lumbar spinal stenosis. I have been told by two reputable physical therapists that techniques to treat the stenosis are quite the opposite of what's good for osteoporosis. My instinct is that a great number of my back and leg pain problems stem from fascia issues and a torqued pelvis, so I am interested in myofascial treatment. But I am also wary of the possibility of fracture. I am not seeing literature on myofascial release & osteoporosis. Do you have any knowledge in this area? Thanks for any help you can give!
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1 ReactionIt's a very gentle technique.
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2 Reactions@randymorU have back and calf pain. The calf pain keeps me up, at night. What can I do for this jam curently using Salonpas to reduce the pain.
@bayhorse When I asked my doctor about myself having some osteopenia in the neck of the femur, his response was you need to stress it to cause more bone growth, and they recommend weight bearing exercise. With osteoporosis, the bones have progressed to being thinner. If that was really severe, there would be a lot of things that could pose a risk.
I was able to find this journal which talks about a couple of case studies of elderly people with osteoporosis undergoing myofascial release.
https://journals.lww.com/jgpt/citation/2002/25030/myofascial_release_as_complementary_in_physical.27.aspxThere is a button on the left side to download the PDF version (free) which will be bigger so you can read it. This talks bout MFR improving their posture and balance which is good for fall prevention. MFR isn't really very different than a massage, and the therapist just holds the stretch instead of continuing to move. You might ask your osteoporosis specialist who is treating you if you can do this. I know it is so easy to cause a spine compression fracture with severe osteoporosis because my mom did that by doing nothing.
MFR is a gentle stretch. Your doctor may not be familiar with it. You may want to find an MFR provider, pose the question to them, and then you can ask your doctor. Your doctor may be able to talk to the therapist to clear this for you to do. You may be able to improve posture, balance and your proper ergonomic body movement, and I would think it would be beneficial, but I'm not a doctor. Since your osteoporosis is severe, you should get clearance from your doctor. You can search for an MFR therapists at this link:
http://mfrtherapists.com/
Jennifer
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2 ReactionsThanks much for your good advice and the links. I am sure my doctor knows nothing about MFR. But I have located an MFR practitioner here and will contact her to ask about treating patients with osteoporosis.
Sending you all best regards!
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3 ReactionsHi @jenniferhunter
I had a top orthopedic surgeon as a result of being a somewhat decent athlete. When I broke a bone (or 10), it was recommended that I drink a smoothie with fresh bananas, oranges, and yogurt. This helps the bones heal, and then resistance training, when healed. I work very hard to make sure that I strengthen my bones and body's (way too many) weak points. I am doing all of this with the understanding I am fragile.
JFN
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3 ReactionsGood evening @bayhorse, and hello to my colleague @jenniferhunter. I just thought it might be helpful if I shared with you my experience with Osteoporosis, MFR, and Tymlos. My progressive SFN (small fiber neuropathy) has been treated by MFR in two sessions a week for the last few years including the two years I was having Tymlos injections daily. I do not recall any recognizable interference. Tymlos was not a problem for me and I had no side effects. MFR sessions were increased to twice a week with two MFR therapists . They were both aware of my level of osteoporosis.
Do you have specific questions or areas of concern? Please let me know about them and I will respond based on my experience. As I reflect on the actual treatment, I realize that I never worried about the possibility of a fracture.
MFR enhances my life, by giving me relief from the pain and discomfort of SFN.
May you be safe, protected and free of inner and outer harm.
Chris
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6 ReactionsHappy to see this post.
I was referred to a physical therapist who specialized in Myofacial release after a head on collision in 2001. The PT put me in the position I was most likely in at time of the accident and “unwound” me. It was an amazing experience and I became a MT!
Great if you can find a PT who specializes in Myofacial for insurance purposes or have a doc write you a script and look for a MT that takes insurance.
Medicare and some insurance carriers will pay for massage if progress is made. Both PT’s and MT’s can be trained in this modality but you may have to search for this specific skill set!
Thanks for posting this!
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3 Reactions