Too often treatment is focused on the elimination of

the symptom of pain and not the origin of the pain.

When both the pain and dysfunction are treated at the
same time, the recurrence of the problem is less likely.
Myofascial Release is a powerful technique that treats
soft tissue dy function that does not respond to other
more traditional methods of treatment. Myofascial
Release should /lot be used exclusively. It is another
option in the therapist's proverbial "bag of tricks" that
allows more effective treatment of complex pain
complaints and helps patients avoid future re-injury
due to asymmetrical soft tissue stressed.

 Fascia as a balloon: Imagine all of the fascia in the body to b a

partially filled balloon with out-pouchings that hou e the various
organs and muscles. When the body i in optimal alignment, the
fascia-balloon can easily cover all body parts without reaching
maximum tretch. When the body is not in optimal alignment, the
fascia-balloon can still do its job up to a critical point.Then if one area
of the fascia-balloon has reached its maximum expansion and still
cannot cover its assigned body part, the rest of the fascia-balloon
must shift toward that part. This distortion of the fascia-balloon
causes another body part to be compressed by the wall of the fasciaballoon covering it. As the remaining areas of the fascia-balloon try to
maintain even pressure on all body parts/ the fascia-balloon becomes
fully stretched, and no further accommodation can be made. The
parts that can be compressed will sustain maximum compression to
compensate for those structures that cannot be compressed. The
only way the body can remain upright agairtst gravity is to adopt
more postural asymmetries. Treatment using Myofascial Release
decreases the postural asymmetries and relieves the stress on the
fasciaballoon. As posture becomes more symmetrical, the fasciaballoon regairts its flexibility, and compression of body parts is
eliminated.

 Myofascial Release may be used inclusively to

mean any form of soft tissue release work.
A mechanistic interpretation of Myofascial
Release highlights an "indirect"
operatorinduced procedure designed to move
away from restrictive barriers. As a technique,
the term Myofascial Release has been used to
describe both indirect and direct release
procedures designed to directly stress firmly
apparent movement barriers that typically
occur in three-dimensionally related patterns.

 Myofascial Release is a highly interactive

stretching technique that requires
feedback from the patient's body to
determine the direction, force, and
duration of the stretch and to facilitate
maximum relaxation of tight or restricted
tissues. yofa ciaI Release recognizes that
a muscle cannot be isolated from other
structures of the body. Fascia covers all
structures of the body, including muscles
and their individual myofibrils. Therefore,
all"muscle stretching" is actually
stretching of myofascial units.

 Myofacial Release is a passive stretching

technique in the sense that the patient is
not actively contracting any muscle to
stretch the tightness or restriction. The
patients role as the leader is to lie on the
treatment table, focus on the sensations
from his body, and allow his body to direct
the therapist's treatment. The patient
must allow his body to move without
inhibiting the movement. The patient
must be actively passive and introspective
instead of trying to rationally lead the
therapist.

Defining Characteristics
When using this unique stretching technique, the therapist must
understand the fundamentals of Myofascial Release and its defining
characteristics:
Fascia covers all organs of the body.
Muscle and fascia cannot be separated.
All muscle stretching is myofascial stretching.
Myofascial stretching in one body area will be felt and will affect that and
other body areas.
Release of myofascial restrictions can affect other body organs through a
release of tension in the greater fascial system.
Myofascial Release can alter body malalignment if the structures are not
fixed by bone remodeling.
Progress is measured by improvement in postural symmetry, reduction of
subjective pain complaints, and increased fluidity of movement.
Myofascial Release is generally more comfortable than other stretching
techniques.
Treatment using Myofascial Release changes constantly in response to
feedback.

When using Myofascial Release, the therapist

assumes a different therapeutic view and
must:
Accept the patient and the patient's physical
status as normal for that patient.
Focus all attention on th patient and on the
tactile feedback from the patient's body.
Allow feedback from the patient's body to
guide treatment.
Act as a facilitator and not an authority figure.
Work with the patient, not on the patient.
Accept goals that do not necessarily reach the
theoretical ideal.

Assumptions
When using Myofascial Release, the therapist must make the following assumptions:
1. The techniques of Myofascial Release work even though the exact mechanism is not
fully understood.
2. Utilizing the feedback from the patient's body, the therapist can find and effectively
stretch tightness and restrictions that cannot be detected and treated using any other
technique.
3. Asymmetrical soft tissue tightness and restrictions can cause pain proximal to or
distal to the area of the actual dysfunction.
4. Myofascial Release removes tightness and restrictions that impede efficient
movement.
5. As long as the therapist can locate and treat tightness and restrictions in the
patient's body, the actual structure of the restriction does not have to be known.
6. Pain patterns that do not follow known dermatomes must be transmitted through
and by the fascia.
7. Like trigger point pain radiation, fascial pain patterns are reproducible and
predictable.
8. When there is a conflict between what the therapist feels with what the therapist
sees, what is felt is more accurate.
9. When what the patient says is happening is different from what the therapist feels,
what is felt is more accurate.
10. Myofascial Release is a safe technique that prevents inadvertent over-stretching of
the soft tissues of the body when feedback i accurately monitored.
11. The therapist can be equally effective treating patients with long-term and shortterm compIe pain patterns using Myofascial Release.

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