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What Is Myofascial Release Massage Therapy?

Myofascial tissue spreads through your entire body and connects your bones, muscles, and joints, and helps keep your organs in place. It is vital for normal body functioning. When there is a problem in myofascial tissue, we can experience a range of symptoms, including pain, stiffness, and a restricted range of motion.

Myofascial release is a type of massage therapy that aims to relieve pressure and pain from those thick connective tissues that support your muscles. Read on to learn more about myofascial release and whether it could help you eliminate chronic pain.

How Does Myofascial Release Therapy Work?

During myofascial release therapy, a licensed health practitioner applies pressure on targeted areas called trigger points. They gently massage painful areas to locate these trigger points and then apply pressure to them. By easing the tightness and tension from these spots, a therapist is able to reduce pain and other symptoms.

Sometimes these trigger points are far from where a patient actually feels pain. That’s because myofascial release works on a broader network of tissues, so the practitioners have a lot of freedom to try different approaches.

What Are the Benefits of Myofascial Release Therapy?

Myofascial therapy can help with pain in many areas of the body, including arms, back, calves, feet, neck, shoulders, etc. Like other types of massage therapy, it is mainly used in combination with other modalities and not as a stand-alone treatment. 

A single myofascial release therapy usually won’t solve your pain in the long term. However, regular appointments could help you reach a pain-free life.

The benefits of myofascial release therapy are:

  • Reduced soreness
  • Better circulation
  • Improved range of motion
  • Relieved tension
  • Stress reduction
  • Reduced inflammation 
  • Natural healing enhancement
  • Possible sleep improvement

Is Myofascial Release Therapy Safe?

Myofascial release therapy is considered safe. However, the procedure is somewhat painful and has certain risks. It is vital to know your limits and communicate with your therapist so that they don’t cause additional damage to your tissue.

Remember, feeling some pain during the session is normal, but if it’s too intense, let your therapist know immediately, as that is the clear case that something may be off.

Myofascial release therapy can cause bruises, internal bleeding, nerve damage, muscle stiffness, and temporary paralysis in rare instances. However, the chances are minimal when performed by a licensed therapist.

Who Should Avoid Myofascial Release Therapy?

Although it is considered safe, some people shouldn’t try this pain treatment. That includes people with burns, wounds, broken bones, vein thrombosis, or those taking blood thinners. 

Some people also try self-massage techniques to relieve pain. Although that could be beneficial, we would advise against it. Certified therapists take years to develop the ability to identify knots and apply the right amount of pressure. So, an untrained person is more likely to do damage than good.

Where Can I Get Myofascial Release Therapy?

If you are located in Spring, TX, you can get myofascial release therapy at Spring Chiropractic & Rehab. This center has a team of experienced experts, led by Dr. Scott Bolz, who can help you get rid of the pain by administering this massage therapy. Click here to schedule your appointment and rediscover a pain-free life.