The myofascial release consists of a preventive technique for injuries and muscle pain relief. It can be painful for some hours after the procedure. Most people have muscle pain from time to time. But myofascial pain is a continuous or persistent pain that can affect the muscles’ connective tissue or fascia.
With myofascial pain, there are areas called trigger points (muscle contracture knots, acute or recurrent). Trigger points are usually in the fascia or a tense muscle[1].
Myofascial release is a safe and effective treatment to balance the body through proper fascia stretching. Fascia is a continuous network of connective tissues between the skin, muscle structure, and bones below. It covers and connects the body’s organs, muscles, and skeletal system.
The physiotherapist’s myofascial release procedure can be painful (mild to moderate pain) for 24 to 48 hours.
A intense and deep massage are required to release the fascia and musculature. The myofascial release process can facilitate rehabilitation, decrease local tension, and decrease myofascial trigger points.
What is fascia?
Fascia is the thin connective tissue that runs throughout the body, creating an uninterrupted web that supports the bones, organs, nerves, blood vessels, and all the muscles.
Fascia absorbs shock and helps muscles move as part of the myofascial system. As a result, it can accumulate trauma from sudden injuries, damage from repetitive movements, and chronic conditions.
Restrictions in the myofascial tissues are usually attributed to specific points in the body, known as “trigger points,” which can cause pain in other body parts, even in regions that don’t seem directly connected. This is known as referred pain.
Myofascial pain syndrome is more than just muscle discomfort, which everyone experiences occasionally. The discomfort of myofascial pain syndrome will continue to bother you or even worsen long after the known cause has passed. That is, the pain can become chronic.
What is Myofascial Release Therapy?
Myofascial Release Therapy is a therapeutic approach that can be used to treat Myofascial Pain Syndrome. It is a practical technique to relax, stretch, and realign your fascia.
The goal is to relieve pain and restore the full range of motion.
Massage therapists can help with Myofascial Release, which uses sustained pressure to release and stretch the contracted fascia. Cupping therapy is another technique that stretches and stretches the fascia using suction cups.
Myofascial release therapies can help
- Break down adhesions between tissues, softening and realigning them
- Release tensions and knots in muscles
- Allow for easier and more efficient movement
- Reduce pain
- Improve posture
- Relieve areas of muscle tension
- Improve flexibility
- Find myofascial trigger points
Types of Trigger Points – Painful Tight Nodules
There are two main types of trigger points: primary and secondary (or satellite).
If a primary trigger point develops in a muscle, it can restrict the proper movement of that muscle.
If left untreated, other muscles can compensate as your body finds new ways to move around the initial injury.
This compensation can result in a secondary or satellite trigger point in the new muscle being used.
How will I feel after a Myofascial Massage?
Although there are no side effects of Myofascial Release Therapy sessions, for some people, the changes that Myofascial Release Therapy initiates in their body can cause responses that may be unfamiliar and sometimes a bit unpleasant for a day or two.
You may feel tired or relaxed after the myofascial massage. However, most people experience an immediate feeling of relief.
It can be done after exercise and for chronic muscle pain.
Does Myofascial Release hurt?
Muscle aches and discomfort are common for about 24 hours after treatment.
We call this a healing response. Myofascial Release is a natural treatment, but it is also an interesting treatment that can help break the vicious cycle of muscle spasms and recurring pain.
Some people feel a similar sensation in their muscles as they did after a heavy workout at the gym.
Drink plenty of water after the massage to speed up this recovery process.
In some cases, as you experience relief in the original site of pain, you may find that the pain “migrates” to other parts of your body. However, the pain is not migrating. You may feel that way.
The fascia tissue that is thick, adhered, restricted, and tight has many attachment points in the body. Softening and relieving tension in one area generally leads to a feeling of tightness or pain in another. It’s all connected. This is not just something we say.
When working elsewhere in the body, the areas that start to feel tension or pain give us a map of what may need to be treated next.
This shifting and changing of pain and tension indicates the positive impacts of your sessions, as the fascia that was stuck and glued in place at the treatment site is released, and the next area of tension is discovered.
If you are still determining if this treatment is necessary for you, consult your pain specialist doctor.
Physiatrist, M.D. Pain Center of University of São Paulo