Myo Fascia release

Inflexibility stems from connective tissue known as fascia.  Fascial tissue consists of plastic like sheets that cover the muscles and muscle fibres and that come together at the ends of muscles to form tendons, which in turn attach muscles to bones.
 
In a well balanced body, fascial tissue is loose and moist, but under continual stress and lack of movement, it becomes rigid and loses fluidity.  Layers of fascia begin to glue together, causing the muscular "knots" familiar to so many people.  The sheaths of fascia stick together in a systematic way based on habitual patterns of lack of movement.
 
Because of the way in which fascial tissue throughout the body is interconnected, stress in any one area of the body affects all other areas.  For example, tension in the connective tissue of the leg pulls the torso out of alignment.  Treatment works systematically on all the fascial structures to improve the total energetic economy of the body. 
 

Body Stories
Every Body Tells a Story
From the beginning of our lives, we begin to accumulate tensions which affect the structural integrity of our bodies.  We are walking testaments of every kind of input, be it physical, mental or emotional; every influence literally becomes "embodied".
 
Long-term movement patterns such as lopsidedness that comes from carrying a heavy briefcase in the same hand every day - embody particularly strongly and determine the form in which the fascia stick together and become rigid.
 
These distortions cause further imbalance until the body is chronically tense and out of alignment with gravity.
 

Habits Count
Various Factors Affect the Body's Alignment
Habitual physical stresses influence the fascia.  A history of sitting hunched over a desk or continually carrying a briefcase pulls the shoulders out of line in relation to gravity.  With repetition, the body sticks in that position all the time, even when it is not engaged in the activity that caused the misalignment.  The fascia glue together and the whole body becomes out of balance.
 
Habitual emotional stresses operate in the same way.  A sunken chest is often characteristic of depression.  If negative thought patterns - and the tense bodily stance that these produce over time - become a continual pattern, the body becomes glued in awkward, unbalanced postures. 
 

Wise Words
"The body stores the trauma of our lives in muscular rigidity, thereby keeping us stuck in the past.  When we release the tension in the body and align ourselves with gravity, we take a new stand in life.  This allows us to be at ease with ourselves and in harmony in our relationship to others and our planet."

Myofascial Release is a very effective hands-on technique that provides sustained pressure into myofascial restrictions to eliminate pain and restore motion. The theory of Myofascial Release requires an understanding of the fascial system (or connective tissue). The fascia is a specialized system of the body that has an appearance similar to a spider's web or a sweater.

Fascia is very densely woven, covering and interpenetrating every muscle, bone, nerve, artery and vein as well as all of our internal organs including the heart, lungs, brain and spinal cord. The most interesting aspect of the fascial system is that it is not just a system of separate coverings. It is actually one structure that exists from head to foot without interruption. In this way you can begin to see that each part of the entire body is connected to every other part by the fascia, like the yarn in a sweater.

Fascia also plays an important role in the support of our bodies, since it surrounds and attaches to all structures. These structures would not be able to provide the stability without the constant pull of the fascial system. In fact, our bones can be thought of as tent poles, which cannot support the structure without the constant support of the guide wires (or fascia) to keep an adequate amount of tension to allow the tent (or body) to remain upright with proper equilibrium.

In the normal healthy state, the fascia is relaxed and wavy in configuration. It has the ability to stretch and move without restriction. When we experience physical trauma, scarring, or inflammation, however, the fascia loses its pliability. It becomes tight, restricted and a source of tension to the rest of the body. Trauma, such as a fall, whiplash, surgery or just habitual poor posture over time and repetitive stress injuries has a cumulative effects. The changes they cause in the fascial system influence comfort and the functioning of our body. The fascia can exert excessive pressure producing pain or restriction of motion. They affect our flexibility and stability, and are a determining factor in our ability to withstand stress and strain.

The use of Myofascial Release allows us to look at each patient as a unique individual. Our one-on-one therapy sessions are hands-on treatments during which our therapists use a multitude of Myofascial Release techniques and movement therapy. We promote independence through education in proper body mechanics and movement, through the enhancement of strength, flexibility, and postural and movement awareness.

Myofascial Release is a whole body, hands on approach to treatment, producing a profound healing effect upon the body tissues, eliminating pain and restoring motion. The theory of Myofascial Release requires an understanding of the fascial system. Fascia is a tough connective tissue which spreads throughout the body in a three dimensional web from head to foot without interruption. The fascia surrounds every muscle, bone, nerve, blood vessel and organ of the body, all the way down to the the cellular level.

Malfunction of the fascial system due to trauma, posture, and repetitive stress injuries, scarring, and/or inflammation can create a binding down of the fascia, resulting in abnormal pressure on nerves, muscles, bones, or organs. This can create pain or malfunction throughout the body, sometimes with bizarre side effects and seemingly unrelated symptoms.

Myofascial Release therapist develop treatment plans that are individualized and customized to each persons needs. They treat the "cause of the problem" to eliminate the symptoms, in order to make permanent structural changes to help people return to a pain free, active lifestyle.