What is
Myofascial Release?

One of the primary goals of a massage therapist is to facilitate change in the body's tissue and promote pain-free, quality movement. The primary modality to achieve this goal is Myofascial Release, a relatively new addition to the armamentarium of massage therapists.

Myofascial Release, as taught by John Barnes, P.T., is an extremely mild and gentle form of stretching that has a profound effect upon the tissues of the body, especially 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 cellular level.

Therefore, malfunction of the fascial system due to trauma, posture, 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 throughout the body.

Myofascial Release can release the pressures created by the fascial system and return each individual to her or his full, pain-free capacity.