Muscle Fascia Release For Reduced Pain and Increased Mobility

When you are experiencing pain, especially when you move, it’s easy to blame your joints and muscles. Joints and muscles also get the blame when mobility is limited. But what about if these vital body parts are unjustly accused? 

The real culprit may be the tissue that surrounds your muscles and organs: the fascia. People in Irvine, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach are discovering that relief from their pain and mobility problems comes in the form of muscle fascia release. Physical therapists Harold Manrique and Kristina Levin use myofascial release in the office and teach patients techniques to use at home to reduce pain and increase mobility.

What is Fascia? 

Fascia plays a vital role in your body’s mobility and stability. Long ignored by medicine, more and more medical practitioners such as massage therapists, chiropractors, and physical therapists, are starting to pay this part of the body therapeutic attention.

Every inch of your body is surrounded in a sheath of stringy connective tissue called fascia. Fascia supports your muscles, tendons, ligaments, tissues, organs, nerves, joints and bones. Healthy fascia stretches with you and is flexible. Tightening in your fascia can limit movement and lead to uncomfortable medical disorders. Fascia injuries from accidents, poor posture, and even stress make the once supple tissue hard.

Pinpointing the source of injury or damage to the fascia poses a challenge to those not familiar with myofascial pain. That’s because a problem with the fascia in one part of the body can affect a different part of the body.  For example, the pain in your shoulder can be traced to a change in gait caused by tightness in your hip fascia.

Muscle Fascia Release versus Rolfing

Don’t confuse muscle fascia release with Rolfing. Ida Rolf developed a body manipulation technique she believed aligned the body with the Earth’s gravitation field to improve health. Her technique includes 10 sessions manipulating muscles and fascia in difference part of the body. Considered alternative medicine, Rolfing showed promise in improving mobility in children with mild cerebral palsy in one study from the 1980’s, however the results have not been replicated.  

However, Ida was onto something. She discovered that muscle fascia release helps muscles move and joint to glide smoothly. It has nothing to do with the Earth’s gravitational force.

Myofascial Release Versus Massage Therapy

Myofascial release therapy differs from massage therapy, even though they both use a “hands on” approach.

Massage therapy works through manipulation of tissue. Myofascial release works through targeted manipulation of the fascia.

Massage therapy usually involves the use of oils to lubricate the skin to reduce friction as tissue is manipulated. There’s no friction with myofascial release.  Massage works great on eliminating sore muscles while myofascial release works great on chronic pain and tightness.

Orange County Muscle Fascia Release Therapy

People in Irvine, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Costa Mesa, and other Orange County cities find relief from pain and greater mobility in the offices of Balanced Body Physical Therapy.

Both physical therapists in this office received advanced training in myofascial release in addition to their repertoire of other therapies.

Not only do patients receive an individualized treatment plan, they also get instruction on how to continue treatment at home. Not only to do start feeling better, you’ll continue to progress, and are empowered to remain feeling great.

Enjoy reduced pain and improved mobility with therapy from the Balanced Body professionals. Book your appointment today.