How Myofascial Release Works
If you are experiencing stiff or tight muscles, myofascial release may be an option for you. Myofascial release helps with pain relief by easing the tension in your muscles. It is a form of massage performed by your physical therapist that focuses on specific pressure points, aimed at bringing the myofascia back to its elastic form.
If you’ve been feeling stiff, and you think you could benefit from myofascial release, give our office at Graham Therapy and Fitness in Bethesda, MD a call today. We would be happy to set up a consultation and discuss how our treatment services could benefit you!
What Does Myofascial Release Treat?
When your muscles constrict and become tight, your mobility of the affected area becomes restricted, and any movements you make can result in pain. Myofascial release reverses this sensation by loosening up the constricted area, thus promoting easier mobility and less pain.
Myofascial release can provide relief for a multitude of conditions. Some of the most common conditions treated by myofascial release include:
- Myofascial pain syndrome. This is the most commonly treated condition through myofascial release, and it can affect many of the muscles. The “trigger points” for your myofascial pain are determined and then massaged out.
- Chronic headaches/migraines. Myofascial release has also been known to relieve the pain of chronic headaches and migraines by massaging the tightened muscles around the head and neck.
- Venous insufficiency. Myofascial release can help reduce the amount of blood pooled in the veins and allow for more efficient blood flow, decreasing the pain felt in the veins.
- Temporomandibular joint disorder. The muscles around the jaw are massaged out through myofascial release in many patients with temporomandibular joint disorder. This decreases pain and inflammation, as well as increases mobility.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome. Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome can benefit from myofascial release by having the muscles in their hands, wrists, and/or arms massaged out, in order to improve function and mobility.
- Fibromyalgia. This condition can also cause stiffness in multiple muscles. The affected areas will be determined and then massaged out.
- Injury. Injuries can also cause stiffness. The affected area will be massaged out to loosen up the muscles and allow for a quicker healing process.
What Is SCS?
Strain and Counterstrain (SCS) is a gentle soft tissue manipulation technique developed by Dr. Lawrence Jones D.O. over a 40 year period. This revolutionary technique, which is effective in treating pain, limitations in strength and range of motion, allows a therapist to painlessly “release” muscle and connective tissue spasm from all areas and systems of the human body.
Because Strain and Counterstrain yields lasting results and has no side effects it has numerous applications in the rehabilitative setting.
The Jones Institute was established in 1988 by Dr. Lawrence Jones, D.O., F.A.A.O. and Randall Kusunose, P.T., O.C.S. The Jones Institute offers post-graduate SCS seminars for healthcare professionals throughout the United States.
Originally called “positional release technique” was developed in 1955 by an osteopathic physician named Lawrence Jones. Strain and Counterstrain is a manual therapy technique, meaning the clinician only uses his hands, to treat muscle and joint pain and dysfunction. In observing a skilled Strain and Counterstrain practitioner you will immediately be impressed with how gentle and non-traumatic this technique is for treating the painful patient. A clinician is quickly able to assess the entire body for areas of pain and dysfunction. Strain and Counterstrain use passive body positioning of muscles in spasm and dysfunctional joints toward positions of comfort or tissue ease that compresses or shortens the offending structures. The purpose of movement toward shortening is to relax aberrant reflexes that produce the muscle spasm forcing immediate reduction of tone to normal levels. This allows the joints influenced by the now relaxed muscle to function optimally increasing its range of motion and easing muscle pain. Strain and Counterstrain is an effective but extremely gentle technique because its action for treatment moves the patient’s body away from the painful, restrictive directions of motion.
Who Can Benefit From Strain And Counterstrain?
It can be used for the very acute traumas (i.e., sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents, ankle sprains, post-surgical, etc.) to the more chronic (i.e., osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, TMJ pain, headaches, etc.). Its value with the acute patient is unmatched because it is so gentle and non-traumatic. The clinician is guided by what feels good to the patient and often dramatic changes are made in decreased pain, muscle guarding, and swelling. These changes facilitate the patient’s healing processes for a faster and complete recovery. The gentleness of strain and counterstrain makes it safe and effective for treating fragile patients (i.e., infants with torticollis, elderly patients with osteoporosis, stress fractures, pregnancy or pelvic pain patients, postoperative pain etc.) and the pain associated with excessive joint motion or hypermobility. Strain and Counterstrain are valuable for the chronic pain patient because it will treat out a longstanding neuromuscular problem reducing the tone of a muscle in spasm. By diminishing the spasm, muscle pain is abated and joint function is normalized.
What’s The Next Step?
If you are experiencing one of the above conditions, or you think you could benefit from Myofascial Release and Strain Counter Strain due to an alternative condition you are experiencing, give our office a call today. Scheduling an appointment is the first step to figuring out whether or not myofascial release is right for you. At Graham Therapy and Fitness, our Bethesda, MD physical therapists will provide you with a thorough evaluation to determine what the best treatment plan will be for you. We understand how inhibiting pain and stiffness can be, and we want to help get you back to comfortably living your life. We’ll help lift all of your physical stresses away!
Your Next Steps…
Request An Appointment
Receive A Custom Treatment Plan
Work Hard and Progress In Your Recovery
Recover & Enjoy Life Pain-Free!