Myofascial Release is a form of soft-tissue therapy that provides a slow stretching of the connective tissue, allowing for increased mobility and blood-flow.

Your connective tissue is the thin layer of tissue that envelopes all of your muscles and the individual muscle fibers.

Myofascial Release (also known as Connective Tissue Therapy) is a type of soft-tissue therapy that provides a slow stretching of stuck connective tissue. This allows for an increase of mobility to affected joints and a temporary increase of blood flow to the muscles.

A common area for Myofascial Release is in the treatment of Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS), a common thigh injury usually associated with sports (especially running).

Acting as the structure that supports the outer knee, the ITB can slowly contract over time, causing it to become “short”. This results in general tenderness of the area (often referred to as “runner’s knee”) and can escalate to outright pain while being physically active, or even while at rest. Myofascial Release can help accelerate the healing process by increasing mobility and blood-flow.

Many patients seek myofascial treatment after losing flexibility or function following an injury or if experiencing ongoing back, shoulder, hip, or virtually pain in any area containing soft tissue.

Other conditions treated by myofascial release therapy include Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ) disorder, carpal tunnel syndrome, or possibly fibromyalgia or migraine headaches. Patient symptoms usually include:

• The tightness of the tissues that restrict motion or pulls the body out of alignment, causing individuals to favor and overuse one hip or shoulder, for example
• A sense of excessive pressure on muscles or joints that produces pain
• Pain in any part or parts of the body, including headache or back pain.

Please note that while Myofascial Release is a slow, targeted technique, a constant pull or ache may be felt during the massage therapy treatment, and some tenderness may be felt for a few a days after the connective tissue work is done.

At Jenna Birtch Massage, with the help of our registered massage therapists, we can happily provide all the benefits of an effective massage treatment using Myofascial Release. With vast experience and technical know-how, we can properly tailor a massage to fit your needs. Contact a clinic nearest you today!