Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) in Weston Creek
Myofascial release therapy, known as MFR, is a hands-on therapy applied to your myofascial tissues to help them release the tension you are carrying. It works to loosen restrictions in the connective tissue throughout the body.
The therapist will feel your fascial tissues from head to toe for stiffness or tightness. These are commonly also called trigger points. Once the therapist identifies them, they’ll apply gentle, constant pressure to these areas, often focusing on one trigger point for five to 10 minutes.
During these appointments, no lotion or oil is used because the therapist needs to feel the tightness and tension release when it occurs accurately.
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How Does It Work?
Think of your fascia, or connective tissue, as a gauze-like structure spread throughout your body from your crown to the bottom of your feet, with your blood vessels and nerves running throughout.
When there are restrictions in that connective tissue, it can place unnecessary pressure on nerves; it creates pain, alters the function of your organs, restricts muscles, affects strength, and can manifest as stiffness or reduced range of motion of your joints. These restrictions can occur due to previous injuries, accidents or trauma, periods of inactivity, or repetitive limb or muscle group motion.
The repeated kneading and stretching of the fascia during an MFR therapy appointment release the restrictions on those areas, like taking a straitjacket off the body.
What Are the Benefits?
MFR therapy’s benefits include reduced pain, better mobility, and easier range of motion. It can be used to target specific problems like headaches, neck pain and sciatica, fibromyalgia.
It can also provide longer-lasting benefits than traditional massage, which is applied to only the elastic component of the muscle.
Who Can Receive MFR Therapy?
Weston Creek Chiropractic Centre massage therapist Darlene Bergener has worked with people of all ages from all facets of life. She’s used this method on newborns, children, and even had a client who was 93 years young.
It can be gentle and beneficial for toddlers with constipation issues, children in paediatric rehab hospitals with brain and spinal cord injuries, and athletes recovering from injuries. It can also work for pregnant clients to help balance the pelvis and minimise the effects of back and shoulder pain from the growing belly.
What to Expect During Your Appointments
When a client arrives for their first appointment, Darlene will discuss the most helpful approach for their symptoms and what she’s observed through a thorough assessment, whether it’s MFR or traditional massage therapy, or a bit of both.
She’ll check for the tightest areas and determine where there may be imbalances causing pain, and then use long, slow holds of manual pressure on those areas. It could take between five and 10 minutes in one place before she moves to the next.
As the body releases and unwinds, it’s not uncommon to feel relief in other areas, like the knees, hip, and lower back.
As a client moves through their therapy visits, Darlene will have the client dress in shorts and a sports bra or tank top so the therapy can be done standing up. This allows for better positioning and a more targeted approach.
Contact Us to Schedule Today
If you haven’t found relief through other therapies, or your release was temporary, then myofascial release therapy could be worth trying to see how your body responds to it.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment!
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