Myofascial Release (MFR) is a hands-on technique for pain and discomfort management. It is a gentle stretching that ranges from very mild to deep and significantly affects the bodily tissues.
This treatment aims to ease muscle shortness and tension. Many patients seek myofascial therapy after losing flexibility or function because of an accident or after suffering persistent back, shoulder, hip, or other soft tissue discomforts.
This article will educate you on MFR, how it works, and its potential advantages. It will explain how often you should get MFR and the variables that may influence the scheduling of your MFR sessions.
How Does Myofascial Release Work?
Skeletal muscle or connective tissue that is constricted by tight fascia may produce pain. Injured myofascial tissue may also produce pain, sometimes at a ‘trigger point’ where muscle fibers have contracted. In either instance, the restriction or contraction reduces blood supply to the afflicted tissues, thus exacerbating the contraction process until the region is treated.
Myofascial therapy aims to stretch and relax the fascia, allowing it and other adjacent structures to move more freely and restoring the patient’s mobility. As a result, myofascial release treatment is sometimes referred to as myofascial release therapy. Others may refer to it as myofascial trigger point treatment.
Various factors may cause myofascial discomfort, including overuse of a specific muscle(s) because of repeated movements, injury or trauma, emotional trauma or chronic stress and inflammation.
Most myofascial release treatments occur concurrently within a physical therapy session. Specific training is needed to be able to provide this service. Your physical therapist will palpate the myofascial tissue softly and check for stiff regions. Myofascia should feel flexible and stretchy in its normal state. With mild physical pressure, the therapist will begin compressing and stretching the regions that feel stiff. Following that, the therapist assists the tissue and supporting sheath in reducing pressure and tension. The procedure is often performed on the same trigger point and other trigger points until the therapist feels the tension has been ultimately released.
These regions where the physical therapist is treating may not be close to the source of the pain or the most prominent location of the discomfort. Myofascial release is a technique that targets the more extensive network of muscles that may cause your discomfort. It aims to alleviate tension throughout the body by releasing trigger points throughout the muscular system.
Factors that Affect How Often You Do MFR
Regular maintenance is necessary for any bodywork. MFR consumes some of your time, and you must choose how much time you can devote to it. The following factors determine the number of MFR sessions required:
- how long you’ve had your trigger points;
- how successful your present therapy is;
- how regularly you can administer or get treatment;
- what your signs and symptoms are;
- what your pain or injury’s history is; and
- what your objectives are.
These variables may vary according to individuals. To learn more about MFR and how it may help you, call Tri-Motion Rehab LLC. We have MFR specialists on staff that can assist you in living more comfortably.
How Often Can You Do MFR
Individual results may vary. One session per week is typically suggested for specific chronic ailments for the first four to six weeks, followed by reevaluation. The outcome of the reevaluation will determine whether the therapy should continue on a weekly or monthly basis.
Many variables contribute to the healing process. Many patients report seeing a reduction in discomfort or improved range of motion after just one session. However, depending on your therapy objectives and present circumstances, weekly, biweekly, or every other week sessions for four to twelve weeks is a reasonable estimate of the required time. Since we always teach you how to take care of your own body, we tend to move patients to a monthly or quarterly basis as soon as possible.
Just as most bodies are unique, so are the treatment regimens. It is essential to keep in mind that treatment regimens differ according to the person. MFR is more successful when more treatments are administered in a shorter period, depending on the severity of the problems or the desired outcomes.
Weekly sessions are suggested to begin. Your body’s capacity to mend and your general health governs the frequency of work. Perhaps counterintuitively, the less healthy you are, the less often someone could tolerate this kind of intervention. Thus, treatment frequency may be increased as health and function improve. It is because the less healthy someone is, the slower the healing process from any intervention.
The first visit will be spent having a whole body evaluation and your first treatment. The initial evaluation identifies your goals, functional ability, regions of the fascia that seem to be limited and quantifying mobility loss or symmetry loss in the body. Subsequent treatment sessions typically will:
- Be held on a weekly basis
- Address the cascading effects of restrictions
- Address functional re-training and instruction in self-care strategies
- Last at least 30 minutes, but ideally 55 minutes or more per session
- Performed by a trained physical therapist providing care to only 1 patient at a time
- Be held in a relaxing, private therapy room
How Long Is an MFR Session
All first sessions are about one hour long. The session will begin with an intake of medical history, followed by an assessment and hands-on therapy. Following that, session durations vary according to your requirements or preferences but typically last an hour.
Benefits of Myofascial Release
When performed consistently, you can:
- Assist in tissue healing and reduce discomfort and pain.
- Increase your range of motion and strength.
- Assist the body in relaxing.
- Boost circulation.
- Dissolve tangles, knots, and stress.
Myofascial release is effective over time because of its thoroughness. It does not mask or dull the symptoms. MFR assists you in working through all the twisted, overlaying layers of old injuries and limitations to reclaim a body that feels better and younger and performs better and younger.
Tri-Motion Rehab LLC aims to transform lives by improving our patients’ physical health. We specialize in complex, chronic conditions, chronic pain, and women’s health challenges. Discover our holistic solutions to providing quality service and care. Visit us here today to schedule a free consultation!