What are we missing? Despite our best intentions is it possible we have
overlooked something? Have we really paid enough attention to the very
environment of every muscle, nerve, bone, blood vessel, and organ…. The
Myofascial System? Myofascial release is a comprehensive evaluatory
and treatment approach of the relief of pain and the enhancement of functional
mobility of the entire myofascial/osseous complex. The reason many symptoms
remain unresolved is the specific therapy approach, that narrowly focus
on effects that do not address the restrictions and imbalances of the
entire body.
Myofascial release is therapeutic approach for the relief of pain and headaches,
and the restoration of motion. Myofascial mobilization techniques are effective
in relieving pain and restoring motion and are designed to be combined with appropriate
modalities such as: massage, exercise and flexability programs, sensory integration
and movement therapies.
Myofascial Release Therapy is a technique for relieving fascial contractures
resulting from soft tissue injuries. Fascia is a high tensile strength tissue
which surrounds every blood vessel, nerve, organ and muscle in the body. Fascia,
tendon and bone provide all of the body’s structural support. Tendon is comprised
of fascia arranged in cords with one end embedded in bone. From the free end
of tendon extend sheets of fascia which then surround and attach to muscle.
When muscle contracts the Actin and Myosin filaments within muscle slide across
one another causing the muscle to shorten and thicken. The contracting Actin
and Myosin filaments simultaneously pull the elastic component of fascia into
a collagenous matrix to concurrently tighten and shorten the fascia. The increase
in fascial tension then pulls on tendon to create movement of the skeleton in
which the other end of tendon is embedded.
When muscle relaxes this process reverses with the elastic component of fascia
sliding out of the collagenous matrix returning slack to the system and allowing
the skeleton to return to its position at rest. This mechanism is important
as muscle has a low tensile strength, being comprised mostly of water, and would
shred when exposed to force which exceeds the tensile strength of muscle. Fascia
and tendon each have a tensile strength of 2000 lbs per square inch. Transmitting
the force of contraction to fascia allows muscle to equilibrate its tensile strength
with that of tendon and serves to protect muscle during periods of extreme force.
While this mechanism is protective in the healthy state, it serves as a source of trouble in injury. The inflammation which accompanies injury causes the elastic component of fascia to become entrapped within the collagenous matrix. This results in muscle becoming trapped within the tightened fascial compartment and produces a state of sustained muscle contraction which manifests as spasm on examination. This also results in an increased state of resting tension within the fascia which then pulls on tendon and distorts posture. Pain, spasm and postural distortion are therefore the primary manifestations of myofascial pain syndrome.
Logically, treatment of myofascial pain syndrome is best accomplished via courses of myofascial release therapy consisting of the modalities of cross hand mfr, manual traction, joint mobilization, neuromuscular re-education, and therapeutic activities employed in combination.
