What is Fascia?

Fascia is the 3-dimensional web of connective tissue that connects everything in the body.  It surrounds every muscle fiber, every organ, nerves, arteries, veins - all the way down to the cellular level!  So restrictions in the fascia can literally pull on the entire system, and cause pain in an area of the body far-removed from the original sight of restriction.  (This can be visualized in the "fascia-man," below.)  Fascial restrictions can be caused by scar tissue from surgery or other injuries, traumatic events, poor posture, and overuse/repetitive stresses. 

Myofascial Release (MFR) is different from other therapies, in that the therapist uses slow, sustained holds of gentle pressure, rather than pushing into the body forcefully or quickly.  These gentle, sustained holds allow the body to move past "protection mode," and allow the fascia to open up and realign naturally.  Unlike massage, which usually provides temporary relief from pain and the pain is likely to come back, regular MFR treatment can provide lasting results, by allowing the connective tissue to realign and reorganize.