Synapse Physiotherapy
Introduction
Muscle tension is a common issue faced by athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Whether it’s from intense training or everyday stress, tight muscles can lead to discomfort, reduced performance, and even injury. Myofascial release, a specialized technique used in sports massage, has gained popularity as an effective solution for relieving muscle tension and enhancing overall physical well-being. At Synapse, we understand the importance of tailored care, and our sports massage services are designed to help you achieve peak performance while ensuring your muscles stay healthy and flexible.
Myofascial Release for Muscle Tension | Sports Massage
Myofascial release massage can alleviate bodily tension and reduce stress. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified stress as the health epidemic of the 21st century. Stress often manifests physically as muscle tension, leading to aches, pains, and spasms. Chronic stress can result in severe health issues over time. Therefore, it’s crucial to relieve muscle tension to mitigate these effects.
Myofascial release therapy also addresses various conditions and symptoms.Many patients turn to myofascial treatment after losing flexibility or function due to an injury or experiencing persistent pain in the back, shoulder, hip, or any area with soft tissue.
Therefore, individuals in need should have their fascia released by a physiotherapist at a physio center. Myofascial release is often included in sports massage treatments.
What is a fascia?
Fascia is the connective tissue that surrounds your muscles. Though thin, it is tough and supports your muscles and organs in a multi-dimensional web, spanning the entire body. Fascia helps reduce friction, enabling smooth movement and overall function. However, since it is connected to all muscles, any tightness in the fascia can limit flexibility and cause pain. Research indicates that specifically treating fascia can alleviate muscle pain and improve mobility. Additionally, because fascia is connected to the nervous system, stress can negatively impact our muscles.
What causes myofascial pain?
Myofascial pain is defined as “pain associated with inflammation or irritation of muscle or the fascia surrounding the muscle.” It originates from the muscles and surrounding fascia, causing localized pain in a restricted area or referred pain in various patterns. It is a common issue, with estimates suggesting that 85% of the general population will experience it at some point in their lifetime.
Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a prevalent clinical problem that arises from muscles and produces sensory, motor, and autonomic symptoms due to myofascial trigger points, which are focal areas of tenderness caused by hypercontracted muscle tissue. These trigger points are usually taut bands of skeletal muscle that are painful on compression or deep palpation, and can lead to characteristically referred pain, motor dysfunction, and autonomic phenomena. MPS has been described as a soft tissue pain syndrome where the pain is primarily present in a single area or quadrant of the body. It can be acute, chronic, or post-traumatic.
Symptoms
Myofascial pain syndrome is a musculoskeletal condition that affects areas outside the joints, identified by the presence of myofascial trigger points. These trigger points are categorized as either active or latent. An active trigger point causes spontaneous pain or pain during movement, which can lead to localized or referred pain. A latent trigger point, on the other hand, is a sensitive area that only produces pain or discomfort when pressure is applied.
Both active and latent myofascial trigger points share common clinical features:
- Pain on compression: Applying pressure may trigger localized pain and/or referred pain similar to the patient’s usual symptoms, or it may worsen existing pain.
- Local twitch response: A quick compression across muscle fibers can produce a local twitch response, where the muscle fibers in or around the tight band contract rapidly.
- Muscle tightness: The muscle fibers in the tight band may experience restricted stretch range and increased sensitivity to stretching, leading to muscle tightness.
- Local myasthenia: The muscle with a trigger point may feel weak, although there is usually no noticeable muscle atrophy.
- Localized autonomic responses: Patients with trigger points may also experience localized autonomic symptoms such as vasoconstriction, a pilomotor response, and increased secretion.
When pain from an active trigger point becomes chronic, the patient may develop satellite trigger points. They appear in the referral zone of the original, or primary, trigger point, often in an overworked synergistic muscle.
Benefit of myofascial release
1. Pain Relief
Myofascial Release Massage has been effective in alleviating chronic pain, such as low back pain. By addressing fascial restrictions, the massage enhances circulation and reduces inflammation, leading to pain relief.
Between 70-85% of individuals will experience low back pain at some point in their lives. Research has shown that myofascial release can effectively treat non-specific low back pain, with studies indicating reduced pain and disability in individuals receiving this treatment compared to those given a placebo. Additional studies confirm that myofascial release can decrease the severity of pain associated with non-specific low back pain.
2. Stress reduction
Myofascial Release Massage provides deep relaxation, which helps lower stress levels. By addressing both physical and emotional tension, this massage technique promotes a sense of calm and well-being.
Studies have explored the effectiveness of myofascial release massage for treating tension-type headaches (TTH), which are characterized by a pressing or tightening sensation on both sides of the head with an unclear cause. One study found that myofascial release massage was more effective in treating TTH compared to slow stroking massage.
What is Myofascial release?
Myofascial release is a technique used by physiotherapists to address tight fascia tissues. Unlike deep tissue massage, which targets knots and pain deep within the muscles, myofascial release focuses specifically on the fascia. During a myofascial release session, the therapist works on trigger points, which are areas of connective tissue that become stiff rather than remaining elastic and flexible.
Therapists typically use a combination of manual pressure and stretching to release tension from these trigger points or tight fascia tissues. Oils or creams may be applied to minimize friction on the skin, although myofascial release is most effective with direct skin-to-skin contact.
It’s important to note that trigger points in the fascia may not always correspond to the area where you feel pain. Since the fascia forms interconnected lines throughout the body, a trigger point in one part of the body, such as the leg, might cause pain in a completely different area, such as the ribcage. This contrasts with traditional massage approaches, which generally focus on the area experiencing pain.
Technique
- Direct Myofascial Release: This technique involves applying sustained pressure directly to the restricted fascia, aiming to release tension and improve mobility.
- Indirect Myofascial Release: Here, the therapist uses gentle pressure along the fascial restrictions to help the body naturally unwind and release tension.
- Rolling Technique: The therapist employs their forearms or elbows to perform broad, gliding strokes along the length of the fascia, which promotes better tissue mobility.
- Cross-Hand Stretching: This method involves the therapist stretching the fascia across its fibers to assist in releasing tension.
- Fascial Unwinding: This approach encourages the body to move spontaneously in response to the therapist’s touch, facilitating the unwinding and release of stored tension in the fascia.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Myofascial release focuses on the fascia, while deep tissue massage targets the deeper layers of muscle. Both can be effective for relieving muscle tension, but they use different techniques.
The frequency of sessions depends on your specific needs and goals. Many athletes benefit from weekly sessions, while others may only need treatment once a month.
Yes, myofascial release is often used to manage chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, plantar fasciitis, and chronic back pain.
Some discomfort may be experienced during the therapy, especially if the fascia is very tight. However, the pressure is typically adjusted to your comfort level.
Myofascial release sessions usually last between 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the areas being treated and the severity of the tension.
Conclusion
For effective relief from myofascial pain, physiotherapy is a proven approach that targets trigger points to alleviate pain, improve muscle function, and restore range of motion. The Synapse Physiotherapy team offers specialized treatment options to help you manage and overcome myofascial pain, guiding you toward a healthier and more active life.
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Conditions such as stiffness, postural abnormalities and muscle overuse from prolonged desk work at the office or home is more prevalent than most would think. We provide the necessary tools to fix you up and educate you on ergonomics which can unload unnecessary stress.
- Spine & Core Rehabilitation
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Conditions such as stiffness, postural abnormalities and muscle overuse from prolonged desk work at the office or home is more prevalent than most would think. We provide the necessary tools to fix you up and educate you on ergonomics which can unload unnecessary stress.
Pre-Post-Surgical Conditions
Surgery involves going through preparation both before and after. Physiotherapists play a vital role in getting your body ready for surgeries with circulatory, breathing and strengthening exercises. After the procedure, let us be there for your recovery and rehabilitation, taking it one step at a time.
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The way we stand, sit, walk and sleep has influence over our posture and the overall balance of muscles controlling its alignment. A comprehensive screening can be done by our physiotherapists to detect abnormalities, which we will aid in correcting.
Neurological Conditions
Neurological disabilities such as stroke, nerve compression and neuropathies can be barriers for patients to live life to its fullest. We at Synapse are committed to help you overcome these hurdles by ensuring functional mobility and quality of life is at its optimum by providing the right treatment and exercises.
Osteoarthritis & Rheumatism
Joint degeneration and inflammation happens as the human body grows older, but that does not mean our way of life degenerates as well. Relief your joint pains with a joint effort together with your physiotherapist, who will provide pain-relief treatments and prescribe exercises for your wellbeing.
Conditions Relating To Elderly
Common conditions in the older age population include hips & knee pain, back & neck pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatism, fear of falling and many more. Aging and degeneration of bodily function is inevitable, but here at Synapse, we will help you live the best of your life.
Home Physiotherapy
We understand that some conditions or injuries can make it difficult to receive rehabilitation at our clinic be it mobility or transportation issues. Our objective is to provide you with the same high-quality physiotherapy services at home that you would receive in-clinic.