.png)
A blog post explaining muscle tightness, myofascial release & how to feel more rested
"Foam rolling" and stretching are more commonly known now as strategies to combat muscle tightness and inflexibility. But are these methods actually the solution?
Why Do We Feel Tight & Stiff?
Understanding the signals behind muscle stiffness and the sensation that drives us to seek massage or stretching is crucial, and it all comes down to fascia.
Fascia is a connective tissue network that surrounds muscles, bones, and organs. Think of it as a thin, tough, and elastic web that envelops everything in your body—muscles, bones, organs, and nerves. Fascia isn't just a covering; it's an interconnected network that plays a vital role in how your body senses and communicates internally. Filled with nerves, fascia is almost as sensitive as your skin.
Fascia can become stiff or develop adhesions for several reasons, such as overuse or misuse due to poor movement patterns. Stress, anger, or trauma can also contribute to fascial stiffness, as can the central nervous system responding to perceived weakness in the area.
"Fascia isn't just a covering; it's an interconnected network that plays a vital role in how your body senses and communicates internally. Filled with nerves, fascia is almost as sensitive as your skin."
Your muscles become involved too and are like elastic bands. They can lengthen, contract back into shape and they also have an elastic recoil (defined as "the tendency of stretched elements to return to their original shape") property to them. If the elastic band is overused, used improperly or injured, then the elastic band my develop areas of damage or weakness. These areas reduce the elastic's ability to lengthen, shorten and have any elastic recoil potential. The same is true with your muscles. If you overuse, misuse (create muscle contractions in a way that doesn't respect your biomechanics - e.g getting tense while driving in traffic) or injure your muscles, they will develop scar tissue and knots, reducing the ability to produce force and proper range of motion in that muscle. This will create feelings of tightness and stiffness.
What About Stretching?
Have you ever noticed when you stretch that you feel the muscle lengthen and loosen immediately afterwards, but 30 minutes later you're not as flexible as you were when you initially stretched? That feeling of needing to stretch you had has returned and you feel tight again? This is a common problem with stretching, as the actual issue has not been dealt with.
" If these elastic bands are constantly held in a stretched position, over time they lack the ability to return to their normal state and no longer have that recoil ability"
Let's come back to the elastic band example. They can lengthen, contract back into shape and they also have an elastic recoil (defined as "the tendency of stretched elements to return to their original shape") property to them. If these elastic bands are constantly held in a stretched position, over time they lack the ability to return to their normal state and no longer have that recoil ability. This is essentially what stretching does to your muscles - over time you find it increasingly difficult to contract your muscle and create the required amount of tension in it to produce force.
So if stretching isn't the solution, what is?
Myofascial Release
Myofascial release (MFR), as practiced in the Functional Patterns method, involves applying sustained, deep pressure to fascial & muscular tissue to relax adhesions or trigger points, alleviate pain, and restore function. This approach aligns with the research of leading fascia expert Dr. Robert Schleip, who found that consistent deep-pressure techniques are the most effective for promoting fascial hydration. Fascial hydration plays a key role in influencing muscle pain and the sensation of stiffness during movement.
What Are The Benefits of MFR?
MFR offers several benefits that contribute to overall physical well-being. These include:
Pain Relief: By releasing tension and adhesions in the fascia, MFR can help reduce chronic pain, particularly in areas like the back, shoulders, neck, and hips.
Improved Mobility and Flexibility: Releasing fascial restrictions allows for greater movement freedom, leading to improved flexibility and range of motion.
Enhanced Circulation: The technique helps increase blood flow and lymphatic circulation, which can aid in faster recovery and reduce muscle soreness.
Reduced Muscle Tension: It alleviates tightness in the muscles, leading to overall relaxation and reduced stress.
Better Posture: By addressing fascial imbalances, this technique can help correct posture issues, leading to improved alignment and reduced strain on the body.
Improved Athletic Performance: MFR can be used to prevent injuries, improve movement efficiency, and enhance overall performance by maintaining healthy and responsive fascia.
Facilitation of Healing: By promoting fascial hydration and flexibility, MFR can aid in the body's natural healing processes, helping to repair tissue and reduce inflammation.
Stress Reduction: The relaxation of the fascia and muscles can contribute to a reduction in overall stress levels, leading to a calmer mental state.
How Do I Implement MFR?
To correctly perform MFR, direct pressure is applied to the affected area using a ball or firm implement (for more information read the last paragraph) of the appropriate size. The affected area needs to be under a slight amount of tension (or 'stretch') to adequately release the area. After maintaining this pressure for 2-4 minutes, the adhesion spreads, allowing the fascia to reorganise and draw fluid into the area—this is what we refer to as fascial hydration. However, this hydrated state is not permanent, as fascia continuously remodels in response to how you use your muscles. Therefore, it's important to complement this practice with exercises, like those in Functional Patterns, that help re-tension and support the fascia over the long term.
"After maintaining this pressure for 2-4 minutes, the adhesion spreads, allowing the fascia to reorganise and draw fluid into the area—this is what we refer to as fascial hydration"
Sustainable change is the key to any habit or tool being of optimal benefit to your health. In this way, MFR ideally needs to be practiced consistently and initially quite often. Start with a few muscles (2-3) to release each time, and build over days to weeks, adding 1-2 muscle groups at a time. Try to achieve 2-3 MFR sessions per week. If you notice your joints and body are feeling unstable, weak or "loose", then you may need to reduce how much or how often you are doing this release work. On the contrary, if you feel less stiff, improved movement and less stressed after doing the release work, this is a positive sign that MFR is helpful to you.
Why Not Use A Massage Gun?
While massage guns can help with overall muscle relaxation and may address some superficial fascial issues, their ability to break down deeper adhesions remains uncertain. The rapid percussive action may not penetrate deeply enough to effectively target significant fascial adhesions. Additionally, the rapid vibrations of the massage gun are a foreign sensation to our bodies and neurology, so it is questionable as to whether it provides a net benefit if our bodies are not designed to encounter this sensation.
MFR Tools
If you require some MFR tools or implements, we can help. We stock MFR tools to help you on your journey. If you'd like to purchase any products we offer, please have a look at our product catalogue or get in contact with Reconnect.
Release Ball:
Made of firm rubber and measuring 62mm in size, these release balls are perfect for releasing your calves, plantar fascia, hip muscles, glutes, lats, pecs, upper traps and even your neck muscles. They are handy to travel with and offer huge benefit. $8
Theracane:
A Theracane is a "J" shaped implement with many different rounded endings on it, to be used for many different areas of the body. It is made of hard plastic. It is an incredibly handy tool, especially for getting into those hard to reach areas or when you need a finer or more specific contact.
$30
At Reconnect, we look at health and wellbeing from all angles. We recognise the incredible potential that each person has within their own body to be the healthiest, happiest version of themselves. The services, strategies and products we offer are aimed at guiding and supporting people on their journey towards ideal health and function.
If you would like to get your nervous system professionally assessed, please contact Dr. Xanthe Hand at Reconnect Chiropractic on 0472 924 000 or visit www.reconnectchiropractic.com.au to make a booking.
Thank you for visiting our Reconnect Blog
Rannoch Circle Hamersley, WA
Comments