What Is Myofascial Massage and Why Is It Important?
Highly praised as an effective way to relieve body tightness and soreness, myofascial massage is rapidly becoming a widely sought wellness technique. This type of massage is a form of manual therapy performed by an experienced massage therapist. In this article, we’ll discuss what myofascial massage is and why it is important for your health and wellness, as well as how myofascial release, trigger point massage, and myofascial massage can provide you with widespread physical, mental, and emotional relief. Different massages can work for different people. Knowing what each involves can help you make informed choices toward your wellness.
What Is Myofascial Massage?
Considered by many in medical and public spaces alike to be the best treatment technique for myofascial pain, myofascial massage has only grown in popularity since its introduction in the 1960s. During this time, the understanding of myofascial pain and the significance of trigger points led to the development of treatment methods used by Robert Ward, (an osteopath), and John Barnes, (a physical therapist). Owing to its ability to decrease internal body pressure, those who have a myofascial massage reap a range of health benefits and prevent various types of impactful diseases and physical ailments that can otherwise affect their quality of life.
Myofascial pain is a term for muscle pain that also extends to any accompanying inflammation in a body’s soft tissue. For many people that experience musculoskeletal pain, it technically originates in the fascia, or connective tissue, that covers the affected muscles. This type of pain usually occurs when muscle groups or specific muscles have prolonged exposure to repetitive movements, such as from workouts, sports activities, improper posture, or workplace movements. Massage techniques for myofascial pain involve a massage therapist locating fixed or stiff myofascial areas and using manual stretching and pressure to loosen up these areas.
Severe Conditions From Myofascial Pain
Myofascial massage methods can effectively relieve various types of experienced pain. In many cases, this pain can grow in severity and lead to other more serious and lasting medical conditions if not relieved and prevented. The body’s connective tissue, or myofascia, enables widespread movement. If a part of myofascia becomes compromised, you have a decreased range of motion and less joint nutrition. You can have an increased sensitivity to pain and susceptibility to degeneration. Myofascial release can positively affect your neck, arms, shoulders, head, lower back, jaw, hips, calves, quads, and feet and prevent serious conditions.
The serious conditions myofascial massage can prevent relate directly to the body parts it can affect. For instance, myofascial pain can cause stiffness and degrees of immobilization. Muscle stiffness can cause muscle weakness, muscle spasms, and nervous system issues. Immobilization causes a loss of muscle mass and decreases overall body functionality and strength. Prolonged myofascial pain can also lead to torsion and digestive issues. These digestive issues include irritable bowel syndrome and endometriosis. Frequent muscle spasms or a tight neck can cause dangerous conditions such as stenosis later in life.
The Benefits of Myofascial Massage
While myofascial massage techniques can prevent various types of body pain from worsening into other more severe and lasting conditions, it also has numerous overt benefits for health and wellness. Myofascial release works to stretch and release tension in various areas of your unique fascia pain, allowing you a higher quality of life with improved muscle strength and mobility. Properly working fascia promotes connectivity and resulting function throughout the musculoskeletal system. It also provides ease of motion without the risks of friction or irritation between body parts. Without chronic pain, you can effectively perform work and recreation tasks
Myofascial release methods can also improve neuromuscular efficiency, increase blood flow throughout the body, and reduce soreness. It can improve tissue recovery from physical trauma and decrease many of the effects of stress on the body. After you undergo myofascial release, you will likely see improvements in your body’s overall ability to fight off infection and illness, as this therapeutic technique works to encourage lymph movement. You may also have a restoration of your optimal-length-tension relationship that allows for various dynamic movement exercises. Increased strength and mobility provide widespread and diverse benefits for a body.
The Impacts of Combined Therapeutic Methods
Myofascial massage targets developed sensitive points throughout your muscles to produce effective, lasting pain relief and improved mobility while simultaneously preventing different severe and impactful medical conditions. For all of the positive impacts of myofascial massage, there are additional benefits you can receive from combining it with trigger point massage, reiki massage, and other energy healing techniques. While myofascial release involves kneading trigger points to relieve pain and promote flexibility, it’s distinct from trigger point massage. Each massage type has its own benefits and focuses, so a combination is ideal for widespread relief.
While myofascial massage involves dynamic movement and slower stretching across general tissue areas, trigger point massage involves a massage therapist applying direct pressure to your specific muscle knots. Different massages and other therapeutic techniques not only go together but complement each other for deep healing of body parts. With reiki massage, you can feel both body and energy healing as it reduces anxiety and stress while promoting relaxation. During this type of massage, a massage therapist also works to transfer energy to your body to improve the flow and balance of your body’s energy for lasting healing.
Lasting Wellness From Prismatic Healing
Myofascial massage is a highly impactful therapeutic technique that continues to grow in popularity due to its numerous benefits to a person’s physical and mental health. This type of massage can provide widespread relief from a number of internal issues while providing many other overt rewards. When used in combination with trigger point massage, reiki massage, and other body and energy healing techniques, you can feel even more extensive health benefits. To feel the difference deep and lasting body and energy wellness can make in your life, stop into Prismatic Healing in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago today.