Myofascial Melt…What is it?

You might have seen Myofascial Melt massage on my services menu and wondered what type of massage that is?  This is a type of slow focused massage technique that allows me to target tension in your body in order to  “melt” that tissue into a more flexible and relaxed state.  I start by  performing a visual assessment of your posture and look for  chronic holding patterns which helps me to see where your web of fascia has shortened and tightened.  

What is fascia?

Fascia is another name for the fibrous connective tissues that you have all over your body. It literally weaves through,  is part of, and connects to every type of tissue and organ in our bodies.  

It also helps to separate individual muscles within their groups so that they can work independently, and it provides a lubricated surface which allows the muscles to move smoothly against each other.

If you’re inactive for a long time, because of a sedentary lifestyle or have had an illness, injury or emotional trauma, your muscle fascia can start to stick together.  This can stop your muscles from moving freely and gives you a tight, stiff feeling. In some cases, this can also limit your mobility.  This sticking together and shortening of the fibers can create an immense pressure on your nerves and blood vessels which contributes to your pain and inflammation.

How is it released?

Myofascial Release is a gentle but firm technique which does not force the fascia to move, but instead helps to free up stiff fascia and reduces tension or restriction.

In this type of massage, I feel and stretch slowly down into the tissues, all the time feeling for a glue-like texture which means there’s a ‘sticky’ fascia. In order to create the sustained tension on the tissues, no lotions or oils are used. It’s a very precise massage technique that involves using a gentle yet direct pressure for five to eight minutes while I wait for the tissues to soften and release.

The massage should give your fascia a chance to return to its normal resting length which will feel a lot better, ease any pain or stiffness and allow blood and nerve impulses to flow more freely through the released area. This release allows you to move more freely and helps you to rebalance your posture.

Who benefits from Myofascial Melt Massage ?

If you have issues with your posture, chronic pain, fibromyalgia or past trauma or injury,  this type of therapy could be useful. Since most of us have had some type of inury during our lifetimes, this technique is useful for everyone.  If the fascial tissue is holding your body in the wrong position, your muscles will struggle to keep you in the correct alignment. Your connective tissue then starts to work harder and this can lead to other problems. A combination of bad posture and gravity lead to extra stresses on your body that can be relieved with myofacial release.

If you have scar tissue from previous injuries, some myofascial techniques might relieve some of the discomfort. In scar tissue, the tissue is laid down in a random pattern, which can cause it to pull on the surrounding tissue. Using fascial therapy can help to release some of the pain and stiffness caused by scar tissue dysfunction.

If you have any questions about how Myofascial Melt can help you, I would be happy to explain in more detail.  When sceduling a Myofascial Melt appointiment, arrive a few minutes early as I will do a postural assessment in order to develop a treatment plan before you enter the therapy room for your treatment.