What does Myofascial Release feel like?
No two bodies are the same and no two treatments will be the same. I always let people know that during a session they may feel heat, tingling, perhaps some soreness, and they may become aware of other areas of the body seemingly unrelated to where I’m working (fascia is one continuous web from the top of our head to the soles of our feet!) There can be spontaneous movement, which we call “unwinding”, and sometimes emotional release can occur. One or all of these things are possible.
Some clients share such unique and descriptive feedback of what they are noticing, it affirms for me what a deeply personal experience each session is. After a treatment you may feel achy and tired the next day. Not everyone experiences this but it’s normal as the body goes through a healing process.
Because every body is different, there is no prescribed routine with Myofascial Release. As therapists, it is our job to listen and respond to the body moment to moment, never forcing. I’ve been working with this wonderful client for 18 months and with monthly sessions, and regular Pilates and stretching exercises in between, we’ve made some great progress.
What was your primary reason for booking your first Myofascial Release treatment?
Having never heard of the treatment, it was explained by a friend that it is like a massage but nothing like they’ve ever had; a completely different touch but the best massage they have ever had. With a description full of feeling, I was keen to give it a go. What harm could that do? Who knew it would be a light bulb moment.
I feel MFR has positively changed my body. I no longer have the pain spikes that required immediate attention from a chiropractic adjustment. There is a calmness to my body and (more recently) mind. I’m a whirlwind of energy that does everything at full speed in a 54 year old body. I can now stretch out any crinkles, as it were, in myself to maintain a pain-free body.
What other therapies have you tried and how have they helped?
As someone who has had historic back pain, I’ve had chiropractic and osteopathy treatments for 40 years, with countless types of firm or trigger point massages. I always seemed to get a spike of pain that required a panic amount of treatment to calm everything down. Introducing PIlates has certainly helped and something I have to stick to, to prevent any stiffness and aches generally.
How did you feel after your first session?
I felt very fuzzy, like “Readybrek” around my body (it’s a cereal advert from the early 80s). Like a warm, red LED glow from my head to my toes. A rather disturbed night’s sleep, despite drinking lots of water. My skin felt loose and light. I ached the following couple of days on my back from the skin rolling technique, which is the most unusual and uncomfortable feeling but the most rewarding for the relief and looseness afterwards.
What changes have you notice since starting MFR treatments?
During a treatment my body feels completely relaxed. The tightness I felt in my hips and back seemed to melt away. Fluidity to those areas improved. As one area released, my body relaxed more and so the tension points (hips and neck on me) which were at the root of the problems, could relax. Now I feel my mind and body are so much calmer and pain-free.