What Is Myofascial Mobilization?
Myofascial mobilization is a hands-on technique that releases chronic restrictions in the body's fascia, especially with a focus to the fascia at the joints. Fascia is a type of connective tissue that spreads throughout the body in a three dimensional web from the head to the feet without interruption. The layer of fascia closest to the surface looks something like a wet suit that buckles down at the wrists and ankles. Deep to, or below, this layer are smaller 'containers' made of fascia that separate out groups of muscles (for example: the front of the thigh - our quadriceps, the inner thigh - our adductors, the back of the thigh - the hamstrings). Within these groups there is then a sheath of fascia that surrounds each muscle in the group. Within each muscle you have every 100 or so muscle fibers bundled together in another layer of fascia. And, within that bundle, each individual muscle fiber has its own casing of fascia. All of these layers converge onto bone to contribute to tendons and ligaments.
Our fascial system is so very important. It literally gives us our form, holds our structures up, and gives us our movement patterns / postures. Have you ever seen somebody you knew from really really far away and knew right away that it was them? It could have been because you recognized their clothing, but it is likely that we could have dressed them up in a big trench coat and you would have still known it was them. Why? Because we all inherently recognize how people hold themselves and move. If it were so easy to simply put our shoulders back and keep stand up straight, we all would have wonderful posture and be in excellent postural health. But our fascia is not like our muscles. It does not have any nerves from the Central Nervous System hooked up to it to make it move, like muscles do.
In order for our fascia to find a new way to hold us, we need to teach it how to support our structures differently. Trauma, repetitive use, inflammation or even simple daily movements can can create a holding pattern in the fascia that can result in pressure, pain, decreased range of motion, poor circulation and the forming of compensatory movement /holding patterns.
Myofascial Mobilization teaches and applies specific stretches designed to release fascial restrictions, freeing the body. Fascia does not act like muscles. Muscles you can stretch from point 'a' to point 'b' in a straight line. Fascia, by its molecular structure, has to be unwound in a cyclical and rotational manner. The goal of Myofascial Mobilization is to teach you and your body a new way of structural support.
Who Can Benefit?
What are some of the specific conditions that can benefit from Myofascial Mobilization?
What Myofascial Mobilization Resources Does YOUR-CENTER.com Have?
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