Myofascial Release and CranioSacral Therapy

The Myofascial System, the Body and Health Myofascial Release and CranioSacral Therapy Benefits of Myofascial Release and CranioSacral Therapy

The Myofascial System, the Body and Health

The fascia, or myofascial system, is a single web of connective tissue which holds all of the various structures of the body in position, including the muscles, organs, glands, bones and even the nervous system. When this myofascial system is healthy, it is soft and fluid, helping to support proper posture, a balanced nervous system and optimal health of the organs, muscles and glands. Over time, however, with various types of trauma, injury, and repeated body positions and motions, the fascia can become restricted and reinforce poor posture and pain patterns as well as restrict the body's natural fluid movements.

As a single connected system, any change in one area of the fascia has the potential to create problems in another part. You can imagine a sweater which has gotten caught on a nail and how is gets pulled out of shape. Or, perhaps you can remember a time when you woke up with your pajamas or your bed sheets wrapped around your body in a way that prevented your from moving easily. In those cases you needed to unhook the sweater from the nail and shift the clothing or sheets to free yourself from the restrictions they were creating.

When restrictions happen in the myofascial system, they act very much like the sweater being pulled or the sheets twisted around your body. Only this time, the tension and pulling is happening inside the body within the myofascial connective tissue itself. Sometimes these restrictions are subtle. Other times the restrictions are dramatic, causing postural distortions. The postural issues can then cause unnecessary strain in the body as it attempts to compensation and hold itself up in gravity. These compensation patterns can ultimately lead to diminished health and function, as well as stress, pain, and discomfort in various parts of the body.

Additionally, Myofascial restrictions can cause decreased functioning of organs and glands, as well as imbalances in the CranioSacral and Nervous system. And thus, even subtle restrictions can potentially create symptoms of pain and less than optimal functioning.

Since this one system has the potential to effect the health of every other area of the body, it is important to make sure that the Myofascial system is in balance and free of restrictions.

Myofascial Release and CranioSacral Therapy

Since the Myofascial system is one continuous web of connective tissue, the Myofascial Release techniques as developed and taught by John Barnes focus on a whole body approach. This includes Myofascial Release techniques for the whole body as well as for the CranioSacral System.

The Myofascial Release techniques help to identify various restrictions in the myofascial system and gently release them. As the system is restored, the natural fluid movement to the fascia returns and helps to bring a more optimal state of health to the entire body. The effects can include pain reduction, improved postural alignment as well as improved general well-being.

Each session may be unique, as it works with the restrictions that are most prominent at that time. As layers of restrictions are released, the body begins to come back into balance. Each session becomes a refining process, building on the previous sessions.

A session may involve mostly full body techniques, or mostly CranioSacral techniques depending upon what your body is most needing at the time. You may also request a session which is more full body or more CranioSacral in its approach if you feel a specific approach will best serve you..

Contact Jeff Now to set up your first appointment and discover how Myofascial Release and CranioSacral Therapy can help you!

Benefits of Myofascial Release and CranioSacral Therapy

Myofascial release is an excellent bodywork choice for many different situations. Here is a partial list of the types of conditions it can assist:

• Postural distortions and imbalances
• Pelvic and low back pain
• Shoulder, neck and TMJ pain
• Leg and foot pain
• Arm and wrist pain
• Headaches

Additionally, it can provide the following benefits:

• Decreased or eliminated pain
• Improved posture
• Increased energy
• Improved range of motion and freedom in the body
• Improved fluidity and sense of wholeness in the body
• Increased body awareness
• Increased feelings of general well-being

Myofascial Release is also excellent in conjunction with Reiki and Healing work and can help reflect the increased energy flow and openness of Reiki into the physical structure of the body.

With massage, Myofascial Release can help open and free up "trouble spots" that seem to keep recurring after massage treatments.

And in combination with regular yoga practice, Myofascial Release can assist by helping the body come into better alignment and assist with deeper openings in flexibility.

Contact Jeff Now and set up an appointment!