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Deep Tissue Myofascial manipulation can be very effective to help conditions of chronic or recurring pain particularly in places such as shoulders, knees, hips, back or neck. Many cases of musculoskeletal pain can be influenced by or have the underlying cause in structural alignment of the body due to fascial pulls and acquired, inefficient movement patterns.
An extra element to this work is Intraoral Massage, gently releasing muscles inside the jaw. Releasing tension here can often help relieve compression and pain related to whiplash, TMJ, headaches, and may help with jaw clenching/teeth grinding (bruxism).
Myofascial Integration is the technique underlying Structural Integration (SI) therapy first developed by Ida Rolf (Rolfing) and now taught by several schools and given a new myofascial connection approach by Tom Myers of KMI with Anatomy Trains.
It works by releasing the bound restrictions in the body's fascial web that connects discrete elements of the body into a whole system. These restrictions arise from habit, function, emotion and build up over time and can effect our posture and movement.
One part of the release mechanism is the rebalancing of the autonomic nervous system, the ‘fight/flight’ response and ‘rest/repose’. More ‘indirect’ myofascial techniques are used here.
Fascia is highly innervated with nerve and pain receptors; the manual stimulation of certain receptors invokes a parasympathetic nerve response and a resetting of the muscle tone. Another effect of this to re-establish more efficient neuromuscular pathways.
The overall aim is to give your body a new, more balanced and efficient space to organise itself around so you should feel more grounded and evenly weighted; then be able to move more efficiently without strain and with better balance and freedom.
Because it works in this way it is the perfect complement to Pilates where you can explore the body working into a full range of movement and learn and reinforce better movement patterns.
The treatment is performed on a massage table or sitting on a bench. The practitioner will contact the tissues and you will be guided through small movements to help with the release.
It is different from a massage in that there is a strong intent from the therapist to change tissue in a targeted way using depth and direction with a specific outcome in mind which in turn will affect a postural or neuromotor change. There is also a degree of active participation of the client working with the practitioner.