Please feel free to call if you would like advice before booking an appointment. Any information shared is treated confidentially.

Fascia is very rich in proprioceptive nerve endings so by stimulating these it may reduce nociceptive pain signals. This positive stimulation can be done via manual therapy and also through exercises to help develop proprioception, such as balancing movements. Myofascial Release (MFR) therapy works gently with the sensory mechanoreceptors in fascia – some like compression, some like stretch, some like vibration. The techniques that seem to work best are those which affect the whole body such as arm and leg pulls, cranial work, cross hand releases, deep and slow stretches and waiting for the fascia to mobilise and ‘melt’. Because it is gentle and works with the body, not against it, it is not perceived by the body as a threat which could further stimulate the nervous system.

There is evidence that MFR is a key tool in treating chronic pain disorders such as fibromyalgia.

Myofascial work is starting to become more popular – although by no means a mainstream treatment sadly – largely thanks to recent advances in the understanding of the role fascia plays in sensing and transferring sensory input. The fascial net is the richest and most highly refined sensory organ in the human body. It has recently been hypothesized that there are over 250 million nerve endings in the human fascial system!

Call me if you would like more information about MFR for your specific health needs.