Myofascia – part 2
Last week I explained what myofascia is and how it can become restricted from, for example, poor posture.
How to identify Myofascial Restrictions?
It is important to acknowledge that it is difficult to diagnose myofascial restrictions as they do not show up on standard tests (x-rays, myelograms, CAT scans, electromyography etc).
Massage therapists utilise their palpation skills to find myofascial restrictions. For example fascial drag, this is a very light press & slow technique to allow the therapist to feel the restrictions in the fascia.
Who treats Myofascial Restrictions?
- Myofascial Release – Originated in the 1940’s. It is a specialised physical and manual therapy used for the effective treatment and rehabilitation of soft tissue and fascial tension and restrictions. John Barns a physical therapist based in the US is one of today’s leading lights in the world of myofascial release.
- Rolfing – Dr Ida Rolf, started working with client in the 1930’s and by the 1950’s was teaching her work under the name of Rolfing . A physical therapy which aims to release stress patterns from the body. It is normally to require a series of treatment often up to 10.
- Massage – massage therapists utilise direct and indirect technique to address Myofascial restrictions.
With indirect Myofascial techniques you apply pressure and wait of the fascial to release, when you meet restriction you stretch the fascia. With direct Myofascial techniques you drag the fascia to create a Chinese burn sensation. Hence why in clinic I often rely on the gentler indirect Myofascial techniques even when I know my clients prefer deep pressure.
Related Posts
More factors that contribute to muscle cramps
Previously I discussed how dehydration & lack of sodium or potassium may cause muscle cramps. I now want to explore other nutritional factors. Calcium Calcium plays an essential role in muscle contractions. Some active people report their problem with cramping disappears when they boost their calcium intake. This anecdotal evidence is disputed by scientists who state that when dietary deficiencies of of calcium occur, calcium is released from the bones to provide what the body needs for proper muscle contraction. If you are plagued by muscle cramps, it may be worth trying to increase your intake of dairy or other calcium rich foods to see if it helps. Magnesium Just as muscles need calcium to contract they need magnesium to relax. Roffe et al demonstrated that magnesium helps reduce leg cramps that occur in the middle of the night.
Reference
Roffe C1, Sills S, Crome P, Jones P (2002), Randomised, cross-over, placebo controlled trial of magnesium citrate in the treatment of chronic persistent leg cramps. Med Sci Monit. 2002 May;8(5): p326-30.
The Impact of Sitting All Day – Part 2
In part 1, I looked at the impact of sitting on your muscles, but what happens in the rest of your body? Leg Disorders We are all familiar with the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) if we take long flights. This is because sitting for long periods of time slows blood circulation, which causes fluid to pool in legs. This creates problems ranging from swollen ankles, varicose beings to dangerous blood clots. Soft Bones Osteoporosis is a disease marked by reduced bone strength leading to an increased risk of fractures, or broken bones. Bone strength has two main features: bone mass (amount of bone) and bone quality. Osteoporosis is often called a “silent disease” because it usually progresses without any symptoms until a fracture occurs or one or more vertebrae (bones in the spine) collapse. Weight-bearing activities such as walking and running stimulate hip and lower-body bones to grow thicker, denser and stronger. Medical researchers partially attribute the recent surge in cases of osteoporosis to lack of activity. Garrett, Brasure et al, 2004, Physical Inactivity Direct Cost To A Health Plan, American Journal of Preventative Medicine; Vol 27 No 4, Pages 304–309 See http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797%2804%2900191-6/abstract?cc=y Weight Gain As the body slows down while in a resting and seated positions, the metabolism naturally slows down. Calories are burned at a far lower rate, when you sit, you burn only about one calorie a minute!. For some people this can lead to weight gain becoming an issues. Being overweight is a known risk factor for many common chronic conditions including
- diabetes
- gallstones
- hypertension
- heart disease
- stroke
So how does massage reduce pain? – Part 2
Previously I explained the scientific theory for "How does massage reduce muscle pain?" in the short term . But what about the long term? I would like to introduce to you the "descending pain suppression mechanism." The brain is not a passive receiver of sensory messages, but rather a centre that interprets them and makes constant adjustments accordingly. For example, everyone knows that the way you perceive pain will be influenced by whether you focus on it or think of something else instead. And it seems reasonable to suppose that evolutionary selection may have favoured those individuals who could ignore pain signals for long enough to take actions that let them escape and survive danger.
Unpleasant cutaneous sensations stimulate nuclei within the mid brain. These nuclei in turn initiate activity in the descending spinal tracts that release endogenous opiates (inhibitory neurotransmitters) within the spinal segment receiving the painful input. This diminishes the intensity of the pain transmitted to the higher centres. Sports and Deep Tissue massage techniques can reinforce a naturally occurring discomfort, causing much greater release of opiates and achieve a more profound pain suppression.
References Basbaum A, Fields H. (1978) Endogenous pain control mechanisms: review and hypothesis. Ann Neurol 4: 451-2. Watson J (1982) Pain mechanisms: a review. 3. Endogenous pain mechanisms. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy 27: 135-43
