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What is John F. Barnes Myofascial Release?
True John F. Barnes Myofascial Release is a full-body, hands-on technique that was developed and refined by John F. Barnes. This technique releases the fascial system- a three-dimensional web that connects and surrounds every muscle, organ, cell and system in the body.
JFB-MFR helps to remove the straight jacket from the body by releasing restricted fascia. A skilled therapist will look at and treat your entire body, helping to restore balance. Releasing the fascial restrictions throughout the body will decrease the crushing force, therefore decreasing pain and increasing function, blood flow, nutrition and overall health down to the cellular level.
This is a very quick explanation of JFB- MFR. To get a more thorough understanding of JFB-MFR please refer to the many articles and books that John has written or see his website: www.myofascialrelease.com.
What is fascia?
Fascia is the tough connective tissue that creates a three-dimensional web that extends without interruption from head to toe. Fascia surrounds and infuses every muscle, bone, nerve, blood vessel and organ, all the way down to the cellular level. The fascial system can effect every system and function in the body- muscular, cellular, neurological, metabolic, etc. The white, glistening fibers you see when you pull a piece of meat apart or when you pull chicken skin away is fascia.
What is Fascia Made Of ?
Fascia is composed of an Elasto-collagenous complex which has three parts:
- Elastin- The most elastic part of the complex. It makes up the core of the complex.
- Collagen- These fibers are extremely tough and give support to the structure. They coil around the elastic fibers in a relaxed, wavy configuration .
- Ground substance/Matrix- A gelatinous like component that transports metabolic material through the body and also acts like a cushion.
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What is fascia's role?
The fascial system generally supports, stabilizes and cushions. Fascia creates separation between vessels, organs, bones and muscles. Fascia creates space through which delicate nerves, blood vessels and fluids pass.
What are fascial restrictions?
Through trauma, repetitive motions, repetitive positions and the inflammatory process, fascia can become solidified and shorten. Fascia will thicken or reinforce in these areas of stress and, in turn, shorten the connective tissue. This shortening or thickening is what is referred to as a fascial restriction. Fascial restrictions have the capability of putting 2,000 pounds of pressure per square inch in a restricted area. That pressure can compromise any system in the body, causing pain and dysfunction.
What causes these restrictions? Life! Anything from past accidents and traumas to repetitive postioning or activities. These restrictions slowly build up until it becomes more difficult and, many times, painful to move.
What Areas of the Body can Restrictions Affect?
Since the fascial system runs throughout your entire body, these restrictions can cause pain anywhere in the body, and compromise every system. By system, I mean vascular, neurological, muscular, circulatory, digestive, etc. So fascial restrictions can cause digestive problems, fertility problems, circulation problems, neurological problems and muscular problems. These restrictions can become tighter over time, literally making you feel like you are in a straight jacket and sending symptoms throughout your body.
How Do I Know If I Have Restrictions?
With proper training, restrictions can be felt and seen. By developing sensitivity through taking courses, a skilled JFB-MFR therapist can see and feel where these fascial restrictions are located in the body.
It's actually really easy to tell if you have restrictions. If you feel like you are being compressed, pulled, or strained then more than likely you have a restriction! Everyone has restrictions, and eventually they will cause a problem either with decreased function or with pain. This is what most people consider the normal pain that occurs as we age. By receiving treatment and learning how to self-treat, you can help release those restrictions, regain function and decrease or eliminate pain.
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What Diagnosis can Myofascial Release Help?
A diagnosis is usually just a naming of the symptoms. It is just a way to fit people's symptoms into a category so it can be "treated" or "fixed". The only problem is, as soon as the label is put on a person's dysfunction, they are already being sold short. What I mean is, when we as therapists or patients are given a diagnosis, our attention usually shifts to "How can I fix that?", instead of "Where am I (or the patient) restricted or out of balance?"
With MFR, with every diagnosis the therapist will look at your entire body. That way we won't just treat the symptoms, but will also help relieve the cause of the problem. Not only does MFR work with acute dysfunctions like back trauma from falls, MVAs, etc. but also for systemic and chronic diagnosis like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, etc.
Then there is the category of nerve/neural diagnosis- CVA, carpal tunnel, sciatica, etc. If the nerve has been completely severed, then MFR will not restore the nerve function. But, again, MFR will free up the system so that what muscle activity is available will be more efficient.
Myofascial restrictions can simulate every diagnosis out there. Restrictions can compress muscles, nerves, and every system in the body. It doesn't matter the age, you are never too young or too old to have benefits from MFR. So, what have you got to lose by trying MFR except some restrictions? |
How is MFR Different?
There is a significant difference between JFB-MFR and all other types of body work and traditional therapies. Other forms of body work and therapies generally follow protocols and are what we like to call “cookbook techniques.” Many only treat the symptoms, try to segment the body and ignore the power of the consciousness, whereas JFB-MFR is a whole-body technique that engages the fascia and follows what the body needs. JFB-MFR therapists do this by going to the barrier of the restriction and waiting for the release to occur. This engaging-the-barrier and allowing the necessary time for a release to occur is a key difference between JFB-MFR and other forms of bodywork.
Traditional therapies and alternative therapies generally only hold at the barrier long enough to release the elastic and muscular component of the complex. This is only part of the myofascial complex and why they only provide temporary results. The JFB-MFR approach releases the collagenous aspect of the myofascial complex which causes lasting results to occur. The restriction needs to be held at the barrier for at least two to five minutes in order to cause the collagen to lengthen.
I like to use an elastic band example to help make the point in a way that is easy to understand. If you take an elastic band and stretch it apart between your fingers, it will lengthen. But as soon as you release the pull from you fingers, the rubber band goes back to its original shape. This is like most other therapies that only hold at the barrier for 30-45 seconds, where all that is produced is a temporary result. You may feel relief for a little while, but then you feel that old familiar pull and pain again.
If you take that same elastic band, put it around an object (like a book) and leave it for several minutes it will have lengthened when you remove it. This is what JFB-MFR does; it allows the tissue to lengthen. This is an easy example to demonstrate the difference and to realize that the difference in effectiveness is massive.
Another big difference is the awareness of a JFB-MFR therapist. Awareness is needed to feel the restrictions and to be able to hold at the barrier. This barrier will change during the treatment as the fascia starts to release. The therapist needs to stay focused and centered in order to feel these changes, and keep at the barrier in order to keep the system engaged. If too much force is applied, then the body will start to resist. If not enough force is applied, then the only change that occurs will be in the elastic component which allows only temporary results.
It takes a therapist who is aware and centered to be able to maintain the barrier as the fascia releases. This is why it’s important that the therapist who treats you has been taught at a John Barnes seminar.
But to really know the difference, you need to feel it. So, just try a session and find out for yourself! It’ll be worth it! |
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