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Myofascial Release – Fort Lauderdale, FL

Gentle but Powerful Relief from Muscle Pain

Are you one of the countless individuals who struggle with ongoing muscle pain, back aches, and similar problems? Here at the Institute for Non-Surgical Orthopedics in Fort Lauderdale, FL, our team wants to help you discover gentle but powerful relief. We might recommend that you undergo myofascial release, a type of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). This page explains exactly what myofascial release is and how it might be able to benefit you.

Why Choose the Institute for Non-Surgical Orthopedics for Myofascial Release?

  • Therapy Performed by Highly Trained Professionals
  • Suitable Treatment for a Range of Conditions
  • Custom Pain Relief Plans for Each Patient

What Is Myofascial Release?

Myofascial release is categorized as a type of osteopathic manipulative treatment. However, in contrast to other forms of OMT, myofascial release can also fall under the umbrella of therapeutic massage. That is because it is sometimes performed by providers who are not osteopathic physicians.

Myofascial release focuses on treating the myofascial tissues, which support and surround muscles throughout the body. These tissues have trigger points, which are very sensitive. When they are too tense, they can cause quite a bit of pain and discomfort. During myofascial release, those points undergo careful massage in order to release that tension and promote pain-free muscle function.

What Problems Can Myofascial Release Treat?

Myofascial release can be part of a treatment plan for a range of muscle conditions. For example, it is often used for individuals with myofascial pain syndrome, which occurs when an injury or another stimulus causes severe tension in the muscles.

Myofascial release may also be recommended for individuals who are suffering from:

  • Sports injuries
  • Overuse injuries
  • Other conditions that are associated with tense and painful trigger points

If you are curious about whether this treatment might be right for you, visit our team for a consultation. We can evaluate your condition and design a treatment plan that is customized to your unique needs. We want to help you progress toward a pain-free life!

What to Expect During Myofascial Release

The word “massage” might call to mind a very relaxing experience. However, we urge you to remember that some types of therapeutic massage can cause discomfort. Our practitioners try to be gentle, but in some cases, they must apply strong and continuous pressure to trigger points to get them to release their tension and relax. Therefore, even though your overall experience with myofascial release should feel pleasant, there might be moments of mild pain.

It is also worth mentioning that trigger points can cause referred pain. That means that they can lead to pain in other parts of the body. Finding the exact trigger points that are causing your discomfort might take a bit of time.

A myofascial release session may last for 30 – 60 minutes or so. Some patients are sore afterward. A bit of lightheadedness and nausea might also occur. We recommend that you arrange your schedule so you can rest for a while after your appointment.

It may take multiple appointments before you experience optimum results from myofascial release. If you are patient and trust the process, you are likely to notice a gradual and significant reduction in muscle pain.

Myofascial Release FAQs

What Is Fascia?

The word “myofascial” has two different parts, which together convey a very specific meaning. “Myo” can describe things that are related to muscles and their function. “Fascial” is an adjective that refers to anything related to fascia throughout the body, which are the connective tissues around muscles. Myofascial release is a therapy that treats fascia with the intention of improving muscle health and function.

You can think of your fascia sort of like a spiderweb, or a complex network of tissues that extends from the top of your head all the way to the ends of your toes. When your fascia is healthy, it is quite flexible and aids your muscles in unrestricted movements. However, trauma or tension can cause it to lose some of its flexibility. That is how painful trigger points develop. Myofascial release aims to release those trigger points.

Will Myofascial Release Cause My Symptoms to Worsen?

Some patients experience a temporary increase in pain and discomfort after myofascial therapy sessions. We often call this a “healing crisis.” Basically, this happens because therapy can make you more aware of pain and discomfort that you previously were able to ignore. Treatment helps you to become more in tune with your body!

Another possible reason for an increase is pain is that as the therapy reaches deeper layers of restriction within your body, it can affect some sensitive areas and lead to some discomfort.

It is important to remember that myofascial therapy is a low-risk treatment. It will not worsen your injuries. On the contrary, it has a well-deserved reputation for being highly beneficial.

How Is Myofascial Release Performed?

The myofascial release process starts with an evaluation. Your treatment provider will ask about your symptoms, seeking to learn what parts of your body are affected, how long you have been in pain, and more. They will also try to identify where the pain is coming from; this can involve a visual and tactile examination wherein they look for imbalances and places of asymmetry.

Then, they may start to apply sustained pressure to trigger points. Your verbal and nonverbal feedback will guide your treatment provider as they determine how much pressure to apply, which direction they should stretch your tissues, and the appropriate duration for the stretches.

Does Medical Insurance Cover Myofascial Release?

Myofascial release in Fort Lauderdale is a common treatment that is widely accepted within the medical community. In fact, many insurance companies acknowledge that it can help with stiff muscles, injuries, and various aches and pains. Many policies classify it as a form of physical therapy and do offer some coverage for it.

Our team welcomes most medical insurance plans. We can help you figure out how your benefits may apply and assist you with the claims process. Contact us to learn more about how to use your coverage in our office.

Florida Ostepathic Medical Association logo American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians logo American Osteopathic Association logo American Acadey of Osteopathy logo American College of Sports Medicine logo American Medical Society for Sports Medicine logo American Acadmy of Family Physicians logo The Osteopathic Cranial Academy logo American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians logo