To Massage....or Myofascial Release

   **This post does contain some affiliate links. 

   I have been meaning to write a blog on the services I provide for a while now. Take it as it may, life has a loaded plate as many of us know so very well. I mean, it’s not as if I just go home and watch t.v. for the rest of the evening. Of course there are some days when I have no energy to move and a television binge might be prescribed, but it is only because I have not learned to balance my yin and yang as well as I would like too. I feel as if I have to do, do, do, and sometimes I simply want to be. The moments that I do try to just be, I am feeling guilty for not doing, so it is this endless cycle that can definitely be left for a whole other blog on balance.
    So what is today about? Well, I had a client the other day who described the last massage that he had. Now how many people actually come back from a massage and say it is horrible? Not many. I mean, I have had some awesome massages, and there have been the massages that I tend to be quite critical about. But this client explained that the therapist advertised massage and myofascial release and then proceeded to kind of just poke around at his body for a whole ninety minutes.
    Of course, I had to investigate further and asked about some of the poking, and if there was some stretches or limbs that this therapist would just hold. As a practitioner for the John F. Barnes Myofascial Release Approach, I knew this is what my client was describing and to be honest I was a little bit upset after I asked if there was any mention or description of this  myofascial release technique when this client called to consult with the therapist.
    Now let’s get one thing straight before I go on and rant, rave and educate. I love John Barnes. I have taken his Myofascial Release I, II and Myofascial Unwinding seminars all in a matter of a week (Phew!!!), and continue to go to study groups every few months. These study groups are held a few hours away, so yes, I am dedicated.
         John Barnes is a very powerful man, humble in many respects, his presence holds power and authority, and his technique is honestly…well, let’s just say I was scared shitless after the first day of his seminar and it was all my own stuff. I walked away from those seminars with a whole new perspective on how our bodies, emotions, memories, and fascia work and myofascial release no longer had the same definition that I had been using.  

     John F. Barnes Myofascial Release Approach is not MASSAGE!!! Yes, because of state regulations, you more than likely need a license to touch of some sort, such as a massage therapist, physical therapist, chiropractor, or doctor, and there is soft tissue manipulation involved, but if you want a massage and are used to getting deep tissue massages where it hurts so good, be aware and be sure to ask your therapist about the style of myofascial release that is intended. Because I promise you, you may be sorely disappointed if you expected to have your body kneaded and worked out and all you ended up with is some light traction.
    But if you are looking to dedicate some time on continuous therapy and work out your issues down to the very root of the problem. Myofascial Release is the way to go. There is a certain amount of bravery and courage needed. And the miraculous stories of recovery with John’s approach are numerous. I encourage you to investigate further.
    Fascia, what in the world? I am so used to hearing muscles, and knots, and adhesions, but what the heck is fascia. Jean-Claude Guimberteau and Colin Armstrong have written a wonderful book, Architecture of Human Living Fascia, that depicts some amazing insight of what human fascia looks like. (And I would love to demonstrate some pictures, but technology and I are not quite getting along at this moment!)
    Now for the technical definition, “fascia is a connective tissue network that exists throughout the whole body, from the macroscopic to the microscopic level, providing both fibrillar and histological continuity.”  Huh! Can I say I that in English please? Basically, fascia covers us from head to toe in its entirety of organized chaos right down to the cytoskeleton within your cells. Yep, you heard that right! Our body is one continuous interconnection of a 3-D fascial web. There is no break in any of its continuity. 
       Our fascia holds emotions, energy, memories and well, has a mind of its own. And with fascia holding on to all of this, imagine how trauma, surgery, stress and it’s automatic reaction of inflammation can cause all these myofascial restrictions, or as most of you feel and know, those damn knots! 
      Do you know how much pressure these knots cause? I mean, you feel as if the weight of the world is on your shoulders, right? Or your glutes, or that pesky lower back ache? 2,000 pounds! That is a freakin’ ton! And so no, you are not crazy for feeling like you have a ton of bricks sitting on you! Now imagine, you have got not only your muscles, but those fired up nerves, blood vessels, and osseous structures (aka, ligaments, tendons, and bones) all included under this weight. Holy Schisizzle. No wonder you have that pounded headache and limp your ass out of bed.
    What do you do with this pain? The majority of people will head on over to a Western doc who will ask you your symptoms and then more than likely offer some form of pill. Nope, I am sorry, but did that doc palpate you? Say you went in for a headache, did that doc feel your neck, your shoulders and arms, your jaw, or your back? I can guarantee the majority of docs will not! I know this, from experience, and from many of my client’s experiences. And if you have a doc that did that, you should definitely keep him or her! That doc is one in a million. 
    
     OMG! So all of this and you still have yet to know what John F. Barnes Myofascial Release Approach is! Ok, ok… Here I go. With John F. Barnes Myofascial Release approach, there is gentle and sustained pressure into the fascial restrictions. This sustained pressure can be anywhere from three to five minutes, and if there is no release within that time, it is up to the therapist to be aware, the whole time, of what is going on with the rest of the client’s body. Is it getting red, or as I call it, lighting up, anywhere? Is the client’s breathing beginning to quicken, or deepen? It is essential that a therapist is tapping into his or her intuition and your’s and really listening to your body. Then to move around and on the body as your body indicates. 
      Your body will react in one way or another. The first several visits may very well be about tapping into what you are feeling. Are you feeling the smaller fascial restrictions release? Sometimes, there is an emotional, happy or sad, or energetic release. It is all very individualized. 
Who can John F. Barnes Myofascial Release Approach help? My first answer is anyone and everyone, but to add a little more depth, people diagnosed with fibromyalgia have seen some tremendous results.  People who have had traumatic injuries or events. Women with fertility issues or gynecological issues such as endometriosis can benefit from Fascial-Pelvis techniques. And to boot, there have been studies have shown that myofascial release can  boosts immune function and pain, anxiety, quality of sleep, depression, and quality of life can all be improved. (Just remember it all begins with the mind and soul aspect first). 
       I can tell you, from my experience as the client, that there has been some huge changes in my life because of MFR, more so emotionally. There are patterns that I have released and I have been amazed that my body has reset some of those patterns. Sometimes there has been some soreness after some of my sessions, but the feeling of relief, of freedom, and the information that I received intuitively, reiterates my belief in this technique every single time. 
For those of you interested in some further reading or checking out some of Barnes’ information about his seminars, here is his website, https://www.myofascialrelease.com/. You will not be disappointed. And here is a video featuring Magdalena Regdos interviewing John that you can find on his website as well, but I have decided to post. There is nothing like a visual to help you understand the therapy you may decide on. May you make the best decisions for your soul, mind, and body!



​

​

​         
    

Magdalena Regdos RMT Interviews John F Barnes PT on Live Facebook Chat ... March 11, 2017 in Maui from magda regdos on Vimeo.