February 24, 2024

“Tension is very bad for your muscles. It shortens them.”-Hans Kraus, MD, The Father of Sports Medicine

You’re seated at your computer when you receive an IM from a colleague. Susan is requesting a change to the report you submitted on Friday, but your schedule is already jam-packed.

As you open the report to hammer out the change, do you notice that your shoulders are creeping up towards your head? Can you feel your upper back tightening? Never mind: you need to correct the report as quickly as possible. You can worry about how you’re feeling later.

No, there’s no lion charging at you, but your body likely registers the request as a threat.

Yes, you can meet the demand. However, when the report is finished, will your body relax? If it doesn’t, and those muscles stay contracted, over time there’s a good chance your muscles will change.

Chronically contracted muscles begin to shorten. When muscles shorten, they don’t function properly. Blood supply decreases, muscle fibers and fascia become rigid, and eventually you are in pain. Tight muscles may even affect your posture and physiology. What can a person do?

Myofascial Release (MFR) is a form of manual therapy that brings suppleness and elasticity back to the muscles and tissues. It promotes a natural healing response within the body. Most of all, MFR stimulates the mind-body connection, which begins to activate healing at a deep level.

Alisa Fisher, LMT is trained in John F. Barnes’ Myofascial Release. She sees clients at The Headache Center of Hope in Kenwood, Ohio.