Myofascial Release

Published on 22/05/2015 by admin

Filed under Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Last modified 22/04/2025

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Chapter 24 Myofascial Release

OVERVIEW.

Myofascial release (MFR) is a manual therapy involving deep friction and stroking of the body’s fascia in order to improve its ability to move and deform within the body. The aim is to eliminate pain, reduce structural imbalances, and ultimately, improve functional ability.¹

SUMMARY: CONTRAINDICATIONS AND PRECAUTIONS.

Three physical therapy sources cited a total of 23 concerns for MFR. Concerns ranged from 3 to 17 per source. The largest proportions of concerns were circulatory, and to a lesser extent, musculoskeletal and integumentary. The most frequently cited concerns were malignancy, hematomas, aneurysms, open wounds, and acute rheumatoid arthritis. Malignancy, aneurysms, and acute RA were considered an ACI by one source.

Note: MFR sources offer few rationales for their contraindications. Because MFR incorporates stroking (massage-like) and pressure (mobilization-like) forces, it is likely that many of the same concerns and rationales described by those manual therapies also apply here.

PROCEDURAL CONCERNS

1 Manheim CJ, Lavett DK. The myofascial release manual. Thorofare (NJ): Slack, 1989.

2 Ramsey SM. Holistic manual therapy techniques. Primary Care Clin Off Pract. 1997;24(4):759-786.

3 Barnes JF. Myofascial release: the search for excellence. A comprehensive evaluatory and treatment approach. John F. Barns PT and Rehabilitation Services, 1990.

4 Goodman CC. The cardiovascular system. In Goodman CC, Boissonnault WG, Fuller KS, editors: Pathology: implications for the physical therapist, ed 2, Philadelphia: Saunders, 2003.

5 Manheim CJ. The myofascial release manual, ed 2. Thorofare (NJ): Slack, 1994.

6 Brashear HRJr, Raney RBSr. Shand’s handbook of orthopaedic surgery, ed 9. St. Louis: C.V. Mosby, 1978.

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