Wait, what should I myofascial release?

Written By Britta Stime

There are many schools of thought around what to myofascially release and massage (collectively “MFR”). The below routine is based on my own work using the Functional Patterns 10-Week Online Course, Power of Posture, Beauty Fascia, Rolfing, and Structural Integration material.

I would recommend downloading the Essential Anatomy 5 App to your phone, and follow along with this list as you MFR, to better understand the muscles, their fiber direction(s), and their origin and insertion points. If you feel up for it, I would also recommend purchasing a paper copy of The Power of Posture by Naudi Aguilar, and use that to follow along, as well.

The Routine

Lower Extremities: Plantar Fascia, Inner Calves, Hamstrings, Rectus Femorus, IT Band, TFL, Anterior/Posterior 45s

Torso: Lateral Obliques, QL, Upper Abs, Serratus

Arm Lines: Pec Major, Lats, Subscaps, Upper Traps

Head: Suboccipital, Masseter, Anastasia Beauty Fascia Routine

Body-Specific

For most people displaying gait and postural compensations typical to Western lifestyle, the above list of tissues are shortened, and thus it is optimal to perform MFR mostly along the direction of the muscle fibers (generally, from midline to distal). But, for some people (such as people with idiopathic scoliosis), the list of tissues and how to best MFR them becomes fairly more complex. In these cases, there are patterns of lengthened and shortened tissues—not just in the sagittal plane—throughout the body based on the individual’s specific scoliosis pattern and compensations.

With this in mind, there can be a discussion about adjusting the direction of the MFR based on whether the tissue is shortened or lengthened relative to what is optimal. If the tissue is lengthened, MFR across (perpendicular to) the muscle fibers to hydrate them without lengthening them further. If the tissue is shortened, MFR along (parallel to) the muscle fibers to hydrate and lengthen them.

General Strategies

There are several strategies with MFR. Here are some important (and tested ones):

  • MFR…and then move. MFR and then, right after, do structural integration-aware exercise to help the body redistribute the new tensions. Most people do not effectively auto-regulate after MFR and stretching; meaning, without exercises that teach the body how to handle the new/different tensions after MFR, the body might create non-optimal compensations—which is not what we want.

  • Pick a spot and hold. With your tool of choice, find a painful spot and hold, then do small circles on top of it. Do not rub back and forth popping over the muscle or knot—this is knot what we want (pun intended).

  • Ease into it. You want the Goldilocks zone with MFR. To hard, and the nervous system will tighten up and resist the work you’re trying to do; too soft, and there might not be much benefit. Watch this video by Tom Myers about fascia as a non-Newtonian fluid. If you recall playing with Oobleck as a kid, the Oobleck is hard and even cracks when you hit it, but becomes a liquid when you gently press into it. The process of MFRing our fascia is similar. (This is also why I wouldn’t recommend using a massage gun on the tissues except in very specific applied circumstances.)

  • Explore muscle fiber direction. As mentioned previously, if you’re in deep enough with your practice, and you can tell which tissues are shortened versus lengthened, you can adjust the direction of your MFR accordingly. If the tissue is lengthened, MFR across (perpendicular to) the muscle fibers to hydrate them without lengthening them further. If the tissue is shortened, MFR along (parallel to) the muscle fibers to hydrate and lengthen them.

  • Look into Rolfing and Structural Integration principles. My favorite way to MFR is to pin down tissue with a tool or my hand, and then deeply drag the tissue along the muscle fibers to feel the tissue relaxing, gaining sensation, and elongating. This is inspired by Rolfing and Structural Integration myofascial massage technique. I recommend watching some videos about these techniques for inspiration, and even try out a few Rolfing or SI sessions for yourself. Certainly, if you are already getting massages, I recommend re-allocating those resources to a Rolfing or SI practitioner.

Tools

Certainly, by now, one is wondering: “What tools should I use for MFR?!” You can find the best tools for the job in “The Kit” under the “Shop” tab.

*Caveats

Consult a trusted medical professional to avoid pressing on arteries and nerves—this is a real hazard, and something that physical therapists, for example, are trained in.

Resources

To learn more about myofascial release, consult a curation of the best learning material, here.

Britta Stime
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“Learning to See” in Movement