5 Best Myofascial Release Tools To Get Ridiculously Mobile
Ever had a tight muscle that won’t budge, no matter how much stretching you do? Or a pinched nerve you can’t seem to shake?
It might be your fascia.
What Is Fascia?
The fascia (also called myofascia) are thin sheaths of connective tissue beneath the skin that attaches, stabilizes, encloses, and surrounds the muscles and internal organs. They cover everything under your skin from head to toe--your muscles, arteries, blood vessels, bones, organs, and all your other body parts.
If you can picture your skin as the rind of an orange, the fascia would be similar to the white, fibrous layer that surrounds the fruit.
Like ligaments and tendons, fascia are composed of fibrous connective tissue (mostly collagen). They are subdivided into three categories:
Superficial Fascia
This type of fascia is found right beneath the skin. Its primary purpose is storing fat and water, but it also serves as a passageway for blood, nerve, and lymph vessels and as protective padding to cushion and insulate the muscles.
It can stretch to accommodate fat deposits and pregnancy weight gain. After stretching, the superficial fascia has the ability to return to its original shape.
Deep Fascia
This type of fascia refers to the tough fibrous tissue that encloses and permeates the muscles and blood vessels. Although it does not necessarily contain nerve endings, it is full of receptors that can detect pain and other stimuli.
Visceral Fascia
This type of fascia is the deepest layer of the three. It holds the visceral organs (e.g. stomach, intestines, gall bladder, etc.) in place and serves as protection within organ cavities.
What Is Fascia For?
In the past, fascia were thought of as passive structures chiefly meant for transmitting mechanical tension or reducing friction between the muscles and skin. Modern research, however, shows that fascia have multiple functions including the following:
[if !supportLists]● [endif]Maintains the structural integrity of the muscles and organs
[if !supportLists]● [endif]Provides a pathway for cells to communicate
[if !supportLists]● [endif]Creates an environment for tissue repair following an injury
[if !supportLists]● [endif]Aids in hemodynamic and biochemical processes
[if !supportLists]● [endif]Serves as the first line of defense against pathogens and infections
What Are The Negative Effects Of Tight Fascia?
Subjected to external and internal pressure, fascia can become tight and rigid, creating a number of problems for the body. Doctors call these problems myofascial restrictions or fascial adherence.
Studies show that myofascial restrictions can exert roughly 2,000 pounds per square inch on pain sensitive structures--and these do not register on most standard tests (CAT scans, myelograms, x-rays, electromyography, etc.). As a result, many who suffer from fascial problems, especially those who experience pain and/or a severe restriction of motion go undiagnosed and, many times, untreated.
In the event of injuries, inflammation, scarring, trauma, or even habitual poor posture, fascia can lose its pliability, which can cause tightness and tension throughout the body. Some effects of these include muscular pain, headaches, pinched nerves, and lack of mobility.
Pain
One of the most common symptoms of myofascial restrictions is pain. That is, localized pain in the area where the fascia is tight.
Tight fascia can pull, compress, and pressure the body into misalignment causing tension and pain in the underlying muscles and organs. Common examples of this include IT band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and frozen shoulder.
Nerve And Circulatory Problems
In more severe cases, myofascial restrictions can constrict nerves and block off nerve signals and blood vessels, causing numbness, poor blood flow, and, in some instances, difficulty breathing.
Do your legs constantly fall asleep? Are your hands and feet constantly cold? These are common symptoms of myofascial restriction.
Skin Issues
Few understand the connection between fascia and skin quality, which is strange because the two organs are practically beside each other.
The body needs to deliver elastin and collagen--two key proteins--in order to maintain the health of your skin. These nutrients are carried through blood vessels that, when constricted by fascial tightness, are not able to properly supply the skin.
Am I Hurting My Fascia?
Apart from trauma and injury, the biggest culprits of unhealthy fascia are: bad posture and muscular imbalance.
When we move around with bad posture or exercise with improper form, our body experiences microtraumas that place strain on the fascia. If you have a chronic injury or a postural problem, your fascia has to work doubly hard to keep your body functioning properly.
Fascia is protective by nature, which means it will compensate for and heal imbalances and injuries. It does this by patching up the area, akin to how a callous protects underlying skin. However, when “callouses” in the fascia pile up, it can place a lot of pressure on your body.
This is where we need myofascial release.
What Is Myofascial Release?
According to John F. Barnes, a leading physical therapist of over 50 years, myofascial release is a “safe and very effective hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure into the Myofascial connective tissue restrictions to eliminate pain and restore motion”.
The keywords here are “gentle” and “sustained”. Myofascial release works like a massage but one that focuses the right amount of pressure (gentle) over a prescribed period of time (sustained).
The science behind myofascial release is this: when steady pressure is applied over an area over a certain amount of time, bundled fascia breaks up and elongates so that any adhesions and restrictions are flattened out. Imagine flattening a mound of dough using a pin roller--that’s basically how myofascial release works.
Why Do We Need Myofascial Release?
Myofascial release has some obvious and not-so-obvious benefits. The obvious ones being eliminating pain and restoring mobility. However, the treatment also has several not-so-obvious benefits for people who aren’t “myofascially challenged”.
Many times, stretching isn’t enough. Here’s why.
When you stretch, you are merely extending your muscles and fascia. Those myofascial restrictions and adhesions bundled up underneath your skin stay intact. On the other hand, performing myofascial release allows you to knead out those myofascial restrictions and adhesions.
Studies have shown that myofascial release can actually increase blood flow, boost flexibility, improve sleep, and reduce muscle soreness, especially after a strenuous workout.
So whether you’re a patient, a regular dude, a stay at home mom, or a professional athlete, you can definitely benefit from myofascial release.
Where Do I Start?
In this article, we’ll be going through 5 of the most effective myofascial release tools and how to use them:
1. Foam Roller
Remember the pin roller analogy? Well, the foam roller is just that.
A foam roller is a cylindrical device made mostly of foam. The standard ones are smooth but some come with bumps and grooves for deeper stimulation.
What it’s good for: quads, hamstrings, calves, lats, upper back
Here are some foam roller exercises you can do at home:
Quads
Position yourself face down on the floor with a foam roller under one thigh. Applying pressure on that thigh, roll your body back and forth, focusing on sore spots and tight areas. Make sure that your muscles are relaxed throughout the exercise. Switch to the other leg after 2-5 minutes.
Hamstrings
Sit on the floor with your feet straight out in front of you and a foam roller under one thigh. Slowly roll your body back and forth, focusing on sore spots and tight areas. Keep your muscles relaxed and your knees slightly bent. Switch to the other leg after 2-5 minutes.
Calves
Sit on the floor with your feet straight out in front of you and a foam roller under one calf. Slowly roll your body back and forth, focusing on sore spots and tight areas. Keep your muscles relaxed. Switch to the other leg after 2-5 minutes.
Lats
Lie with your right side against the floor with a foam roller directly under your right lat. Prop yourself up with your right arm while maintaining pressure on your lat. Slowly roll your body back and forth, focusing on sore spots and tight areas. Keep your core steady and your lats relaxed. Switch to the other side after 2-5 minutes.
Upper back
Lie with your back to the floor and a foam roller underneath and parallel to your shoulders. Cross your arms and look straight up at the ceiling. Applying pressure to your trapezius muscles, roll back and forth, focusing on sore spots and tight areas. Do for 2-5 minutes.
Where to get one: ThunderHead Fitness
2. Lacrosse Ball
For small, hard to reach areas, your best option is a lacrosse ball. Compared to foam rollers, lacrosse balls are much more compact. Moreover, the ball’s rigidity provides the necessary resistance for a good, steady massage.
What it’s good for: forearms, shoulders, glutes, hips, and feet
Here are some lacrosse ball exercises you can do at home
Forearms
Hold a lacrosse ball in one hand and roll it up and down your opposite forearm, focusing on sore spots and hard to reach areas. Switch hands after 2-5 minutes. Make sure you keep your arms relaxed.
Shoulders
Stand with your back to a wall, knees slightly bent, and place a lacrosse ball in between your right rhomboid muscle (between your right shoulder blade and spine). Press your back to the wall and move your body up and down, keeping a steady pressure on your rhomboids. Switch sides after 2-5 minutes.
Glutes
Stand with your back to a wall, knees slightly bent, and place a lacrosse ball in between your right glute and the wall. Applying pressure to your glutes move in circles to massage out sore spots and tight areas. Switch sides after 2-5 minutes.
Hips
Lie on one side with knees bent 90 degrees and stacked on top of each other. Place a ball directly under a tight area and move your hips around to release tension. Switch sides after 2-5 minutes.
Feet
Stand up and place a lacrosse ball under the arch of your bare foot. Applying steady pressure, massage out sore spots and tight areas. Switch to the other foot after 2-5 minutes. This helps relieve plantar fasciitis and loosen up tight ankles.
Where to get one: Massage Track
3. Massage Stick
Looking for something that works like a foam roller but you can bring around? Try out a massage stick or muscle roller.
A massage stick is shaped exactly like a pin roller--and works like one too! Except it’s made for the muscles, not pastries. It’s portable, durable, and it can be used for a lot of things.
What it’s good for: quads, calves, IT bands
Here are some massage stick exercises you can do at home
Quads
Sit down on a chair and relax your legs. Gripping both ends of the foam roller, apply steady pressure to one thigh. Roll the massage stick back and forth, making sure to focus on sore spots and tight areas. Switch to the other leg after 2-5 minutes.
Calves
Sit down on a chair and relax your legs. Gripping both ends of the foam roller, apply steady pressure to one calf. Roll the massage stick back and forth, making sure to focus on sore spots and tight areas. Switch to the other leg after 2-5 minutes.
IT Bands
Sit down on a chair and relax your legs. Gripping both ends of the foam roller, apply steady pressure to the side of your thigh. Roll the massage stick back and forth, making sure to focus on sore spots and tight areas. Switch to the other leg after 2-5 minutes.
Where to get one: Muscle Stick Original Massage Roller
4. Massage Ball
That nagging pain at the bottom of your foot won’t go away anytime soon. A lot of times, it’s plantar fasciitis, which basically means that your plantar fascia--the ligament that supports your arch--is strained, swollen, inflamed, or injured.
If the pain is unbearable, leave it alone and get it checked by a doctor. If the pain is mild, use a massage ball to break up bundled fascia.
What’s it good for: feet
Here’s a cool massage ball exercise you can do at home
Feet
Stand up and place the massage ball under the arch of your bare foot. Applying steady pressure, massage out sore spots and tight areas. Switch to the other foot after 2-5 minutes.
Where to get one: Master of Muscle Mauler Ball
Loosening tight muscles takes a lot more than just stretching. Many times, it requires concentrated myofascial release exercises to free up and smoothen out bundled fascia. Work your body using the devices above to improve flexibility, treat tight muscles, and reduce soreness. Your body will thank you for it.
Cheers!
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