Recently, I was browsing Ask.com and came across a post about myofascial release techniques—specifically ones that are less painful than the "norm" people have experienced.

The school that I attended teaches the unwinding of the fascia (as opposed to forcing through it).  This technique is not widely practiced (or taught), but is very effective for the following reasons:

1. The therapist applies pressure guided by the clients comfortability. This allows the client to relax, and the tissue to more readily accept the change.

2. No strokes are performed. The tissue is "pinned" and the therapist uses his/ or her own body to unwind the area being worked. The therapist also utilizes the clients body (breath and/ or passive movement) to feel the lines of pull (tension) and create the "unwinding" effect. The therapist communicates with the client throughout the session to maintain the clients level of comfort.

3. This "unwinding" technique, when applied properly, will confuse the nervous system and can cause a deep state of relaxation. This state allows for the tissue to be manipulated all the way to the periosteum—the lining of the bones—affecting tension at its deepest possible levels.

4. Alignment Therapists teach their clientele how to maintain the changes created in the session and how to avoid recreating them outside of the sessions.

5. The ultimate goal of an Alignment Therapist is to help return the body to its most functional, postural state and empower the client with the knowledge to maintain themselves, eliminating the need for long-term care.

CR