NewsLetter

Hands on Physical Therapy Newsletter-January 2010

YOGA, FASCIA AND MYOFASCIAL RELEASE
Yoga literally means union. To unite body, mind and spirit is how the practice of yoga flows, no matter which style is being practiced. Fascia is the most abundant tissue in the body. It spreads three dimensionally throughout the body from head to toe, without interruption.   It is the immediate environment and structure-giving component of all of our organs, muscles, bones, nerves, blood vessels and cells. It is a pressure sensitive system- responding to direct and indirect, low grade sustained pressures.

Myofascial Release is a whole-body, soft tissue technique used to treat pain and restriction of motion anywhere in the body. Myofascial Release techniques are performed by using sustained, direct pressure which affects the alignment of the fascia or connective tissue, thereby affecting postural alignment and changing long-held pain patterns.   Since the fascia reaches all the way down to the cellular level, the release of the fascia also reaches all the way down to the cellular and molecular levels of the body not only affecting the physical restrictions but also releasing emotions and memory held within those tissues.

The purpose of this article is to see the interrelationship of Yoga, Fascia and Myofascial Release. The article will be presented in two parts. Part one will outline the more structural and physiological foundation of these three systems. Part two will go to the deeper levels and explore more of the non physical, somoto-emotional components.

The common link between yoga and Myofascial release is fascia. In order to engage fascia, you lengthen it. The lengthening happens with a low level, sustained stretch. We do this in yoga with poses or postures through which we can practice engaging certain tissues and relaxing other tissues creating balance and equanimity throughout our system.   It happens in Myofascial Release by having a therapist use direct and opposing pressures into a restriction creating release and balance of fascia, bones, joints, muscles, nerves throughout the system.

What we have described above is one of the subtle principles of Yoga involving the balance of opposites. We are asked to engage certain parts of our body, and at the same time, we are asked to release other parts of our body. In Yoga language, it is the balance between what is called Sthira (steadiness, wakefulness) and Sukha (ease).   During Myofascial Release treatment it is of utmost benefit to be “tuned in” (wakeful) to our body to allow more authentic releasing (ease) of the body during and after a therapeutic hands on treatment.

Following are two poses through which we practice the balance of opposites, using the principles of both Yoga and Myofascial Release. The first pose, Downward Facing Dog, physically involves more Sthira (engagement of the tissues). The second pose, a Yin pose called Butterfly, involves less Sthira and more Sukha (ease, letting go). In terms of fascia, Downward Dog helps us to engage more actively into the fascial barrier, bringing more blood flow, energy and heat to the body. In Butterfly Pose, our body is more restful and quiet as we slowly sink in the fascial barrier for a long held release of fascial tissues. 

Downward Facing Dog is referred to as an inverted triangle. Our hands and feet are on the floor, our hips are the apex of the triangle. To just “hang” in this position without awareness might feel very heavy and taxing to our body, especially our arms, shoulders and neck. We would probably not be able to stay here more than a few seconds in this manner. However, when we engage the tissues, and even the bones, we may feel lighter, lengthened and balanced, opening spaces in our body that might otherwise stay compressed and painful. Some of the basic principles for “engaging” our tissues while in Down Dog:

- Engage leg muscles firmly. Press thigh bone to the back of your legs

- Lift sit bones to the sky

- Press PALM of the hands into the floor, especially at the base of the index finger, not tip

- Create length in your spine by reaching pelvis away from the hands

- Keep your belly soft to allow for breathing

Here we are especially engaging the fascia surrounding and interpenetrating hamstrings, calf muscles, plantar fascia as well as the nerves, and blood vessels of the posterior leg. This is beneficial for increasing circulation in the lower extremities and easing the affects of long term daily sitting (computers anyone?). Due to our inverted position, we are also experiencing lengthening of the fascial spine. This lengthening creates space for our intervertebral discs, nerves and blood vessels to function more efficiently. In this pose, not only are we using the entire length of our spine, but the entirety of our body from our feet to our hands (connect the dots of the triangle from your feet to your hips to your hands, back to your feet). As we press our thigh bones back and lift our sit bones our arms find length all the way to our palms, possibly alleviating wrist pressure and pain.

 

Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana):

In Butterfly Pose, we are sitting on the floor with the soles of our feet touching one another, letting our knees fall out to the side, a bit like a frog. In this Yin style pose we move slowly and breathe into the areas that are stretching, mainly the inner thighs, groin, pelvic floor and low back and possibly through the entire spine up to the head, neck and shoulders. In this position, we are also tugging on the tissue that surrounds the acupuncture meridian that is associated with the kidneys, gall bladder and liver which run the entire length of our body. As we inhale into the areas that are feeling stretched, observe the sensations. As we exhale, let go into forward flexion of the spine, if it is available! If forward flexion of the spine is not available, we stay exactly where we are and breathe. This is what we call the tissue barrier in Myofascial Release approach. We wait here. If we push past the barrier, our body begins to resist, fight back and does not readily release. As we sit at the barrier and breathe into the sensation, at least 90 seconds, our body and mind begin to unfold. Letting go and releasing. If it feels appropriate, we can stay here in the pose 4-5 minutes.

 

The two worlds of Yoga and Myofascial Release are linked by the presence of fascia. It’s why we can feel into our feet when we really engage our hands in Downward Facing Dog and why the therapist can help release restrictions at the sacrum while doing a leg pull or a neck stretch. It is the super highway of our body that extends beyond our body and connects us all.   In Part 2, we will explore beyond the physical components of fascia and investigate how hidden and buried emotions can lie deep in the layers of our body causing some of the pain and dysfunction that we learn to accommodate thus making Yoga and Myofacial Release a complimentary and incredible healing tool.

 

Jody Hendryx, PT, LMT

Kristi McGrath, PT, LMT