Myofascial Release: The Shortcut To Flexibility And Pain Relief

flexibility yoga Oct 04, 2024

What is myofascial release and why is everyone talking about it?

Let’s start from the beginning.

Fascia is a connective tissue that runs through our body from head to toes like a never ending web.

It surrounds, protects and innervates every organ, bone, muscle and structure in your body, down to your cells. For years, fascia was considered merely a “filler material,” but modern research has revealed its crucial role in supporting the body.

Fascia creates a tension system that holds our structure together, absorbs mechanical stress, and allows for smooth, pain-free movement.

Myofascia refers to the specific type of fascia that surrounds muscles. Since it's close to the surface, it’s the one we can most effectively target with myofascial release (MFR) techniques.

The issue with fascia, is that it can become stiff, sticky, or dehydrated due to overuse, underuse, trauma, or scarring….basically, by being a human 🙂

When fascia loses its healthy state, it can lead to:

Pain: Muscles become constricted and develop knots, nerves get trapped in the fascia, and tendons become inflamed.
Loss of range of motion: Stiff or thickened fascia restricts the space muscles need to move, making them shorter and weaker.

Why Stretching Isn't Enough for Fascia Pain Relief.

Fascia doesn’t respond to stretching the same way muscles do. Think of it like a rubber band with a knot in the center. If you pull on both ends, the knot tightens. But, if you apply pressure to the knot and gently tug from different angles, it starts to loosen. The same concept applies to your fascia—it needs gentle, continuous pressure to release tension and rehydrate.

Myofascial Release helps bring back flexibility by applying this kind of pressure. It’s similar to how Yin Yoga targets the more plastic tissues of the body, like ligaments and bones.

The Science Behind Myofascial Release for Flexibility Improvement

Think about how braces realign teeth. The dentist doesn’t yank them into place with one big move (which would cause trauma). Instead, they apply constant, gentle pressure to shift even the hardest tissue—bones—without causing damage.

Similarly, when your body feels safe (as in, no pain), your brain allows muscles to relax and creates more space. On the other hand, if there’s pain, the brain switches to “fight or flight” mode and tenses up the muscles as a protective response. That’s why gentle pressure is key in MFR.

By using props like small balls, yoga blocks, foam rollers, or even your fingers, you can apply pressure to release tension, untangle knots, and bring back hydration to the tissues. Think of it like squeezing and releasing a sponge—the fascia rehydrates and becomes more elastic.

Instant Results: Fascia Pain Relief and Flexibility Improvement

The great news? Fascia responds immediately to this kind of pressure. You'll notice instant pain relief and an increase in mobility and flexibility. It's so effective that we’ve designed an entire Myofascial Release course to share these techniques with everyone.

How MFR Can Boost Your Arm Balance and Inversion Practice

At Yogi Flight School, we use MFR techniques both before and after playing with arm balances and inversions.

Before practice, MFR helps prepare the body and release tight areas that could prevent success in specific poses. For example, tight fascia in the hamstrings can make it harder to extend the legs in poses like Tittibhasana or Eka Pada Koundinyasana A. By placing an MFR ball on a yoga block and positioning your hamstring on top, you can release tension and gain increased mobility very quickly.

After practice, MFR helps release tissues that worked hard during the session. For instance, we grip the floor with our “finger brakes” in every pose to maintain balance. By placing a small MFR ball between two fingers and squeezing it for 3 to 5 seconds, we can release tension from the fascia in our hands.