Who are the pioneers in the field of Myofascial Release? Or better put, who are those that created a shift in the way we view the body?
A look at the history of Myofascial Release, as well as the primary contributors, can be obtained on Wikipedia. But who represents the future?
I have a respect for the research and writings of Robert Schleip, Ph. D, who is a German fascia researcher and Rolfer. A case in point is his article, Fascial plasticity – a new neurobiological explanation: Part 1. While acknowledging the hypothetical nature of his work, he puts forth an explanation for the mechanism of fascial work from the basis of neurobiology.
When I put my hands on a client and feel changes, I have always had a mental picture of what was occurring, based on my learning. Schleip takes these same sensations and frames them in a new way. Since current research has failed to confirm the paradigm of mechanical explanation that I was taught as a means of validating fascial release, his theory draws from plausible explanations to come up with a logical framework. Sacred cows, whether they be in Myofascial Release or Craniosacral Therapy, can be changed.
So why does it matter? If what we are doing works, why should the explanation be so important? If Myofascial Release is to gain further credibility as an accepted modality, the science does matter. Will this change how we work? Quite possibly; finding the mechanism for change may lead to further advances in theory and technique.
Give Schleip’s article a read and let me know your thoughts.
Walt Fritz, PT
Hi Walt:
I think there is more than Schliep proposes, and likely to do with the CNS regulation, the immune system, the whole of the input/processing/output cycle. Interesting research being done these days that provides good workable views of the physiology and the wonder that is our innate ability to heal our own selves.
The fascia is just one part of an amazingly complex system of interactive multilevel communication.
Do we affect the body with manual therapy? Yes. What are we doing and how does the process work? I am still looking for that – I do think the biopsychosocial model is the closest thing to plausible.
I will read this more closely and stop back by if I missed any helpful idea.
Hi Sandy,
Without a doubt there is and will be much more than his proposed model. Take a look through some of his other papers on the Research page of my website, or others:
http://www.fasciaresearch.de/
http://www.fasciaresearch.com/
http://www.somatics.de/articlesprof.html
I think that the biological part of an explanation will come easiest, though there will always be conflict (science is not without its opposing camps). Trying to formulate a true working model of the psychosocial aspects may be the hardest, and is often one that the researchers try to avoid. (I use as an example research citation #153 from my website: “Understanding the Process of Fascial Unwinding”, where only the physical component of unwinding is discussed.)
Walt Fritz, PT
http://www.MyofascialResource.com
The credibility of Myofascial Release is of major importance. My heart breaks when I see pediatric patients steered away from treatment that can change their lives, because therapists hang on to sacred cows that physicians can’t accept. Let’s keep tipping the cows and opening the way for MRF to be mainstream.
Janet,
Well said. Nearly all of the pediatric patients that I’ve seen have a traditional physical therapist working with them. Times have changed, as now all of the parents get enthusiastic encouragement from these therapists, which is very different from the past.
Bringing the research up to a credible point will do a lot to advance this acceptance. It no longer suffices to accept MFR simply because “it works”.