I’m sure people are getting tired about hearing me talk about FASCIA this and FASCIA that, but seriously, it is EVERYWHERE and connects EVERYTHING in our bodies! As I am working on patients, I often hear “how come I can feel it on the left side of my neck when you’re working on my right leg?” and “why am I twitching all over my body when you’re only working on one area?” and “I was in a different world during that treatment, how do you do that?” The responses that I get from people never cease to amaze or intrigue me. That and the fact that working on the fascial system often yields great results with people that have been lost in the medical system for years without much relief. I don’t claim to know how to treat everyone, but I don’t have to with Myofascial Release. Every patients body will tell it’s own story and will guide me to where I need to go to help facilitate their body’s own healing process. That’s really all it is – listening to the person, listening to their body and letting them guide me.
Our bodies are incredibly intricate systems that are still mysteries in so many ways, and the most amazing and frustrating part of this is that everyone is different! I’ll never forget when I did my first cadaver dissection class and we had 4 different cadavers – not a single one complied with the illustrations and descriptions in my anatomy book. One of them had their visceral organs in different places than the majority of people, one had a sciatic nerve that took a very different path than the norm, one of them had an odor that caused our eyes and noses to burn and we eventually decided that it was no longer safe to be breathing in the fumes that were seeping out of this likely cancer-ridden body. The one that perplexed most of us was the man with 3 testicles. It is crazy to think that anyone could know the perfect treatment for any one person, as we are literally soooooooo different! That is why it is so important for medical professionals to put their egos aside and accept the fact that we don’t know everything. The person that we’re treating holds the keys to their own health – they are the only one who knows how they feel. We are just there to help interpret and facilitate what their body and brain are trying to communicate.
It took me years to be able to let go of many of the protocols, tests and measurements that were driven into us in PT school. Yes, it’s great to have some baseline measurements in order to see progression, but we don’t always need to SEE progression. What matters is how the patient feels and how are they functioning in their world. So often when we take measurements and follow protocols, it pigeon-holes our brains and does not allow us to see the whole picture. The body is a system, it does not work as single pieces and parts, it is completely connected and held together from the top of the head to the end of the pinky toe by an intricate and fluid system of fascia. What happens when something goes wrong in one area of the fascia? It affects everything else! So we can’t just look at the painful area, often that is just a symptom and not the actual cause. The link below is my absolute favorite video, as it illustrates this concept so much better than I can explain it. Please watch the video in its entirety, it will change how you view pain and injuries and the best way to treat them. Enjoy!
If you feel that you would benefit from Myofascial Release (everyone does!) please contact me at Solstice Physical Therapy, (720) 369-7738 or check out my website at www.SolsticePhysicalTherapy.com. Also, if you do not live in the Denver area, please go to www.MFRtherapists.com to find a therapist near you!
**This is not to be considered medical advice, please contact a physical therapist or other healthcare professional for more information. All content on lisawilcoxpt.com is created for informational purposes only and is not to be taken as medical advice, treatment or diagnosis.
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