Massage-Myofascial Release Therapy for people with
Fibromyalgia, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
This is a subject which is
important to me as I have one friend with FM (fibromyalgia) and one friend with
ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). They are both long
term and chronic conditions which produce either chronic pain (FM) or chronic
fatigue (ME/CFS) with no known cause or cure.
The 12th May is
international awareness day for all of these conditions and so I thought I
would produce this blog post to increase awareness of the conditions and
highlight a way in which some reduction in sensitivity in the conditions could
be gained from massage therapy.
Research published in the
international journal: Evidence-Based
Complementary and Alternative Medicine indicated that the type of
massage therapy named myofascial-release or MFR may aid in the reduction of the
symptoms presented by many of those with fibromyalgia. The article is entitled:
‘…Benefits of massage-myofascial release therapy on pain, anxiety, quality of
sleep, depression and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia…’
To read the full article
please follow the link below:
The MFR technique is very different to that of massaging
muscles, tendons and the ligaments of the body. A time component also exists,
coupled with the fluidity of the therapists hands in applying pressure and moving
though each and every fascial restriction. The time element is a vital factor,
the fascia cannot be forced as it will naturally meet that force in return.
Hence the MFR therapist provides a sustained, gentle, pressure for five to
eight minutes allowing the fascia to elongate naturally and return to its
normal resting length restoring health and providing results that are both
measurable and functional (MFR, 2015).
Axminster Health and Wellbeing Centre is proud to be home to
two practitioners of myofascial release; Emma Gilmore (www.schoolofbodywork.com) and
Jon Stocks (www.clinicofbodywork.com)
Contact the therapists direct on 07711656011. Appointments are available on
Monday, Wednesday and Thursdays at the Axminster Health and Wellbeing Centre.
For more information on the centre please call 01297 32331 or visit www.axminsterwellbeing.com.
Blog written by Miss Emma Prior MFHT, MISRM on 17/03/15.
Bibliography:
Journal:
Aguilera-Manrique et al.,
(2011) Benefits of massage-myofascial
release therapy on pain, anxiety, quality of sleep, depression and quality of
life in patients with fibromyalgia from Evidence-Based
Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Volume 2011 (2011), Article
ID 561753 accessed from http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2011/561753/
on 17/03/15.
Websites:
What is Fibromyalgia and ME and CFS (2008) from http://www.ukfibromyalgia.com/ accessed on 17/03/15.
What is Myofascial Release (MFR, 2015) from http://www.myofascialrelease.co.uk/what-is-myofascial-release/ accessed on 17/03/15.
Related Blog:
Information
and fundraising for the ME association by my friend Sally Callow:
