Basic Stretches

This post begins a series based on stretches meant to extend the benefits of Myofascial Relese and help you to maintain your treatment and bring back range of motion with ease of movement throughout your daily activity.

The following is very important and must be practiced with each session.

Our goal is to put length back into tightened tissue. Each stretch will be performed slowly with five deep breaths. Filling the lungs as much as possible and letting each out slowly.

When we engage the tissue we want to stop in the stretch at the point of the barrier. This will be felt by an increase in tightness, possibly burning in the tissue maybe some pain. Keep the pain level low enough that you can relax through it. Stop at this point and allow yourself to sink into the stretch, think of the tightness in the tissue as becoming like taffy.

As you sink into the stretch and continue to breathe deeply you will feel the tissue let go. At this time, depending on the stretch you can elongate your arm or leg to increase the stretch. This will create a release through the layers of muscles also a release that will last longer.

Be aware if you notice that you are bracing against or tensing, modify your stretch so that you can sink into it. When we stretch fascia it should be gentle and a good hurt at most.

Your job is not to get through the stretches but to create a good quality stretch. Break up your stretch time some in the AM some in the PM, try to find a time when you are not rushed. I like to do them at the end of the day in my bedroom with the door closed or before the family is up in the morning.