If you’ve used massage balls in one of my classes, you’ll know that something so small can make quite an impression!
We might place a ball under a foot, around the hips or behind a shoulder. Then we add a little pressure, perhaps a small movement, and notice how it feels.
This is self-myofascial release, often shortened to “Myo” in my classes. It sounds complicated, but it’s a form of self-massage.
What is fascia?
Imagine a three-dimensional spider’s web running throughout your body.
That gives you a rough picture of fascia, a network of tissue that connects and supports different parts of you. It surrounds and runs through muscles, and helps hold other structures in place.
It also separates neighbouring parts so they can slide alongside one another when you move.
Some fascia is thin and delicate. Other parts are thicker and stronger. It contains nerves that help you sense movement and pressure, too. So it does much more than hold everything together.
Fascia is involved whenever you move, whether you’re walking, stretching, lifting shopping bags or rolling out your yoga mat.
What does “myofascial release” mean?
“Myo” means muscle. “Fascial” refers to fascia.
Muscles and fascia work together. Think of an orange: little juice sacs sit inside segments, with layers holding the different parts together. Our muscles have layers of connective tissue around their smaller parts and around the whole muscle.
In class, we use massage balls to apply pressure to these soft tissues. You might rest against a ball, roll slowly or add a small movement.
You control the pressure. You can use less body weight, move the ball or stop whenever you need to.
Despite the word “release”, we aren’t trying to break anything apart. Researchers are still working out exactly how it helps. Part of the effect seems to come from how our brain and nerves respond to pressure and stretch. Movement may feel easier afterwards, without anything needing to be “unstuck”.
How can it help?
It can help you move more freely.
It can improve how far a joint moves. Regular practice may also improve flexibility over time. That might mean a little more ease when bending or reaching.
It may ease soreness after exercise.
It can help with the muscle soreness you sometimes feel after a demanding or unfamiliar workout. It’s one way to support recovery, alongside rest and a sensible balance of activity.
It may make a stretch feel more comfortable.
Sometimes we can move further because the stretch feels easier to manage. That doesn’t always mean the tissues have become physically looser. Our brain and nerves play a part too.
There’s another reason I enjoy teaching it: it gives us time to notice our bodies.
Are you holding your breath? Have your shoulders crept up? Are you pressing harder than you need to?
Once you notice, you can adjust. You’ll probably still hear me reminding you to unclench your jaw!
Does it need to hurt?
No. Stronger pressure isn’t the goal.
It’s tempting to find a tender spot and think, “That must need extra work!” But there’s no need to grit your teeth or hold your breath.
Start with manageable pressure. Take a little time to see how it feels, without continually searching for a stronger sensation.
You can use put less weight on it or work on a blanket or against a wall instead of the floor. You can also stop. Staying longer isn’t automatically better.
Sharp pain, tingling or numbness are reasons to stop. Avoid pressing directly onto bones, joints or a fresh injury. If you have an injury or health condition that could make pressure unsuitable, check with your healthcare professional first.
Why combine it with Yin yoga?
A massage ball focuses pressure on a small area. A Yin posture offers a broader stretch.
We might work around the hips with a ball, then settle into a supported Yin posture and notice how it feels.
Is the movement easier? Does the stretch feel different? Would a cushion or block help you get comfortable?
I enjoy teaching them together because they offer different ways to work with the body and notice what changes.
Neither needs to be intense. A modest stretch or a little pressure can give you plenty to notice.
Come and try it
I include myofascial release in Lifted Reset and, from October, Monthly Deep Release at The Barn in Houlton, Rugby.
I’ll guide you through where to place the balls and how to adjust the pressure. You don’t need to be particularly flexible or have tried it before.
My hope is that you leave feeling more comfortable in your body, with a few useful ideas to take home.
Find out more about Monthly Deep Release and Lifted Reset on my classes and events pages.