“Is Muscle Release Therapy (MRTh) another name for “Active Release Therapy (ART)”, “Myofascial release”, or any other technique?”

• No, Muscle Release Therapy, (or MRTh), is a completely separate and distinct technique all its own.  While it may have a similar sounding name to other techniques, is not the same as those techniques.  Neither semantically nor functionally.

“Do I need to get undressed for a session, or wear special clothing?”

• No, MRTh is performed over one’s clothes.  So generally just wear comfortable clothing for your session and you should be all set

“Why do you use such a light touch/how can such a light touch have such a deep effect on the body? “

• The brain is in constant control of the neurological pathways to our muscles/ligaments/tendons/etc. and since those things are what animate the skeleton and position our bodies, we can affect them most effectively by communicating with the brain.  The light touch used in MRTh signals the brain through the fascia to restore the original pathways that govern movement (and therefore the structures that support that movement).  An interesting note about why a light touch is used is that it’s not just that I “can” use a light touch, but I actually “have” to use a very light touch in order to get the proper effect.  A touch that’s too heavy would actually push past the specific nerve receptors we’re trying to engage and the body/brain would react differently.

“Why do I feel things moving in other parts of my body while a different area is being worked on?”

• The patterns of movement in the body and the associated structures are a lot more intricately connected than many people realize.  Breathing alone, for example, is a head to toe process involving all sorts of different structures working in unison to efficiently take in and expel air from the body.  I’ve had many people come to me with issues in their jaw that actually were caused by issues in their feet (and vice versa).  So as the brain is restoring proper movement and shifting things around to accommodate it, people often feel corresponding changes in different parts of their body that no longer need to compensate.

“What should I be feeling while I’m being worked on?”

• While this is a common question, it’s not exactly the right way of looking at it.  While MRTh is a very relaxing experience, it’s more focused on how you feel when you’re off the table and using your body rather than how you feel while you’re on it.  Additionally, everyone has different levels of sensitivity and awareness of what’s going on in their body at any given time.  So some people will feel everything as it shifts, some people will feel nothing, and most people are somewhere in between.  However you get the effects of the treatment regardless.  So it’s not so much a matter of what you “should” feel and simply a matter of what you “do” feel.  Even then, it’s more of an interesting side-note that helps a person understand what’s happening in their body rather than a skill they need to cultivate in order to obtain the benefits of a MRTh session.

“How can MRTh help with an injury?”

• MRTh is uniquely suited to helping recover from an injury.  The light touch means that it’s possible to work on a person sooner than might be safe with other methods, and treatments are helpful at all steps throughout the recovery process.  While the injury is still present, it helps mitigate compensating movement patterns as they’re developing, and helps balance tension and function throughout the area to help the body work with the new normal until the injury heals.  After the injury heals, it helps fully restore proper movement and correct any compensating patterns that developed while the body was avoiding the injured area.

“How can I supplement the work from MRTh?”

• A number of things can have positive synergy with MRTh.  Any form of practice/movement that is focused on reinforcing proper body mechanics and technique will be helpful.  MRTh resets the body so that it’s using the proper muscles for the proper jobs, however often those muscles may not be very strong when they first get reactivated, because other muscles were doing their work for them.  So MRTh makes it easier for you to engage the correct muscles, and then things like Physical Therapy or Pilates can be helpful in strengthening them to help solidify your new normal.  Just make sure to listen to your body and focus on proper movement to get the best effect.