Therapeutic Insight: The John F. Barnes' Myofascial Release Perspective—Worried?, MASSAGE MagazineAs I travel around the country, there are many massage therapists who take my myofascial release seminars—and an alarming number of them have expressed to me that they have been losing income.

With the economy struggling as it is, I believe many massage therapists, who are doing great massage and are wonderful therapists, are unfortunately fighting a battle of perception. People love massage, but when times are tough, they also realize that the effects of massage don’t last very long, so they tend to spread out their massage sessions or completely eliminate taking care of themselves for a while. It’s quite sad.

There is hope. Myofascial release, when coupled with your talents as a massage therapist, will enhance everything you do and allow for profound results and, most importantly, longer-lasting results. The reports I have from those therapists I have taught from around the world is that those using myofascial release within their massage practice are flourishing and making better incomes than they ever have before, and they are very satisfied.

The effectiveness of myofascial release has created a large unprecedented acceptance throughout the world. Science is now verifying the principles I have been teaching for more than 40 years. The importance of sustaining pressure at the restricted barrier to create “phase transition” is paramount for lasting results and stimulates the production of interleukin 8, which is our body’s natural anti-inflammatory. This begins to explain the profound results one receives when myofascial release is performed.

Other forms of therapy, massage modalities and exercise do not engage the fascial restriction long enough to stimulate the phenomena of piezoelectricity, mechanotransduction, chaos and phase transition, which leads to resonance. This is essential for the reduction of pain, increase in range of motion and for authentic healing to occur. The stimulation of these phenomena is significant and quite different from what we have learned in the past.

The myofascial release principles of piezoelectricity, mechanotransduction, phase transition, chaos, fractal theory and ultimate resonance are the key components in changing and improving health care as we know it.

Below are some comments from massage therapists who have received training in myofascial release (MFR).

“Everybody is worried about losing income … I opened my business with MFR being the only focus, and it has grown on its own as John F. Barnes, P.T., said it would. I don’t even take insurance. I provide quality, one-on-one, individualized care and clients want that. It makes sense to them and they get better. My inner struggle—nobody could help me reach that until I started taking MFR classes. I had done all the traditional therapies, meds, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage [and] counseling, with just temporary results, minimal results. And it would come back. Now that I have taken several MFR classes and have repeated most classes, I no longer have pain and I am free from all medications. I self-treat and I get treated by an MFR therapist as often as I can. When I get treated, it brings me closer to my authentic self. Fascia is such an amazing crystalline/glue that holds us together in so many ways: mind, body, consciousness.”

—Mary Loveless, P.T.A.,L.M.T.

“I, like many, was drawn to bodywork to help folks, in many ways, through massage. I worked so hard; a “deep- tissue queen.” John’s Myofascial Release Approach finally freed me from the falseness of me fixing it, fixing someone. True healing comes from within, which we can facilitate, which also means doing our own work, getting treated, opening to our own healing process and diving into what’s inside ourselves. Fulfillment in all areas then begins, coming from what we create inside. The article, “Therapeutic Insight: The John F. Barnes’ Myofascial Release Perspective—Do You Feel Empty?” brings more light to this, and to what John refers to in this blog. MFR leads to so much more, for you and your clients, beyond the increase in income.”

—Indy Eileen, M.T.

John Barnes, MASSAGE MagazineJohn F. Barnes, P.T., L.M.T., N.C.T.M.B., is an international lecturer, author and acknowledged expert in the area of myofascial release. He has instructed more than 100,000 therapists worldwide in his Myofascial Release approach, and he is the author of Myofascial Release: the Search for Excellence (Rehabilitation Services Inc., 1990) and Healing Ancient Wounds: the Renegade’s Wisdom (Myofascial Release Treatment Centers & Seminars, 2000). He is on the counsel of advisors of the American Back Society; he is also on MASSAGE Magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board; and is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association. For more information, visit www.myofascialrelease.com.

For more information about myofascial release, access two excerpts from the Fireside Chat with John F. Barnes, PT DVD on YouTube:

To connect with John Barnes on Facebook, visit www.facebook.com/myofascial.release.