Stream Point Wellness has some exciting news!
We have a new massage therapist joining our team. Mary Pat is her name and Myofascial Release is her game.
So, who is Mary Pat Curran?
Mary Pat grew up in Chicago, IL, which fostered her direct communication style as well as an acceptance and openness to various cultures and personalities. Her open-heartedness and ability to connect with others led her to Bradley University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education with Humanities as well as a French minor. During her 13 year career in elementary schools, she honed her ability to listen and empathize with people of various ages and backgrounds.
In 2006, Mary Pat moved to Kentucky with her family. After a foray into office administration and care-giving, she fulfilled her desire to become a massage therapist by graduating from Lexington Healing Arts Academy’s (LHAA) 700 hour massage therapy program in 2013. As part of the work-study program at LHAA, Mary Pat had almost double the normal clinic hour experience, which enhanced her practice.
Now you know who Mary Pat is. Lets discuss her massage specialty: Myofascial Relase.
Chances are you’ve heard the term thrown around before, as it’s become a “buzz word” in healthcare circles. Most people use it as a generic term for relieving muscle knots, but it’s actually much more complex than that. So what exactly is Myofascial Release? Myo means muscle and Fascial means, well, fascia. But lets begin with the basics: Fascia
Fascia is the elastic connective tissue that is wrapped around muscles, like a sheath. If you have ever pulled the skin off of a chicken, you may have noticed a thin, clear layer of “something” in between the skin and the meat. That is fascia. It is the same in us humans. We have this fascia wrapped around all of our muscles and other parts of the body.
In order for muscles to properly relax, the fascia must also relax, and this is the real secret to myofascial release. To get an idea of how this works, think of putting your feet in sand. If you’ve been to a beach or river, chances are you’ve had your feet in the sand. Let’s pretend that we are on the packed and wet portion of the sand. Have you ever wondered why you can jump and run on that packed sand and barely make a dent in it; but if you just stand there and not move, your feet slowly sink into the sand and will continue to sink until you move them? Well, your fascia acts exactly like that wet sand. If a therapist just drops her elbow into your shoulder, usually nothing happens except that you will experience pain. However, if she begins by warming up the tissue using heat, slow movements, lighter pressure, etc; your fascia will begin to relax allowing her to access and manipulate deeper layers of muscle tissue in your shoulder that can facilitate relaxation, deeper stretches and increased range of motion.
There are two types of Myofascial Release: Indirect and Direct
If you have had a massage from me (Mandy) than you have experienced a direct form of Myofascial Release. This tends to be what most people associate Deep Tissue with. It utilizes more direct force, Trigger Point and neuromuscular work to break up adhesions “Knots” in the muscles tissue.
Indirect myofascial release tends to incorporate a lighter pressure and gentler stretching in the beginning. The focus is on the muscles “unwinding” which allows the body to align itself. Through this approach, the fascia relaxes and then the muscles relax, which then allows the therapist to utilize a stronger pressure to coax out the “Knots” in your body. This is the style that Mary Pat excels at and utilizes frequently.
Both forms are extremely effective but very different. If you are someone who typically prefers a more relaxation style of massage, but you feel as if you haven’t been getting the benefits of relieving your stubborn pain and aches, then Mary Pat is the massage therapist for you. Book a massage with her to discover a type of massage that is non-painful, but super effective.
Mandy Kiley, LMT at Stream Point Wellness
