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What can you expect on your first appointment?
Prior to the treatment:
The first
appointment is a time for you and Tom to get to know each other. He
will ask a series of questions regarding the current state of your
physical and emotional well being. What types of body therapy you
have received or are receiving. Any injuries, surgeries you have
had, medications you are on will be discussed. You will be asked,
what the reasons you are here today are, or what is the most
pressing conditions you would like addressed. A brief postural
assessment is done with you fully clothed. Most of the assessment is
done while you are on the massage table. You will be instructed how
to prepare for the treatment. Tom will discuss with you how he would
like you to dress for the treatment. Fully disrobed is rarely
necessary, and fully clothed is perfectly fine if that makes you
more comfortable. If the latter is what you prefer, please wear
something that allows full range of movement (something that you
would wear for exercise. Then he will give you instruction as to how
you should position yourself on the massage table.
During the treatment:
The work consists
of a variety of slow deep treatment techniques consisting of, but
not limited to Myofascial release, trigger point therapy, Hot/cold
stone therapy, meridian massage, deep Swedish technique, and energy
work both with hands on and hands off. If any pain is encountered
with the treatment, you are completely in control. It is your body,
and you know better than anyone what is happening in it. During the
treatment you will go from periods of wakefulness where you will be
actively involved in the treatment, to periods where you will be in
a state of deep relaxation, with increased alpha and theta brain
wave activity. This state is different than sleep. During this
second period many people are unaware and comment that “They went
away for awhile”.
Post treatment:
You will be asked
if there are any problems you are feeling. If so they can be easily
addressed at that point. Now is the time to discuss goals, how many
and with what frequency treatments will need to follow. It is
always good to try to avoid stressful activities post treatment.
Drink at least an additional liter of water beyond what you would
normally drink during the rest of the day!
Who can benefit
from Myofascial Release?
Myofascial Release
is highly effective in treating patients with the following
diagnoses:
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Back strain,
chronic back pain, low back pain, thoracic back pain
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Carpal tunnel
syndrome
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Chronic neck
pain
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Complex pain
complaints
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Dizziness,
vertigo
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Fibromyalgia
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Fibrositis
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Headache
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Myofascial pain
dysfunction
-
Plantar
fasciitis
-
Post-Polio
symptoms
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Thoracic outlet
syndrome
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TMJ dysfunction
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Trigger points,
tender points *
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Whiplash
There are many more conditions that will benefit from this type of
work please call with questions
How are Myofascial techniques different from other forms of
bodywork?
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Oil is not
used or used sparingly
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No recipes
or formulas are employed
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Cloths can
stay on
-
It
compliments other bodywork approaches
-
Clients
control the pressure
-
Technique
follows evaluation and perception
-
Muscle
and fascia are targeted
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The work is
slower and deeper
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Biomechanical excellence is integral to the proces
What clients say about Tom’s work!
Heidi Kremeier
Owner/Bookkeeper
Kremeier & Company, Inc.
"Tom's balanced
qualities of intuition, training, compassion, professionalism &
experience make his work a very powerful part of my health routine.
He listens to what I need and works with me. I feel like I can
completely relax and concentrate on letting go of what is twisting
up my body, mind and soul. Sometimes we talk, sometimes not, but
the environment is always gentle, safe and completely focused on my
healing. I recommend him to everyone that asks and will always do
so."
Jack Cosgrave
About 4 years ago I
was in a car accident in which one of the vertebrae’s in my back was
almost completely crushed as well as a dozen ribs dislodged. Because
there was one missing vertebrae, there were more ribs than places to
fit. We met toward the end of the first year of my recovery when I
could only be mobile for a few hours a day. This was mainly due to
the fact that these ribs would constantly pop out of place, either
individually or in sections. Basically I would fall apart each day
and medically there was not a lot of optimism. This would be a major
task to achieve some stability in my back and rib cage so that I
would become not only mobile, but that I could enjoy my life. I have
used dozens of specialty Doctors and body workers over these past 4
years but Tom was my primary body worker and has spent hundreds of
hours working on me. His ability to move my shattered old bones back
to where they could fit together and then stay was extraordinary.
His delicate touch could nudge my ribs back to where we were
retraining them to stay. This took a great touch and intuition,
sometimes deeply, and sometimes gently and on an energetic level. He
also was attentive to see that my whole body was balanced and
aligning with the continued recovery of my back. He made himself
available to me even on his days off just to make sure I stayed
together as much as possible during the long rebuild process. Today
I have about 70% mobility which was considered almost impossible. I
am able to move around, travel and play. I doubt I would have half
the mobility I have today if it were not for the time and touch Tom
gave to me. This was magical and I will be forever thankful.
Barbara Chapot
Mind, Body, Spirit
Consultation
As a facilitator of
mind, body and spirit evolution, you can imagine my delight upon
discovering Tom Clark. His awesome receptivity and ability have
assisted me through the rigors of Light Medicine work and helped me
to function at optimum physical and energetic capacity. I give
thanks and applaud Tom's dedication to his healing art, his personal
attunement and his aid to personal and planetary transformation.
Myofascial Release
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Myofascial Release
is a form of bodywork which includes, but is not limited to
structural assessments (where a formal diagnosis is not necessarily
given) and manual massage techniques for stretching the fascia and
releasing bonds between fascia, integument, muscles, and bones are
mainly applied; with the goal of eliminating pain, increasing range
of motion and balancing the body. The fascia is manipulated,
directly or indirectly, allowing the connective tissue fibers to
reorganize themselves in a more flexible, functional fashion.
Fascia is located
between the skin and the underlying structure of muscle and bone, it
is a seamless web of connective tissue that covers and connects the
muscles, organs, and skeletal structures in our body. Muscle and
fascia are united forming the myofascia system.
Injuries, stress,
inflammation, trauma, and poor posture can cause restriction to
fascia. Since fascia is an interconnected web, the restriction or
tightness to fascia at a place, with time can spread to other places
in the body like a pull in a sweater. The goal of myofascial release
is to release fascia restriction and restore its tissue health.
In medical
literature, the term myofascial was used by Janet G. Travell M.D. in
the 1940s referring to musculoskeletal pain syndromes and trigger
points. In 1976 Dr. Travell began using the term "Myofascial Trigger
Point" and in 1983 published the famous reference "Myofascial Pain &
Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual". Some practitioners use the
term "Myofascial Therapy" or "Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy"
referring to the treatment of trigger points, this is usually in
medical-clinical sense.
Here the term
Myofascial Release refers to soft tissue manipulation techniques. It
has been loosely used for different manual therapy, soft tissue
manipulation work (connective tissue massage, soft tissue
mobilization, Rolfing, strain-counterstrain etc). There are two main
schools of myofascial release: the direct and indirect method.
Direct myofascial release:
The direct
Myofascial Release method works directly on the restricted fascia.
The practitioners use knuckles, elbows, or other tools to slowly
sink into the restricted fascia applying a few kilograms-forces and
then stretch the fascia. This is sometimes referred to as deep
tissue work. Direct Myofascial Release seeks for changes in the
myofascial structures by stretching, elongation of fascia, or
mobilizing adhesive tissues. There can be a misconception that the
direct method is violent and painful. It is not essentially
aggressive and painful, as the practitioner moves slowly through the
layers of the fascia until the deep tissues are reached.
Robert Ward
suggested that the direct method came from the osteopathy school in
the 1920s by William Neidner called Fascial Twist. Dr. Ida Rolf
developed Structural Integration or Rolfing in the 1950s, a holistic
system of soft tissue manipulation and movement education that with
the goal of balancing the body in gravitational field. She
discovered that she could remarkably change the body posture and
structure by manipulating the myofascial system. Rolfing® is the
nickname that many clients and practitioners gave this work. Since
her death in 1979, various Structural Integration schools arose
which have adapted her original idea according their own flavors,
lights and remembrance.
Until recently (in
the 1990s), instruction in direct myofascial release was rarely
available outside of Structural Integration or Physical Therapy
training programs. Currently, however, texts and courses are offered
to general body workers: John F. Barnes, PT from a Physical Therapy
background, and from a Rolfing or Structural Integration background,
Art Riggs, Michael Stanborough, Tom Myers, and others.
Michael Stanborough has summarized his style of Direct Myofascial
Release technique as:
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Land on the
surface of the body with the appropriate 'tool' (knuckles, or
forearm etc).
-
Sink into the
soft tissue.
-
Contact the
first barrier/ restricted layer.
-
Put in a 'line
of tension'.
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Engage the
fascia by taking up the slack in the tissue.
-
Finally, move
or drag the fascia across the surface while staying in touch
with the underlying layers.
-
Exit
gracefully.
-
As Dr. Rolf
said “Put the tissue where it should be and then ask for
movement.”
-
Indirect
myofascial release
The indirect method
gentle stretch, the pressure is in few grams, the hands tend to go
with the restricted fascia, hold the stretch, and allow the fascia
to 'unwind' itself. The gentle traction applied to the restricted
fascia will result in heat, increase blood flow in the area. The
intention is to allow the body's inherent ability for self
correction returns, thus eliminating pain and restoring the optimum
performance of the body. This concept was suggested, by Paul Svacina,
to be analogous to pulling apart a chicken carcass- when it is
pulled apart slowly, the layers peel off- too fast, and it shreds.
The indirect
technique originated in osteopathy schools and also popular in
physical therapy. German physiotherapist Elizabeth Dicke developed
Connective Tissue Massage (Bindegewebbsmassage)
in the 1920s with superficial stretching of the myofascia. According
to Robert C. Ward, myofascial release originated from the concept by
Andrew Taylor Still, the founder of osteopathic medicine in the late
19th century. The concepts and techniques were subsequently
developed by his successor, and until 1980s they were popularised.
Robert Ward further suggested that the term Myofascial Release as a
technique was coined in 1981 when it was used as a course title in
Michigan
State
University.
John F. Barnes, PT
has developed a unique approach to Myofascial Release that utilizes
both direct and indirect techniques. He teaches his approach to
Myofascial Release to healthcare professionals across the country.
Carol Manheim summarized Myofascial Release
principles:
-
Fascia covers
all organs of the body, muscle and fascia cannot be separated.
-
All muscle
stretching is myofascial stretching.
-
Myofascial
stretching in one area of the body can be felt and will affect
the other body areas.
-
Release of
myofascial restrictions can affect other body organs through a
release of tension in the whole fascia system.
-
Myofascial
release techniques work even though the exact mechanism is not
yet fully understood.
-
References
-
John F. Barnes.
1990. Myofascial Release: The Search for Excellence, 10th
Edition. Myofascial Release Treatment Center.
-
John F. Barnes.
2000. Healing Ancient Wounds: The Renegade's Wisdom. Myofascial
Release Treatment Center.
-
Robert I Cantu,
Alan J. Grodin. 2001. Myofascial Manipulation, Theory and
Clinical Application, 2nd ed. Aspen Publishers Inc.
-
Carol Manheim.
2001. The Myofascial Release Manual. 3rd Edition. Slack Inc.
-
Tom Myers.
2004. Structural Integration - developments in Ida Rolf's
'Recipe'- 1. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 8,
131-142.
-
Michael
Stanborough. 2004. Direct Release Myofascial Technique.
Elsevier.
-
Ward, RC, 2003,
Integrated Neuromusculoskeletal Release and Myofascial Release,
in Ward RC, 2003, Foundations for Osteopathic Medicine, 2nd
edition, Chapter 60, pp 932-968, Lippincott, Williams and
Wilkins, Philadelphia
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