Healing the Ultimate Goal

Healing the Ultimate Goal

Healing – The Ultimate Goal

Healing is a Journey

Whatever It Takes By Whatever Means Possible

Rocktape-shoulder-detailHealing is the goal and how we meet that goal is doing whatever it takes to get you there!  There is one tiny aspect that is bigger than life and that is authentic and ultimately lasting healing takes two people, me and YOU! On my end on the equation I need to always bring my best game and that involves not only my skill set but maintaining that skill set through personal practice, continuing to nourish my knowledge as well as staying open and being open to new and old ways as well. New ways can consist of being willing to try out new things.  As I myself found this work by my own person journey and path as a patient myself, I know what feels right and what does not as well as what follows along with the principles of myofascial release. So this is where whatever it takes comes in.  One aspect that my mentor John Barnes teaches all of us is to start thinking and acting from our feeling intelligence also known as intuition. So I have had this growing sense that I needed to attend a Kinesiotape class.  My growing intuition did not let me down and I am now incorporating this into my tool box of providing my clients “whatever it takes” methodology and implementations. In addition I have now experimented with various brands and have personally found RockTape to be superior and even though its more expensive it works. This is not to say that everyone gets turned into a mummy because that is not within the principles as well. It is not a band-aid either, as a fellow colleague of mine likened it to taking home a set of therapy hands for a few days. Again like the Barnes method of myofascial release, you will just have to experience it to feel what all the fuss is about.

Whatever It Takes By Whatever Modes Possible

Since heaIMG_0436ling is the goal and doing whatever it takes to get there, another aspect involves bringing some of my old skill set of my physical therapy training into the equation just modify it to be delivered within the myofascial principles as well.  Whether it is relearning movement patterns, safely making adjustments to the home or making recommendations for better shoes, better suited treatment tools like a soft foam roller or therapy ball or what adaptations to the way in which you engage in exercise or get in and out of your car or the ergonomics of your desk at home or office, it will all come from both personal and professional experience and knowledge with what works best for you and me in regards to our fascial systems.

Whatever It Takes By Whatever Means and Modes Possible

Sometimes a massage is needed

Sometimes a massage is needed

Healing is the goal and doing so by whatever means and modes possible. This is where the old and the new come together. As I personally found myofascial release and knew professionally that it was what was needed in my career to help those of us out there that just the traditional health care model just did not work for, I found myself adding another set of letters to the end of my credential.  So now my name is followed by PTA, LMT  as well as business owner. Initially, I did attend massage school with the mindset of only attending to get the license but not until recently did I feel into this area and the impact that it can have. See in my former physical therapy training we did massage and the old form of myofascial release, soft tissue mobilization.  I can say I never enjoyed giving or receiving it as it forced and was even painful. In massage school I learned proper body mechanics right from the start. In PTA school we learned temporary body mechanics as I call it as it was only performed and implemented mostly during transferring of patients. I also learned what a massage feels like. I am very pleased that my school focused on the basics verses attempting to instruct us on the various forms and handing us a certification classifying a 1000 different methods. My instructor believed that we then specialize through continuing education the various other forms. Yes I did come into LMT school already specializing in the John Barnes method. I initially never thought I would do a traditional massage but that is where my myofascial principles have come into play.  Recently a client just did not feel up to doing myofascial release and just wanted a “regular” massage and did I know of anyone that did that?  Normally I would not have bent and been open to new ways of thinking and seeing things but that day and I found myself saying, “we can do that”.  It has been nearly a year since I gave a “regular” massage but it was just like riding a bike only now with better body mechanics and never forcing or plowing through the tissues of the body. Ultimately relief was achieved that day for the client and they are able to continue along their path to healing.  The goal of all of this is providing lasting and authentic results and relief for the client and sometimes a traditional relaxation massage is what it takes.

Whatever It Takes On Your Part

Healing is thIMG_0434e goal and my part is by providing the most current and up to date training and skills sets that I possibly can, providing them by new and old means and modes necessary to achieve the goal. Now on your part as the client, it means that you are going to have to feel. That is it, simply feel whatever it is that is occurring within your body mind and spirit. Also you will have to show up to treatment and by that I mean you have to be present and simply feel whatever is occurring or not within your body mind and spirit. Lastly you should try to perform what self care treatments that your therapists teaches you during each session but never forcing and simply by feeling what is going on in your body by using your feeling intelligence and intuition because you do have it and myofascial release helps you to feel for it.  If your self-care is hurting or is too painful then its too much and too much force is being applied.  I liken the self care and the application of it to the daily maintenance of brushing our teeth.  We need to brush our teeth to maintain good oral health and we certainly know not to use too much force on the teeth and gums because they can begin to hurt and bleed. Well when we force the fascia either as a therapist or with self care, we are doing some form of damage to the fascia. In the case of fascia however it just causes further tightness and painful restrictions throughout the body.  This is why most traditional “home exercise” programs are not performed by most because they hurt and do not work. However this is myofascial release, the Barnes method and it does not force, should not hurt and is a necessary aspect to the ultimate goal of healing with authentic lasting progressive results. Oh and one last very important item, you need to be seen by a John Barnes trained therapist that actually does myofascial release and not just banking on the name or modality. There are tons of forms of myofascial release but there is only one that stands out from the rest and that is the Barnes Methodology of Myofascial Release. There are no fancy rocks to consult or bait and switch tactics to use.  There is one minor detail of course and that is you have to actually be on the schedule to begin to reach for your goal. So why not do so today if you haven’t already, why wait or delay any longer?  Lets get you moving free of pain and restrictions.

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Mobile Myofascial Release Advantages

Mobile Myofascial Release Advantages

Myofascial Release at Home

The Advantages-The Perks-The Rewards

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Mobile Myofascial Release

Mobile Myofascial Release is my preferred method of receiving and delivering treatment. As a Physical Therapist Assistant with 20+ years of experience to date, I provided care which was mandated by insurance companies and protocols especially in an outpatient setting where eventually I was seeing upwards of 12-15 patients a day. The demands of such were no longer rewarding for either myself or my clients and I then transitioned into the home care setting which allowed for more personalized one and one care with clients and I spent the last 16 years. The home care setting is a more accurate representation of what life is really like and the physical challenges that we have to endure with the various activities of daily living we each have. When we have pains, aches, weakness, fatigue, immobility, or even stress such activities and the actually setting they are tackled in can be challenging to say the least. One of the greatest accomplishments as a therapist is assisting a client in being able to make minor adaptations or changes in their physical environment to help them progress to a more functional pain-free active lifestyle in or out of the home. However even the home care setting could not avoid the pitfalls of the insurance company mandates of numbers verses outcomes. This is where my own journey began transitioning from therapist to patients through an injury in 2013. It was through my own personal experiences now as a patient with pain, immobility and that lead to the discovery of myofascial release. After experiencing the immediate results personally, I knew that my professional life was about to change dramatically and so the advent of a new private practice free of mandates and protocols and a new set of initials after my name, “LMT”. One thing that did not change was my preferred place of practice~ in the home.  It is my own personal experience and expertise of receiving treatment at home that feels and sees the benefits of home treatment.

Mobile Myofascial Release Treatments – Provide Faster Progress

Mobile Myofascial Release – at-Home treatments htaking-action-editedave lots of benefits over traveling to an outpatient center. Considerable evidence has been gathered showing that the personalized care you receive from in-home therapy actually boosts the progress of healing. Clients receiving treatment in a familiar setting tend to be able to soften and relax with greater ease. In addition the home sessions provided can be more focused and intensive by limiting distractions and stress of trying to fit a therapy treatment in based on my schedule whereas home therapy can be more accommodating to your schedule. Generally, the cost of in-home therapy may be greater but with Myofascial Release and Wellness of Tampa Bay there is no additional fees for travel, holidays, nights or weekends. It is my personal experience that you could actually end up saving money in the long run by paying for sessions that are much more efficient. In addition, sometimes you are simply in too much pain to actually leave to get to an outpatient clinic and home care can be a short term resolution to assist you to regain the ability to leave home and return to being treated outside of the home.

No driving, No Return of Bracing Patterns Afterwards

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Bracing and Driving Posture

When you receive an in home myofascial release therapy, you don’t have to worry about driving home or getting stuck in traffic. You have to be alert to drive, and alertness can shorten the relaxation benefits of your treatment. The alertness and potential stresses of driving can lead to the return of bracing of the newly released myofascial tissues. The Greater Tampa Bay Area is rated 99th in the “world” for the worst driving conditions which includes poor roads, amount of traffic volume and number of accidents.  Personally when I have had to drive home after therapy, many of my tight areas begin to brace and tighten right back up.  In addition, you actually save time in your schedule that driving to and from therapy actually takes as well as the wear and tear on your vehicle and the expense of fuel.  With 16 years driving the roads and providing treatment in this manner and now with the expertise of Myofascial Release, why not let Myofascial Release and Wellness of Tampa Bay take care of all
of that for you.

 Pro-long the Relaxation Benefits and Experience Deeper Relaxation

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Benefits of Relaxation

An in home treatment enables you to really prolong your relaxed state of being. Relaxation requires focusing your attention within and withdrawing it from your five senses and the external world. When you travel to another location to receive treatment, your senses are usually on high alert because of the sensory input of the new space. When you’re at home, you’re so accustomed to the space, that you’re better able to relax more quickly and to allow your body to soften. This helps you move deeper during the session especially if you’re receiving a treatment for stress and/or anxiety relief as well as headaches. In-home myofascial release can deliver more hand-on full length treatment times by the fact that set up/take down, initial assessment and self-care training are not a part of the treatment time, the time begins when the actual treatment starts. This is my personal preference. When mandated by insurance companies, I was only given so long for the entirety of the treatments, no more, no less and was something that I never understood or liked and made a promise to never comply to that if I were to have my own business. Many times when you get an in home treatment from Myofascial Release and Wellness you actually get a little longer because I am not in a rush and schedule plenty of time between clients to allot for such and travel time…..BECAUSE.…..

You’re Not Just a Number!

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You are always #1

How many of us have waited for medical appointments for a long time and the MD only comes in and spends 5-10 minutes with us and half of that is writing or typing in a chart? How many of us have gone into the traditional therapy setting and seen the therapist for only a few minutes of the actual time we were there because there were seeing 5-7 other people at the same time. This does not increase quality of care no does it promote ease. When you receive an in home treatment it is more personal, you are not just a number, I as the therapist have no other distractions and you receive a higher quality and level of care resulting in a more effective and faster outcome.

 Myofascial Release and Myofascial Self-Care 

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Self-Care

Myofascial Release is not just about the treatment received by a therapist, it is about the ability to perform the self-care between sessions. This is not the home exercise program that we all never performed as advised by our MD or therapist because it hurt or wasn’t rewarding. Myofascial Self Care actually feels good, is progressive, and pays off in faster recover, faster response times during follow-up care and saves money and time in the end. Also due to the fact that life can always present us with an ache or pain, we then have a way to treat new areas and avoid potential problems that had us seek myofascial release therapy in the first place. It gives us our power over our own health care. Myofascial Release also gives us a way to approach any form of physical activities that we partake in.  It is an approach to allowing our bodies to actually feel and not get injured any further.

The Expertise of Ergonomics in the Home/Office

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Ergonomics Home and Office

The Ergonomics of the home and where the self care is going to be performed and what already in the home could be used safely and correctly as a treatment tool or spot is very important. Sometimes a simply change or modification in the approach can be easily done and benefits more rewarding. It is one thing to perform the self care activities in the MD or therapist office and then its another when you get home. Whether it is the bed is softer than the treatment table, the chair lower or higher than the one at the office or adjusting the computer and desk levels to a better and more suitable position, a home visit can make sure that you can perform ADL’s activities of daily living or the self care activities successfully. The easier something is to do the more likely we are to actually complete them. In addition it further add another successful layer to the elimination of the fascial restrictions and in preventing their return.

Are You Ready?

Are you ready to begin to relax and release the constrictions of your fascia?  Then please visit Myofascial Release and Wellness of Tampa Bay to schedule your next therapy appointment today or to learn more about Myofascial Release Therapy. If a home session is not suitable to your needs then we do have a location that can be arranged and utilized to ensure that you are getting all the benefits you and your fascia need to return to a pain-free active and healthy life-style.

Disclaimer
This is the opinion of Myofascial Release and Wellness of Tampa Bay. We by no means are stating that receiving myofascial release treatment in an Myofascial Release clinic is not beneficial!  What is not beneficial is not getting treated.  This is a business and personal model that works well for me and many of my clients.  The hope for the future is that all of healthcare implements the Myofascial Release standards that have been taught and shown to us by John F Barnes. By all of healthcare, I mean all levels and places whether its acute care, long term care, out-patient, in-patient, and fitness centers. If you are not within the Greater Tampa Bay Area then please visit www.mfrtherapists.com to locate a therapist in your state. 
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Home provides greater Relaxation

What is Myofascial Release

What is Myofascial Release

What is Myofascial Release? What is Fascia?  Who is Myofascial Release and Wellness of Tampa Bay?

Myofascial Release is a safe and very effective hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure into the Myofascial connective tissue restrictions to eliminate pain and restore motion. The most key and essential element is TIME.  The “time element” has to do with the viscous flow and the piezoelectric phenomenon: a low load (gentle pressure) applied slowly will allow a viscoelastic medium (fascia) to elongate.  It is like holding an ice cube gently in you hand, only time and gentle pressure will melt the ice and return it to a fluid state.

Myofascial Complex

Myofascial Complex

Fascia is a specialized system of the body that has an appearance similar to a spider’s web or a sweater. Fascia is very densely woven, covering and interpenetrating every muscle, bone, nerve, artery and vein, as well as, all of our internal organs including the heart, lungs, brain and spinal cord. The most interesting aspect of the fascial system is that it is not just a system of separate coverings. It is actually one continuous structure that exists from head to toe without interruption. In this way you can begin to see that each part of the entire body is connected to every other part by the fascia, like the yarn in a sweater.

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Fascia plays an important role in the support and function of our bodies, since it surrounds and attaches to all structures. In the normal healthy state, the fascia is relaxed and wavy in configuration. It has the ability to stretch and move without restriction. When one experiences physical trauma, emotional trauma, scarring, or inflammation, however, the fascia loses its pliability. It becomes tight, restricted, and a source of tension to the rest of the body. Trauma, such as a fall, car accident, whiplash, surgery or just habitual poor posture and repetitive stress injuries has cumulative effects on the body. The changes trauma causes in the fascial system influences comfort and function of our body. Fascial restrictions can exert excessive pressure causing all kinds of symptoms producing pain, headaches or restriction of motion. Fascial restrictions affect our flexibility and stability, and are a determining factor in our ability to withstand stress and perform daily activities.

Trauma, inflammatory responses, and/or surgical procedures create Myofascial restrictions that can produce tensile pressures of approximately 2,000 pounds per square inch on pain sensitive structures that do not show up in many of the standard tests (x-rays, myelograms, CAT scans, electromyography, etc.) A high percentage of people suffering with pain and/or lack of motion may be having fascial problems, but are not diagnosed.

Myofascial Release is a Hands-On Treatment. Each Myofascial Release Treatment session is performed directly on skin without oils, creams or machinery. This enables me therapist to accurately detect fascial restrictions and apply the appropriate amount of sustained pressure to facilitate release of the fascia. The use of Myofascial Release allows us to look at each patient as a unique individual. Providing one-on-one therapy sessions that are hands-on treatments during which time the use of a variety of Myofascial Release techniques and movement therapy in order to restore and return the fascial system and YOU back to a healthier and more functional state of being.

Myofascial Release and Wellness of Tampa Bay not only provides the hands on care you deserve but promotes independence through education in proper body mechanics and movement, self treatment instruction, enhancement of strength, improved flexibility, and postural and movement awareness. Myofascial Release also is used to maintain a healthy state of being. You don’t have to have aches and pains, you just need a body that has fascia and we all have that.  It is a way of performing the flexibility and stability, strength and balance that the bodies need. Myofascial Release treats all ages, all genders and even pets too.

Equine Myofascial Release

Jack and Myofascial Release and Wellness of Tampa Bay

Myofascial Release and Wellness of Tampa Bay provides mobile services to a large service area within the Great Tampa Bay Area of Florida, St.Petersburg, the Gulf Beaches, Clearwater, Largo, Tampa, Lutz, Wesley Chapel, Brandon, Bradenton, Riverview, Suncity, Anna Maria Island, New Tampa, Bell-air, Indian Rocks, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Palmetto, Sarasota, Zephner, Brooksville, Tarpon Springs, and Spring Hill just to name a few. I have been providing health care services for over 20 years.  I found the work of John Barnes Myofascial Release as a patient myself.  After experiencing this amazing and life changing and saving work I knew I had to learn how to provide this to my clients.  As a result, I truly can say I know what it feels like to be on the table as a patient and off the table as a therapist with a compassionate heart that has been there too. When we are in pain or in need of treatment, what better way to receive that right in your own home. I do see clients that come from areas further than I can travel to and can have the ability to treat at a fix location.  Why not visit my website to learn more information and contact me to set up a consultation and treatment today. It really will be the best decision you make for you and your body, mind and spirit.

https://www.mfroftampabay.com/