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March 2025
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Hello, or should I say Hola? By the time this blog posts, my husband and I will be in Costa Rica celebrating our 31st (what!) wedding anniversary. My, how time flies! I will be taking advantage of the sun, surf, and sand after a chilly February in Southern Oregon. I will also practice as much yoga as possible, including myofascial release (MFR) with my travel-friendly Rollit Therapy Massage Balls.
Incorporating MFR into your yoga practice is an excellent way to support your fascia and muscles. You may have heard about fascia or read information on this ever-evolving field of study. The amount of information on the body's fascial system is vast. One thing is sure: practicing yoga is excellent for your fascial system! Yoga benefits our fascial system in many ways, including stretching and stimulating the fascia, encouraging circulation hydration, reducing inflammation, and supporting our central nervous system.
Once considered passive tissue, the fascia is now seen as a body system and an intricate factor in our overall health. Below are key facts and practices to help you understand this fantastic body system and how to keep it and yourself feeling and moving better.
Key Fascia Facts
Fascia is connective tissue surrounding and holding every organ, blood vessel, bone, nerve fiber, and muscle in place. It provides more than an internal structure; the fascia has nerves that make it almost as sensitive as skin. When stressed, it tightens up.
Fascia is intrinsically connected to all our body systems. Because of its interrelated nature, releasing one body area can affect the whole body. When your fascia is healthy and hydrated, it's more flexible and stretches more freely with you.
Keys to Healthy Subtle Hydrated Fascia
1. Move. Movement is essential. Regular exercise helps to circulate fluids through the fascia, keeping it lubricated and healthy.
2. Engage in Varied Movement. Varied movement is essential to tissue hydration. Create variety in your exercise, yoga, and play. Add massage or self-myofascial release as part of your movement practice.
3. Drink plenty of water and eat nutritious whole foods. Include anti-inflammatory foods and water-rich fruits and vegetables in your diet.
4. Rest. Allow your body to rest after exercise so the fascia can rehydrate and repair itself.
Self-Myofascial Release (SMFR)
SMFR is self-practice of massage or release of tension and tightness in the fascia of the muscles (muscles are about 30% fascia) using your hands or tools such as therapy balls, yoga blocks, and foam rollers. Mindfully stressing the fascial tissues through compression, stretch, and rolling can hydrate tissue, promote blood flow (circulation), reduce inflammation, and reduce muscle tightness.
Keys to practicing Self-Myofascial Release (SMFR)
1. Less - Less is more: Practice in one area for about 60 to 90 seconds, then move on to another area. A little SMFR each day in different areas of the body is recommended so as not to overwork the tissue in one area. If you are feeling intense sensations, ease up on your approach.
2. Workaround - Work indirectly before working directly. If you experience pain when practicing SMFR, back off. Work around the area rather than directly on the "hot spot," working above, below, or side to side. For a gentler approach, you can use a tennis or wool dryer ball rather than a rubber therapy ball.
3. Breathe - Holding your breath indicates you have applied too much pressure. Breathing slowly and mindfully helps activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System, signaling the body to relax and allowing for a more profound release of muscle and fascia tension.
4. Move - After performing SMFR, it's important to take a few moments to move and re-educate the nervous system about what we want it to release or enable. This movement can be as static as a basic stretch or as dynamic as a simple yoga flow.
5. Avoid - Understand the difference between pain and healthy discomfort. Areas that are off limits are bones, bruises, broken skin, varicose veins, fractures, infections, new scars, where you have had joint replacements, cancer sites, osteoporosis sites, or where you have circulatory issues. SMFR may not be appropriate for everyone; consult your doctor if you are unsure if it is right for you .
I would love to hear your thoughts on the fascia and any MFR practices you have found beneficial! If you would like to join me in my upcoming workshop Gentle Yoga with Myofascial Release, please see the information below.
In gratitude,
Cheri
Gentle Yoga with Myofascial Release Workshop
Friday, April 25, 2-3:30pm
Ashland Senior Center
Come and experience a rejuvenating workshop with me! We'll explore the therapeutic combination of Gentle Yoga and Self-Myofascial Release, blending mindful Hatha movement with soothing Yin poses. You'll promote flexibility, range of motion, tension release, and overall well-being using yoga props and Rollit Therapy Massage Balls.
This welcoming floor-based workshop for those 50+ is perfect for most, whether you're just starting yoga or have years of experience!
Wear warm, comfortable layers (not too loose), and bring your yoga mat and a water bottle. Please silence or leave your cell phone and smart watches at home.
Join us for just $25! Register online at ashlandoregon.gov/register or the Senior Center office. Spaces are limited, so secure your spot today!
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