Fascia, an intricate and multidimensional network, envelops every bone, muscle, nerve, organ, and vessel down to the cellular level, spanning from head to foot. Its constituents include the pliant elastin, robust collagen, and fluid ground substance. Restrictions may develop in fascia due to trauma, poor posture, or repetitive training, leading to an array of maladies such as pain, edema, misalignments, disrupted muscular biomechanics, limited range of motion, cranio/sacral restrictions, emotional blockages, reduced strength, and debilitation. Fascia can also lose its suppleness, collagen can become fibrotic and rigid, and the ground substance can solidify. Unfortunately, standard tests prove inadequate in detecting fascial restrictions.

Enter the John F. Barnes Myofascial Release Approach® (MFR), a comprehensive, hands-on, therapeutic technique that addresses the fascial system. Therapists utilize MFR to elongate fascial tissue through gentle pressure applied to the restriction or tissue barrier. By releasing several barriers, the tissue becomes pliant and soft. This technique targets the fascial system's elastin, collagen, and ground substance with finesse, allowing for the release of soft tissue restrictions that may affect bony alignment. MFR also performs osseous releases at a gradual pace and without manipulation. Unlike massage or chiropractic manipulation, MFR focuses on the fascial system's comprehensive treatment, freeing restrictions from pain-sensitive areas, restoring motion and bringing connection back to the body-mind.