DFR Therapy

04/19/2025

Congratulations to our newest DFR Level 1 certified students Talia, Angela, and Fabian!
Talia sent me this text following her training last weekend with Dr Paul Mettler and Dr. Anil Joseph
“Absolutely! I 100% believe I wouldn’t be able to close my eye like I can if it wasn’t for your work and I’m forever grateful”

03/11/2025

Calling all therapists, bodyworkers, and hands on clinicians!

Earn a certification in DFR® Level 1
Physical therapists earn 16 continuing education (CE) units in only 2 days (approved by the Illinois Physical Therapy Association (IPTA), while learning Dermal-Fascial Restoration® (DFR®).
Format: In Person Only, by Dr. Paul Mettler, PT, DPT, Dr. Jeff Schroder, PT, DPT, Dr. Anil Joseph, DPT
Where & When: Chicago, April 12th, 2025
Limited Availability: Maximum 15 students
Registration End Date: March 29, 2025

What is Dermal-Fascial Restoration®?
DFR Therapy is a precise and accurate manual therapy that pinpoints and restores damaged tissue, specifically tissue that has formed dermal and fascial adhesions/densifications that can cause chronic pain.

Learn directly from Dr. Paul Mettler, PT, DPT, the founder of the Mettler Institute and developer of Dermal-Fascial Restoration®. Free bonus resources are linked below to start your learning now!

A Memo from the Founder & Your Instructor
“I’ve helped hundreds of patients who have been told they have reached maximum medical benefits, suffer from post-surgical scarring, or have failed numerous other interventions. I would like to share my discovery with like-minded therapists who seek to heal and restore as I’ve done for over 30 years. Over the past 10 years, the science behind the use of this technique has been validated by the development of scientific research and advancements in technology, which have led to a greater understanding of fascia and its unique properties. I can now demonstrate with documented video evidence what my fascial work affects and how far into the dermis and fascia DFR corrects and reorganizes the damaged structure without harm. Dr. Paul Mettler, PT, DPT

Recommended Reading: “Fascia, Function, and Medical Applications: 2nd edition.” by David Lesondak and Angeli Maun Akey. (Available in Kindle, Hardcover, or Paperback) https://www.amazon.com/Fascia-Function-Medical-Applications-Lesondak-dp-1032656956/dp/1032656956/ref=dp_ob_title_bk
Ch. 21 Written by Dr. Paul Mettler, PT, DPT

Are you a Fascial Stretch Therapy (FST) Graduate?
Get an Exclusive 20% Off coupon code | Read below for more details!
For a Limited Time FST Graduates Save $150 Right Now!
Get 20% Off with Promo Code: CuriosityDFR

Click Here to Learn More & Claim Your Limited In Person Seat via Event Brite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dermal-fascial-restoration-continuing-education-course-tickets-1135618327989?aff=oddtdtcreator

Testimonials From FST level 3 Graduates!

“Since taking the course in DFR it has been a game changer in my practice, and I have had amazing testimonials come from it. SO first and foremost THANK YOU THANK YOU! I want to use DFR to free up some of the scar tissue and FST for full body stretching and restoring as much of the body as possible.”
-Madison Thompson

“Thanks so much for the opportunity to learn the DFR method. I absolutely loved the class. Since I returned to Minnesota, I have done DFR on twelve clients, including a man in his 70s
who stood up after treatment, smiling and laughing, stating it's the first time in years he has been able to stand up without pain in his hip. He was completely baffled. I've had a significant increase in new clients, and current clients are now booking through February.”
-Lisa Albert

The Free Resources we promised!
Podcast episode with Chris Frederick, PT, COO of Stretch to Win Institute https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAD3elpN3Us
(website referenced in video is outdated, current website is linked below under more clinical videos)

Clinical Videos

Nayia-- Pediatric Figure Skater
https://vimeo.com/932116466?share=copy

Justin Spring- Olympic Gymnast
https://vimeo.com/948540869?share=copy

More clinical videos below!
https://www.dfrtherapy.org/conditions-treated/
--

Sincerely,

Dr. Anil Joseph, DPT
Physical Therapy Fellow
DFR Therapy Institute

Dermal Fascial Restoration or DFR is a manual therapy technique with over 35 years clinical research experience created by Paul Mettler, DPT (Doctor of Physi...

01/06/2024

Pre and post HRUS after 20 minutes of DFR Therapy of chronic upper trapezius

01/02/2024

Thank you! Fascia is finally getting the attention it deserves. However, the dermis extracellular matrix (ECM) has similar composition and neurovascular implications. It is bound tightly through retinacula cutis fibers to the fascia. The dermis collagen and elastin needs to slide and glide and be well hydrated (GAG’s) as does fascia. The dermis has equal nerve connections (number/cm2) as the superficial and deep fascia combined and contains 50% of hyaluronic acid (HA) in the body. Viscoelastic health of the dermis and fascia is critical to help facilitate optimal performance training, long term recovery, and injury prevention.

Fascia is a dense, fibrous connective tissue that surrounds muscles, bones, and organs in the body. It plays an important role in the musculoskeletal system… | 25 comments on LinkedIn

01/01/2024

Happy New Year from DFR Therapy Institute! Our hands-on training kicked off in 2023, and we are looking in to hosting CE in Chicago and AZ in 2024! DFRTherapy.org

12/23/2023

📸 Look at this post on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/wdUsv1VwLH87WFB3/?mibextid=QwDbR1
Over the last couple of years I have been privileged to collaborate with an amazing group of professionals from the wide range of manual therapy backgrounds. We delivered an online conference and have now had an aspect of our work and time together published. Huge thanks to those that lead each team and to those that pulled together the final article from our collective input.

The International Consortium on Manual Therapies (ICMT) is a grassroots interprofessional association open to any formally trained practitioner of manual therapy (MT) and basic scientists promoting...

11/13/2023

Dr. Paul Mettler and Dr. Brad Fullerton use HRUS to do a demo at DFR Workshop hosted by Stretch to Win and FST. Movement of the CT fibers in the dermis and myofascia are clearly seen.

11/12/2023

Thanks to Stretch To Win Institute Frederick Stretch Therapy Training for hosting a very successful inaugural DFR Therapy Workshop this past weekend! These 22 smiling faces are our first graduate DFR Certified Level 1 graduates!! We are already getting very positive feedback like this! "Holy Finger Cots! The DFR Therapy and FST is magic! I'm having fun getting creative and combining the two simultaneously! Took pain away from a client having gussies for over a year that I haven't been able to resolve! Started 6-8 in pain ) when finished -took 20-30 minutes."

09/18/2023

DFR® - Dermal-Fascial Restoration® - is a manual therapy method unlike any other. DFR works at the skin and superficial fascia and has therapeutic effects through all layers of viscera, muscle and bone.
Watch Chris Frederick get immediate results on scar tissue all the way from skin to bone that is 55 years old!
https://vimeo.com/864072821
The register at stretchtowin.com for weekend DFR workshop with creator Paul R. Mettler, DPT on Nov 4-5 in sunny Arizona! Limited to 16 registrations-5 remain.

95% hands-on instruction to learn the assessment and treatment strategies of dermal-fascial densification (DFD). ($USD)

02/10/2023

I recently shared this video with Tim Daly. I received this text from him 23 years after going through 4 major neck surgeries. “I can’t think of anyone who could have got me through 4 neck surgeries. You saved me!”
The reason for his post surgical residual MSK pain and stiffness was densification (adhesion/scar) of the dermis and fascia in his neck, upper thoracic spine and shoulder. Rapidly restoring health to the dermis and fascia immediately allows him to regain lost movement critical to neck extension and cervical rotation. It is amazing to observe how the expression on his face changes with one month of DFR Therapy.

DFRTherapy.com
Results are Fast and Last!

01/21/2023

Dave gave me permission to post this video after 25 years. He was 3 years post-op tarsal tunnel surgery. He continued to have pain, tingling, aching, tightness, weakness, muscle knotting in his calf and foot post surgery. Post DFR Therapy he recovers his muscle flexibility and performance function and pain symptoms are alleviated. The skin and fascia densifications can be precisely, manually, non-traumatically manipulated through the perpendicular fibroelastic reticular cutis connection to influence rapid restoration of fluid dynamics and structural reorganization of the ECM in the dermis and fascia layers below. This often results in a profound improvement in pain symptoms and functional movement in a wide range of MSK and neuro-musculoskeletal conditions with long lasting results.

RESULTS were FAST and LAST!
EXPLORE|DISCOVER|RESTORE
DFRTherapy.com

12/20/2022

Nerve conduction studies were positive for ulnar neuropathy for this patient. DFR Therapy targeted to ulnar nerve pathway entrapments after 8 sessions reverses her objective claw hand and functional weakness.

RESULTS were FAST and LAST!
EXPLORE|DISCOVER|RESTORE
DFRTherapy.com