06/17/2025
"Patients with fibromyalgia have some distinctive muscular abnormalities, not in the muscles themselves, but in the connective tissue that encases them, the fascia. Biopsies show an unusually high number of immune cells, and excess collagen. There is growing data that pain from the fascia generates fibromyalgia muscle pain, and this has been my personal, clinical, and research experience.
Two European studies found that after twenty sessions of Myofascial Release therapy, which focuses on gently stretching the fascia that surrounds every muscle, fibromyalgia subjects reported significant pain reduction. What is really great, though, is that they also showed long-lasting pain relief, with reduced levels after one month and six months after their last session.
MFR is by far the most effective treatment I have found to unstick the fascia and reduce fibromyalgia pain. The therapy reduces the fight-or-flight nervous system influences and studies have shown that gentle stretching of the fascia activates a relaxation response.
Unfortunately, 'myofascial release' has become widely and inappropriately used as a generic term for deep tissue massage, and many practitioners confuse the two. Some athletic trainers also teach foam roller techniques that they call myofascial release. Deep tissue massage and foam rolling is not helpful in fibromyalgia. When I refer to myofascial release I mean the gentle prolonged stretching of the fascia of the John F. Barnes' Myofascial Release approach."
Ginevra Liptan, M.D., author of The Fibro Manual: A Complete Fibromyalgia Treatment Guide For You and Your Doctor