Dynamic Myofascial Release

04/27/2026

The Psoas: Your Deep Core Survival Muscle

The psoas (pronounced so-az) is one of the most important muscles in the body, yet many people have never heard of it. It attaches from the lower spine through the pelvis to the top of the femur, connecting your spine to your legs. It helps you walk, lift your knees, stabilize your low back, support posture, and even influences how you breathe.

But the psoas is more than a movement muscle—it is often called the muscle of the soul because of its close relationship to the nervous system and emotional stress patterns.

When you experience stress, fear, trauma, or constant pressure, your body activates the fight, flight, or freeze response. The psoas contracts to prepare you to run, curl inward, brace, or protect yourself. This is a natural survival mechanism.

The problem is many people never fully discharge that stress. Instead, the body stays subtly guarded. Over time, the psoas can remain shortened, tight, or overactive.

This may contribute to:
✨ Low back pain
✨ Hip tightness
✨ Sciatica-like symptoms
✨ Shallow breathing
✨ Anxiety or feeling “on edge”
✨ Poor posture
✨ Pelvic tension
✨ Digestive discomfort
✨ Difficulty relaxing

Because the psoas sits deep near the diaphragm, kidneys, intestines, and solar plexus region, chronic tension there can feel physical and emotional.

Gentle positions like hanging one leg off the bed, supported stretching, diaphragmatic breathing, somatic work, and Myofascial Release can help the body feel safe enough to let go.

Healing the psoas is often not about forcing a stretch—it’s about signaling safety to the nervous system.

Sometimes low back pain is not just structural. Sometimes it’s the body still carrying yesterday’s stress.

When the psoas softens, many people feel grounded, calmer, taller, and more at peace.

04/24/2026

More pressure does not always equal more healing. In many cases, aggressive tools, painful scraping, excessive pounding, or forcing tissue to “release” can do the opposite of what the body actually needs.

Fascia is a living, intelligent connective tissue system deeply connected to the nervous system. When the body senses threat, pain, or force, it often responds by guarding, tightening, and bracing even more. That means aggressive treatment can place the nervous system on high alert instead of creating true change.

Healing happens when the body feels safe.

This is why gentle Myofascial Release can be so powerful. Sustained, respectful pressure allows the tissue to soften organically while signaling the nervous system that it can come out of fight, flight, or freeze. When the nervous system calms, the body becomes more receptive to lasting release.

Sometimes what feels “deep” is not what heals deeply.

Gentleness is not weakness.
Slow is not ineffective.
Safety is not optional.

If your body tenses up during treatment, clenches, or feels assaulted, it may be telling you something important. Real healing often comes through listening—not forcing.

Your fascia doesn’t need to be attacked.
It needs to be understood.

04/23/2026

Fascia isn’t just “wrapping”—it’s a living, responsive network that connects every part of the body.

This image gives a magnified glimpse of fascia surrounding and interweaving with muscle fibers. Notice how it looks web-like, almost sticky. When fascia is healthy, it’s hydrated, elastic, and allows smooth movement between layers. But when it becomes restricted—due to injury, inflammation, stress, or repetitive strain—it can bind, thicken, and lose its glide.

That’s when we start to feel:
• Tightness that stretching doesn’t fix
• Pulling or compression in distant areas
• Chronic pain patterns that don’t follow muscles alone

Fascia doesn’t operate in isolated parts—it transmits tension throughout the entire body. A restriction in one area can create symptoms somewhere completely different.

This is why gentle, sustained techniques like myofascial release can be so powerful. Instead of forcing change, we listen, soften, and allow the tissue to reorganize—restoring hydration, space, and movement.

When fascia changes, everything changes:
✨ Movement becomes easier
✨ Pain patterns begin to unwind
✨ The nervous system can finally settle

Your body isn’t stuck—it’s just waiting for the right kind of support.

📸 Scanning electron micrograph of skeletal muscle fibers and connective tissue (source unknown). 📸 Photo credit to Fascia Research Society

04/09/2026

💪🏻 What’s Up Wednesday -

- What Is this muscle, and what does it do? -

(A longer post but worth the read!)

Let’s talk about a tiny muscle…
that causes BIG problems 👀

👉 The piriformis (AKA - the pain In your butt!! Literally)

⸻
This little guy lives deep in your glutes (or the butt cheek for those not familiar with the anatomy term)

And even though it’s small…

👉 It plays a HUGE role in your posture + movement

✨ What it does:

✔️ Stabilizes your hips
✔️ Helps rotate your leg
✔️ Supports how you walk, stand, and shift your weight

⸻

💥 Now here’s where that muscle can get a bit spicy…

Think about your daily posture 👇

👉 Sitting all day
👉 Weight shifted into one hip
👉 Crossing your legs
👉 Standing unevenly
👉 Hunched over technology all day

Now, over time this leads to:::

👉 The piriformis getting tight + overworked
👉 Fascia around it stiffens
👉 Your hips lose mobility
👉 You come to me to help you get rid of the pain in your butt 😂

But when your body starts compensating…

This leads to:

❌ Low back pain
❌ Deep glute pain
❌ Tight hips that won’t loosen up
❌ That annoying ache or “pull” when you move

And sometimes…

👉 It even irritates the sciatic nerve

Which can feel like:

⚡ Shooting pain
⚡ Tingling
⚡ Pain down the leg

(aka what people THINK is sciatica 😬)

⸻

💡 Here’s the kicker:

It’s usually not just the piriformis.

👉 It’s your posture
👉 Your movement patterns
👉 Your fascia lines

All working together… or against you.

⸻

✨ This is why we focus on:

✔️ Releasing the surrounding fascia
✔️ Improving hip mobility
✔️ Fixing movement patterns
✔️ Not just digging into one sore spot and hoping for the best

🎾 This Is also why I tell clients/students to sit on a tennis ball! 🎾 It gets right to the Piriformis pain In the butt!!

💬Real talk:

If your low back hurts…
It might not be your low back at all….
It could be the pain in the butt causing it!! 😂

03/04/2026

Fascia is not just connective tissue.
Fascia is a sensory organ.

It wraps every muscle, every organ, every nerve.

It is richly innervated, meaning it communicates directly with your nervous system.

Fascia constantly receives mechanical information:
• pressure
• stretch
• tension
• movement

And sends that data back to your brain.

Which means:

Your posture affects your mood.
Your tension affects your perception.
Your body position affects your nervous system state.

Fascia is not passive.

It’s a bridge between your internal state
and the world around you.

When fascia is hydrated and mobile the nervous system feels safe.

When fascia is restricted → the system interprets stress.

Movement isn’t just exercise.

It’s communication.

Your body is constantly reporting to your brain.

Fascia is the bridge.

02/20/2026

Myofascial Release Isn’t for Everyone — And That’s Okay.

I know this work is different.
It’s slower.
It’s deeper.
It asks for patience.

And it’s not always a “quick fix.”
But the ones who connect with it…
really connect.

For some people, their body can only process a few visits at a time.

They come in layers. They integrate. They return when ready.
Others stay on the books regularly because they’ve learned that consistency keeps their system balanced and their nervous system regulated.

There is no right way.
There is no wrong approach.
There is only your pace.
My role is not to push.
It’s not to force results.
It’s not to override your body.

My role is to facilitate the process.
You show up for yourself.
I’ll meet you there.
Give it time.

This is not a quick fix — and I don’t want it to be.
I care about your longevity.
Your nervous system.
Your future mobility.
Your quality of life.

Healing is not about rushing relief.
It’s about restoring communication and balance so your body can sustain that relief.
Allow the process to happen.
Give your body grace.
Trust that it knows how to unwind.

When you’re ready — whether it’s for one session or ongoing support — I’m here.

Karen

02/20/2026

https://www.facebook.com/KineticWellnessMFR/videos/195700143577051/?mibextid=9drbnH&s=yWDuG2&fs=e

02/12/2026

It's not exactly what fascia looks like, but hopefully you can see the connectivity.

12/20/2025

My teacher John Barnes, the creator of the John Barnes Myofascial Release approach passed away today. It's a sad day for me & the Myofascial Release community. I started taking his classes in 1995 after I was treated with MFR after my own back injury in 1994.
I am greatful for what I learned from him, his sense of humor, reminders to always stay curious, & the wisdom he shared with me.
From all the patients I treated throughout my career who said it was like "magic" that their pain subsided, or the doctors that asked me to go do my "hoodoo voodoo" with their patients, and we would both laugh. They had no idea what I was doing, and the patients would tell their doc, 'I don't know what she does...she 'just touched' me and my pain went away'!
And, to all of the patients/clients I've been able to help over the years when they thought there was no hope left, to opening my own office in the middle of a pandemic and thrive.
John, may your memory be a blessing to all who knew you.

12/04/2025

You Can’t Force Fascia — Here’s the Timeline for Release⏳
John F Barnes always reminds us: find the restriction, nudge in gently… and wait.

Around 90–120 seconds, the collagenous barrier starts to respond.

At least another 3–5 minutes, and the ground substance softens and lets go.

That’s the magic of time.

That’s why we never force.

That’s why this work is so safe and so powerful.

11/23/2025

If you or someone you know has TMJ.....

10/31/2025