Soft tissue therapy and myofascial release in Crows Nest.

At a glance

• Soft tissue therapy uses hands-on pressure, stretching and myofascial release on muscles and connective tissue.
• Massage gives short-term relief for low back pain, with low-quality evidence and little long-term effect shown.¹
• Across musculoskeletal pain, massage beat no treatment for pain in the short term.²
• I use it to settle pain and tightness so you can move and train, not as the whole treatment.

What is soft tissue therapy?

Soft tissue therapy covers techniques such as trigger point pressure, myofascial release, muscle energy techniques and targeted massage. It is applied to the specific areas your assessment shows are contributing to pain or restricted movement.

Does myofascial release actually work?

It can help people feel and move better for a while. A Cochrane review found massage improved low back pain and function in the short term compared with inactive controls, but the evidence was low quality and longer-term benefit was not clear.¹ A broader meta-analysis found similar short-term pain benefits across several musculoskeletal conditions.²

Claims that hands-on work permanently lengthens fascia or breaks up adhesions are not well supported. The more likely effect is on how the nervous system senses the area.³

Does soft tissue therapy help sports recovery?

Massage may reduce muscle soreness and the feeling of fatigue after hard training. Effects on actual performance are small and inconsistent.⁴ Sleep, nutrition and sensible load management matter more.

What happens in a soft tissue session?

• Assessment first to find what is actually driving the problem.
• Targeted hands-on work, with pressure you control.
• Often combined with joint mobilisation, an adjustment, or instrument work.
• Exercises to keep the gains between visits.

Who should avoid soft tissue therapy?

Tell me about blood thinners, recent surgery, a suspected blood clot (a hot, swollen, painful calf), skin infection, fractures or cancer. See a doctor first if you have fever, unexplained swelling or new numbness or weakness.

Where do you work, and who do you see?

Chiro Central is inside PT Central at 455 Pacific Hwy, Crows Nest, and sees people from St Leonards, North Sydney, Cammeray, Wollstonecraft and Waverton.

Summary

Soft tissue therapy and myofascial release give short-term relief and work best alongside exercise. Book online or call +61 451 226 451.

This page is general information, not individual medical advice.

References

• Furlan AD, Giraldo M, Baskwill A, et al. Massage for low-back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;(9):CD001929.
• Bervoets DC, Luijsterburg PA, Alessie JJ, et al. Massage therapy has short-term benefits for people with common musculoskeletal disorders compared to no treatment: a systematic review. J Physiother. 2015;61(3):106-116.
• Bialosky JE, Bishop MD, Price DD, et al. The mechanisms of manual therapy in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain: a comprehensive model. Man Ther. 2009;14(5):531-538.
• Dupuy O, Douzi W, Theurot D, et al. An evidence-based approach for choosing post-exercise recovery techniques to reduce markers of muscle damage, soreness, fatigue, and inflammation. Front Physiol. 2018;9:403.