For full blog post, please go to https://lisawilcoxpt.com/2019/07/01/how-myofascial-release-can-help-people-to-avoid-surgery/?fbclid=IwAR3hH36jrf-fyzVqtVtHAw0J1YxUxvhEhmXoVm0M-zi5xjlD1UkfXCZHwHY
Surgery should always be a last resort in the pain and orthopedic world (excluding emergency surgeries), but often, people feel like they've tried everything and that surgery is their only option. Most people that I see have never heard of Myofascial Release and are very surprised to find out that the John F. Barnes technique is actually quite gentle, yet yields incredible results. I'll give you an example of a patient with knee pain that had tried everything they could think of (massage, chiropractic, acupuncture, laser, injections, physical therapy, etc) and their only other option seemed to be surgery. On their first visit, I looked at their entire body and found that they had significant postural abnormalities, that they were very tight on one side of their back and their shoulder was much lower on that side, the opposite foot was pointing outwards, their arch had flattened and that their pelvis was completely shifted. I did a quick assessment of their knee, but I could tell that the pain was coming from somewhere else. After releasing their back, hip, pelvis, improving their pelvic alignment and releasing areas of their opposite leg, they no longer had knee pain! They couldn't believe that I never really treated their knee, yet their pain was gone. I reassessed their posture after a few visits and it was much more symmetrical and I did not see tightness and pulling throughout their back and leg. No surgery needed!
The other thing that myofascial release is very helpful with is deferring the need for a total joint replacement. If someone has a joint that is bone-on-bone with severe arthritis, there is no way that we are going to fix the bony surfaces themselves. But, if we can release the tension and pressure that are being exerted from other areas of the body and open up the joint space and the capsular tissue that is surrounding the joint, the person may have much less pain and be able to function without needing a total joint replacement. Total joint replacements are necessary for some, but they are a very major and intense surgery that sometimes come with a long and painful rehabilitation. And guess what - the surgery doesn't fix any of the tightness or restrictions that was causing tension and stress on the joint in the first place. Often, people still have pain and issues even after a total joint replacement. SEE US AT SOLSTICE PT FIRST!!! Even if someone does end up needing total joint replacement, their recovery will be so much better if they have Myofascial Release first to eliminate all of the other issues that will likely affect their recovery after surgery.
Please contact us if you have any questions about how Myofascial Release and specialized Physical Therapy from Solstice PT can help you avoid surgery!
Website: www.SolsticePhysicalTherapy.com
Email: DrLisa@SolsticePhysicalTherapy.com
Phone: (720) 369-7738