So you workout regularly, you eat a healthy balanced diet, you have good sleep habits and yet you don’t feel all that great. The one thing that might be missing is regular muscle maintenance. That might sound mysterious, but it’s really very simple; myofascial release is the perfect solution to all sorts of aches and pains and it’s why the MyoBuddy will become your best friend.

As a personal trainer and a competitive athlete I know the importance of keeping my muscles ‘tuned-up’. As soon as I started using the MyoBuddy on myself and on my clients I saw incredible results, especially in pain reduction. My clients LOVE it and in fact, they’ve all bought one! I use it on myself to release tension in my shoulders and neck. Having had a recent shoulder replacement, I’ve found it to be an invaluable tool in maintaining fluid range of motion.

I have a client who’s had both hips replaced and she has found the MyoBuddy massage invaluable to helping maintain mobility in her hips. One of my other clients has a chronic lower back problem, and has found that both training her core and using her MyoBuddy has helped her stay pain-free. Whether it’s just regular aches and pains or something more significant, regular myofascial release is the key to managing muscle tightness and pain.

In order to demystify how the MyoBuddy works, it’s important to first understand what fascia is, and look at the benefits of regular myofascial release.

What is Fascia?

Fascia is a web for fibrous tissue that permeates the body. The fascial system is still a medical mystery but that is changing. There are two primary layers of fascia, the superficial fascia and the deep fascia. The superficial fascia is heavily innervated, it has structural integrity and is full of blood vessels. It’s a layer of our body that represents part of our wholeness.

Fascia is a densely woven, specialized system of connective tissue that covers and unites all of the body’s compartments. The result is a system where each part is connected to the other parts through this web of tissue. Essentially, the purpose of the fascia is to surround and support the bodily structures, which provides stability as well as a cohesive direction for the line of pull of muscle groups. (ACE PT Manual 2014)

What is Myofascial Release?

Myofascial release is a technique that applies pressure to tight, restricted areas of fascia and underlying muscle in an attempt to relieve tension and improve flexibility. It is thought that applying direct sustained pressure to a tight area can inhibit the tension in a muscle by stimulating the GTO to bring about autogenic inhibition. (ACE PT Manual 2014). In other words, the sustained pressure of the MyoBuddy causes the muscle and fascia to release and relax. Plus the soothing vibration of the MyoBuddy feels heavenly!

Benefits

• Increased circulation that enables oxygen and other nutrients to reach vital muscles and other soft tissues to facilitate faster recovery from exercise
• Increased joint flexibility that prepares joints for the increased range of movement and increased load that accompanies stretching, strengthening and other dynamic exercises.
• Reduced adhesions and scar tissue that improves the elasticity of muscles and other soft tissues to improve movement and reduce pain
• Elimination of stored tension in muscles to assist in alleviating aches and pains
• Regulations of the production of compounds called cytokines, which play a role in decreasing inflammation
• Increased activity in the mitochondria of cells helping to promote repair and growth of muscle tissue
• The release of endorphins to help reduce pain

(Price, 2015)

Good Vibrations

On top of the gentle release the MyoBuddy provides the muscles and fascia, the vibration of the machine enhances circulation. This effect is critical to recovery from working out and can even help you recover from long periods of inactivity, such as sitting behind a desk or in a car or plane. Increasing blood flow to fatigued muscles can make a huge difference in pain relief and leave you feeling energized and invigorated. It’s exactly this feeling that my clients love so much and why they look forward to the end of the training sessions with me, I finish their session with a MyoBuddy massage.

Keli Roberts is a world renowned fitness educator, trainer and the award recipient of the 2003 IDEA International Instructor of the Year. Keli is also a successful author. Her first book, Fitness Hollywood, which was published in 1994. Keli has been featured in Shape, Elle, Health, Fitness, Self, Ms Fitness, American Fitness, Allure and many international publications as well. Additionally, Keli is a featured instructor on the award winning TV series, CRUNCH Fitness, on ESPN.