Self-myofascial release may sound like a mouthful, but it can be as simple as a personal massage therapist in the form of a foam roller

We are quickly heading into warm weather and for many of us, a much more active time. With increased activity whether it is gardening, hiking or running a marathon, you can expect tight muscles and those pesky aches and pains to come along with an increased active lifestyle.

If you're like me, having a massage therapist work out those aches and pains is a luxury that I can only afford on rare occasions. That leaves us with the next best thing, "Myofascial Release."

Self-myofascial release has been around for some time and is a technique that works the various layers of your connective tissue in your body. For example, when your muscles tighten up and restrict your range of motion, it usually indicates that some sort of physical activity has affected your connective tissue. These layers of connective tissue called the fascia are made up of three distinct systems; your myofascial, neural and articular networks.

Due to the restriction and tightness in your soft tissue from being active, adhesions or knots form in your fascia and muscles changing your joint motion leading to reduced neuromuscular efficiency, injury and fatigue. Myofascial release is a technique of applying a firm yet gentle massaging motion to these sore points where your muscle fibers have knotted up or developed adhesions. Once these spots release, they go back to a relaxed in line natural state with the rest of your muscles.

If you have ever worked out with a certified personal fitness trainer, you may have heard them talk about your kinetic chain which is made up of your muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, neural system and articular system. These all are interdependent on each other, so when one or more of these systems are impacted by adhesions, it affects all of them. Elite athletes have known for years the importance of myofascial release. They have used myofascial release to improve their overall health to their kinetic chain, reduce risk of injury and give them added performance to compete in their sport.

Myofascial massage is a very easy thing to learn and do. Many people have made it part of there daily routine, incorporating it into their stretching before each workout. All you need is a firm foam roller and you can get started. It is important that you choose the proper foam roll. If the foam is too soft, it will not apply enough pressure to your fascia and muscle tissue. At the other end of the spectrum, if too hard, you can damage and bruise your fascia and muscle tissue creating more pain and inflammation. If you work out at a gym, you can find the proper foam rollers there and give one a try. If not, most local sporting goods stores have the specific myofascial rollers, so just ask a knowledgeable person at the store. Please note not all rollers are created equally, so it's best to try before you buy. Get one that feels right for you.

Now let's talk about the benefits of self-myofascial release. Here are just a few of the benefits to myofascial massage done either before or after your workout or even if done on a daily basis. First and foremost, it will correct muscle imbalances which in turn will improve your range of joint motion. The second very important area is its ability to reduce muscle soreness and tightness. As you loosen and work the fascia, it will reduce the potential for tearing, which can help prevent injuries like plantar fasciitis. Lastly, myofascial release can help improve neuromuscular efficiency leading to improve performance in any given sport or activity like endurance running.

Once you have found a good roller that fits your comfort level, you can follow this example guideline:

Rolling and working your calf complex is best done for 1 to 2 minutes with each leg or you can do them together. If you find it too painful to continue to roll, stop rolling and rest your calf on the painful adhesion or spot for 30 to 45 seconds. By placing mild pressure on the muscle adhesion or sore spot for 30 to 45 seconds, you stimulate that area of the leg to release those knots or adhesions and this will help normalize your fascial receptors. In other words, your muscles relax and the fascia goes into a neutral state.

There are people with medical conditions that should ask their doctor prior to using a roller for myofascial release. These folks should be mindful of their condition and approach myofascial massage with a degree of caution.

Here is a short list of conditions that may present problems when using myofascial massage:

• Congestive heart failure

• Osteoporosis

• Arthritis

• Eczema

• Blood clotting

Myofascial release using myofascial massage can have real lasting benefits to your overall health and fitness goals. It just takes a few minutes each day or each time you go to the gym to feel better. If your health permits it, myofascial release can start reducing the pain of stressed muscles and begin to restore normal muscle length and optimum joint motion, giving you better performance along with reducing the chance for injury.

Judd Jones is a director for the Hagadone Corporation.