Direct Release Myofascial Technique provides a highly illustrated guide to direct release myofascial techniques (MFR) and their application in clinical practice.

MFR is a manual therapy method that influences both a body's structural tissues and the sensory/motor systems.

Originally developed by Dr Ida Rolf, the creator of the Rolfing® method, the approach has since been adapted and modified by different groups of therapists to fit within their own particular philosophies.

This book strips away the surrounding theories and philosophies and focuses on the techniques themselves. Numerous photographs supplement the textural commentary. The aim is to help the reader to a safe and appropriate use of the techniques in the clinical setting.

Key Features:

• Outlines the principles and practice of a group of bodywork techniques that are particularly effective for the treatment of painful or restricted movement due to muscle stiffness or imbalance

• Provides guidelines on the most effective and efficient use of the techniques based on movement theory

• Highly illustrated with photographs and line drawings

• Presents a hypothetical model to explain why the technique works based on the latest research in the field of neuro-fascial physiology

• Includes approaches to the use of the techniques with children

• Written by an experienced practitioner and teacher

• Draws on the teachings of Ida Rolf but makes them applicable to other groups of therapists.

Any manual therapist with an interest in effective soft tissue mobilization as either a primary or secondary goal of therapy will find this text highly relevant to their practice.

Massage, physio-and occupational therapists, osteopaths and chiropractors will all benefit from incorporating the approaches shown in this book.

Those practitioners with a basic understanding of structural integration therapy (Rolfer®, Hellerworkers®, Postural Integrators etc) will also find it highly relevant for both its hypothetical model of neuro-fascial plasticity and the attention given to clearly describing the approach and rationale for each release that is shown.