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MYOFASCIAL TAPING CONTROLLING MYOFASCIAL TENSION


BY MARKUS ERHARD, SPORTS SCIENTIST AND MYOFASCIAL THERAPIST


PART 1: THE THEORY MYOFASCIAL TAPING Myofascial Taping is a unique, most innovative and revolutionary taping method, based on the regulation of myofascial tension to restore myofascial balance by the use of myofascial release and activation techniques.


The changes caused by Myofascial


Taping mount up and provoke alterations in fascia receptor activity and, further, will cause a change in its tension and structure. This influence rids the body of restrictions and reduces pain significantly, in most cases completely, in only one therapy session, resulting in improved muscle function, movement and posture. The techniques for using Myofascial


Taping to treat non-specific low back pain (one of its most useful applications) will be described in the second part of this article.


FASCIA RESEARCH During recent years, various approaches to therapy have changed fundamentally. The main reasons for this are ‘new’ results from fascia research, which show that fascia plays a much more important role than previously believed. Fascia has an influence on pain (1–3), attitude (4), motion (3), force transmission (4–6), proprioception (7–9) and sports performance (10). Gradually, these results have started to change the way we diagnose, evaluate, approach and treat musculoskeletal problems. Myofascial Taping is a new therapy that has been developed from the latest results from fascia research and works to remove tension and restrictions in the fascia allowing a return to a pain-free state and normal


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Myofascial Taping is a unique and innovative taping therapy that has been developed by Markus Erhard. It has a revolutionary taping and therapy approach, which is totally different from kinesio taping, based on new fascia research and the myofascial connections (Anatomy Trains) to rid the body of restrictions and restore the natural myofascial balance instantly and effectively. The physiological effects are achieved by intensive myofascial release and activation; the results can be obtained in one therapy session and include improved muscle function and range of motion, enhanced sporting performance and reliable pain relief from acute and chronic myofascial pain.


(sometimes enhanced) movement.


MYOFASCIAL TAPING CONTROLS PAIN The fascial network is one of our richest sensory organs. It possesses ten times more sensory receptors than muscles (8). The receptors are different types of myelinated sensory receptors – Golgi, Ruffini and Pacini endings – and many unmyelinated ‘free’ nerve endings that are found almost everywhere in fascial tissue. Whatever else muscles do


individually, they also influence functionally-integrated body-wide continuities within the fascial webbing. These lines follow the wrap of the body’s connective tissue fabric, forming traceable lines of myofascia. These lines consist of the bundled together, inseparable nature of muscle tissue (myo-) and its accompanying web of connective tissue (fascia) (4). The mechanical fascia receptors work as proprioceptors to inform the body about position, motion and pain (11). Every movement will change the tension in the fascial web. The fact that fascia connects all parts of the body, all muscles, all muscle bundles, all muscle fibres and organs makes it a perfect sensory reception device – monitoring even the smallest change in tension, pressure and pain.


At some points the fascia will


have more tension and at others, less tension. For example, when you bend forward, your superficial back line will have more tension than in standing, and the superficial frontline will have less. All the fascial receptors of the superficial back line that measure tension will be deformed and give feedback on the amount of tension. To perceive, control, and to alter tension and pain, the Golgi organs and the free nerve endings are especially important. The effects will be explained later for the myofascial release technique.


FASCIA: THE SOURCE AND SOLUTION OF MYOFASCIAL PROBLEMS Once the myofascial tension is out of balance – locally or globally – a vicious cycle of problems starts in which the fascia plays a decisive role. Fascial tissue can change for


various reasons (Table 1). Usually these changes are due to the demand and load in everyday life, our habits at work, and sports or injuries. When fascial tissue changes it has the potential to hold us in compensation due to its strong mechanical properties. It changes our posture and movement patterns. These fascia-related patterns can be ‘read’ and the tensed and


sportEX dynamics 2014;39(January):18-24


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