How Myofascial Release Helps with Chronic Neck and Shoulder Pain
Before we start looking into how myofascial release helps with Chronic neck and shoulder pain, let’s throw in some stats:
The Global Burden of Disease study (2010) ranked neck pain as the 4th leading cause of disability worldwide. Even though this study is now 15 years old we can assume that the numbers haven’t gone down, but the opposite.
What about the UK?!
The prevalence of neck pain in the UK is estimated to be around 12-34% of the adult population, with approximately 9-18% of these developing into chronic neck pain.
If those figures aren’t enough to highlight the relevance of neck and shoulder issues here’s one that will get the attention of those more practical minds…
Work-related neck and upper limb disorders cost the UK economy an estimated £2.1 billion annually!
So Why Is Neck Pain So Prevalent in Today's Society
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Technology use: The increased use of computers, smartphones, and tablets has led to what experts call “tech neck” or “text neck.” Each inch the head moves forward it adds approximately 10 pounds of pressure on the neck.
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Desc bound jobs: Our myofascial tissue is a living system that adapts to our demands. When we sit at a desc for prolonged periods of time repetitively the myofascial tissue tends to become shortened at the front of our body which encourages forward head posture and increases the load on the neck.
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Stress and psychological factors: Increased stress levels in modern society affect the health of our myofascial system that can contribute towards chronic neck and shoulder pain. I’d like to include here our increased separation from nature, exposure to sunlight and fresh air as stressing factors as well.
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Inappropriate breathing mechanics: This point might seem like a lot but we spend our whole life breathing! My experience in clinic has shown me that most people don’t breathe correctly. Breathing mechanics in which the diaphragm muscle is fully engaged are very important in the health of the myofascial tissue, especially the tissue surrounding the rib cage, neck and shoulders.
Poor breathing patterns often lead to overuse of accessory breathing muscles in the neck and shoulders (scalenes, upper trapezius, sternocleidomastoid), creating chronic tension and trigger points.
Chest breathing typically correlates with increased cervical lordosis and forward head posture, placing additional strain on the neck.
Shallow breathing activates the sympathetic “fight-or-flight” response, increasing muscle tension throughout the body, particularly in the neck and shoulders.
- Last but not least, poor exercise regime/techniqueMost people are exercising on top of a compressed system and they have problems stabilising their spine and shoulders. When we exercise on top of dysfunction we’re exposed to developing tension and pain and we are more prone to injury.
The scapulothoracic joint as an example
A good example of this is the scapulothoracic joint, a floating joint between the shoulder blade and the rib cage. Poor scapular control or “winging” (where the shoulder blade protrudes) or dyskinesis (abnormal movement patterns) forces other muscles to compensate, commonly on the neck and shoulders, creating trigger points and tension as well as increasing risk of injury.
Over time, compensation patterns can lead to chronic neck pain, headaches, and shoulder impingement syndromes.
These factors combined create the perfect environment for neck pain to become one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints in modern society.
Chronic neck pain
Chronic neck pain is defined as pain that persists for a period of 3 months or longer, far beyond tissue repair time, becoming a musculoskeletal condition itself.
There are three main factors that contribute to chronic neck pain:
- Myofascial/lifestyle adaptations: The fascial system extends throughout the entire body as a single piece of fabric. The fascia responds to pressure and mechanical changes as well as chemical changes in our body. As a result of different stressors the fascia can thicken or develop adhesions and loose elasticity resulting in compensatory postural patterns and perpetuating a cycle of tissue restriction, poor movement patterns, and continued pain.
- Psychological factors: Chronic pain is strongly influenced by what’s going on in the mind as it reacts to chemical changes in our body, including fear, anxiety, and depression.
- Neuroplastic changes: Over time, persistent pain signals can lead to central sensitisation, resulting in heightened pain sensitivity.
How Myofascial Release Helps with Chronic Neck and Shoulder Pain
Among the primary contributors to chronic neck and shoulder pain, alterations in the myofascial system appear to play a particularly significant role.
Luckily the myofascial system is a very responsive organ that we can positively affect during treatment.
Myofascial release therapy has emerged as an evidence-based, effective treatment method for addressing chronic neck and shoulder pain conditions.
What makes myofascial release particularly effective for chronic neck and shoulder pain is its whole-body approach that addresses not only the local tissue restrictions but also the broader fascial connections that may be contributing to pain persistence.
By working with the entire fascial system, practitioners can identify and address compensatory patterns that aren’t addressed in other treatment modalities.
The Science Behind it
While research on the myofascial system continues to evolve, with plenty still to discover, what we’ve learned so far about the benefits of myofascial release therapy is truly fascinating:
- Improved tissue hydration and elasticity: The gentle but firm, sustained pressure applied during myofascial release helps to rehydrate dehydrated fascia, restoring its natural elasticity and gliding properties, which are often compromised in chronic pain conditions. A common analogy is to think of a dry sponge – when we squeeze it and then release, water rushes back in. That’s similar to what happens when we apply pressure to the fascia – it rehydrates the tissue.
- Release of restrictions: By identifying and addressing specific areas of fascial restriction in the neck, shoulders and connected restrictions elsewhere in the body, myofascial release reduces compensatory strain patterns and helps restore neutral tissue mobility.
- Reduced inflammatory responses: Research indicates that myofascial techniques can help modulate inflammatory responses within the tissue.
- Autonomic nervous system regulation: Myofascial release has been shown to influence the autonomic nervous system, shifting from sympathetic (stress) dominance toward parasympathetic (relaxation/repair) states.
- Improved proprioception and movement awareness: Myofascial release enhances sensory feedback from the fascial network, helping clients develop better awareness of posture and movement patterns that may be contributing to the pain.
What to expect during a Myofascial Release session
At our clinic we use Myofascial Release often in combination with Myofascial Trigger Point work and some other advanced soft tissue release techniques, in order to obtain the best possible results.
During our first session the therapist will go through a consultation with you, we’ll ask about symptoms and presenting complaint, medical/injury history, lifestyle, etc.
We’ll assess the presenting complain through a postural assessment and orthopaedic assessment (we’ll do some tests when necessary)
How does the treatment feel?
How the treatment feels can change considerably depending on which presentation we’re working on.
Our treatments are mindful and we use a slow pace to encourage myofascial release. We often hold still pressure on certain areas or very gentle touch (different techniques stimulate different receptors present in the fascia, some receptors respond to very light touch and other receptors respond to firm pressure, we encourage you to go along with it and trust the therapist).
Expect gentle but firm pressure, not painful. We always keep focus on the nervous system during our sessions, our treatments are very relaxing and deeply healing.
The neck and shoulders area is a sensitive area, close to our head, our heart and host to main blood vessels and nerves. Myofascial work, especially in this area can leave you a bit spaced out and relaxed so we encourage you to take the day easy, avoid exercise on the day and ideally avoid work especially if it’s desc bound or/and stressful.
Remember the body is your vessel, you deserve looking after it.
Sources:
- Fejer R, Kyvik KO, Hartvigsen J. The prevalence of neck pain in the world population: a systematic critical review of the literature. Eur Spine J. 2006;15(6):834-848.
- Hoy D, March L, Woolf A, et al. The global burden of neck pain: estimates from the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2014;73(7):1309-1315.
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSDs) Statistics in Great Britain, 2020.
- Côté P, Cassidy JD, Carroll LJ, Kristman V. The annual incidence and course of neck pain in the general population: a population-based cohort study. Pain. 2004;112(3):267-273.
- Hogg-Johnson S, van der Velde G, Carroll LJ, et al. The burden and determinants of neck pain in the general population: results of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders. Spine. 2008;33(4 Suppl):S39-S51.
- Hansraj KK. Assessment of stresses in the cervical spine caused by posture and position of the head. Surg Technol Int. 2014;25:277-279.