What can you tell me about myofascial release therapy as a treatment for back pain? Does it work?

Answer From Brent A. Bauer, M.D.

Myofascial (my-o-FASH-e-ul) release is a therapy technique often used in massage. This therapy is focused on pain that comes from myofascial tissues — the tough coverings that wrap, connect and support muscles.

Myofascial pain may differ from other types of pain because it often originates in "trigger points." Trigger points are stiff areas within the myofascial tissue. The pain that a trigger point causes is often hard to pinpoint, though. The trigger points may not always be near what feels like the source of pain.

During myofascial release therapy, the therapist applies light pressure by hand to find myofascial areas that feel stiff instead of elastic and movable. These stiff areas, or trigger points, are thought to limit muscle and joint movements, which can play a part in widespread muscle pain.

The massage and stretching used in myofascial release therapy can help loosen muscles and joints. This may help indirectly ease your back pain.

Many studies have found that massage, spine manipulation and other therapies done by hand work as well as other treatments for back pain. Few studies, however, have tested myofascial release therapy specifically, partly because myofascial release therapy techniques vary from therapist to therapist.

If you've been told that myofascial release therapy may be helpful for your back pain, consult a therapist who has training in the technique.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

April 13, 2023 See more Expert Answers

See also

  1. Acupuncture
  2. Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)
  3. Back exercises
  4. Back pain
  5. Back pain management
  6. Back pain therapy
  7. Back surgery: When is it a good idea?
  8. Bone scan
  9. Chiropractic adjustment
  10. Chronic pain: Medication decisions
  11. CT scan
  12. Discogram
  13. Diskectomy
  14. Electromyography (EMG)
  15. Exercise and chronic disease
  16. Functional electrical stimulation
  17. Herniated disk FAQs
  18. Laminectomy
  19. Leg pain
  20. Leg pain after prolonged standing or sitting
  21. MRI
  22. Muscle pain
  23. Office ergonomics
  24. Radiofrequency neurotomy
  25. Seeing inside the heart with MRI
  26. Sleeping positions that reduce back pain
  27. Spinal fusion
  28. Spinal injury: First aid
  29. Stress symptoms
  30. Symptom Checker
  31. Tailbone pain
  32. Integrative approaches to treating pain
  33. Nutrition and pain
  34. Pain rehabilitation
  35. Self-care approaches to treating pain
  36. Urinalysis
  37. MRI
  38. X-ray