The word myo means muscle, while fascia means band, and the fascia is a connective 3D web of tissue that extends the whole way through the body. It is mainly composed of two fibres which are elastin and collagen. These provide strength together with flexibility. Fascia can move and twist and will respond to any pressure put upon it. It meets resistance in order to protect the human frame. Every other tissue and organ of the body is protected by the fascia and when we are healthy the fascial system is relaxed, which provides a cushioning mechanism enabling the body to move safely and without pain.

When physical injury occurs, the fascia will scar and harden in the area that is affected and along the tension lines that are put on it. Because it extends across the whole system, any injury to it can have a knock-on effect on other parts of the body. Once it is injured, the fascial system will pull and twist in the same way as the wool in a sweater can if damaged. It can create a net of tension through the whole system. That can then exert tremendous pressure on organs, the nerve system, and the circulatory and lymphatic systems. In addition, the fascia can affect the muscular and skeletal systems as well.

Over time, the pulls and twists of the fascia can have a damaging effect on the body, and a reflected pain commonly occurs, where the patient complains of a pain in a part of the body which has its origins somewhere else. As time goes on, the body tries to compensate for the restriction which simply has the effect of making the situation worse and is the main reason for the ongoing pain that is being suffered. The fact is that most people don't realise the pulls on the fascia is what is causing the problem because they happen very gradually.

Another problem is that fascial restrictions do not show up on X-rays or CT scans and this means that patients may complain of pain that fails to be diagnosed and as a result remains untreated.

According to practitioners of myofascial release in London, the body and mind work in parallel and have a subconscious ability to associate postural positions, actions, and emotions, with a memory. The body also subconsciously memorises postural habit and bracing patterns so that it can protect itself from pain, both physical and emotional. According to a practitioner, this creates further fascial restrictions which inhibit the free flow of the subconscious mind throughout the body and this leads to the experiences being compensated for being locked in the fascial system without our being aware of it, which in turn continues and can worsen the pain and discomfort being experienced.

What myofascial release does is release the restrictions in the fascial network which then allows subconscious information to be released into awareness, where it can then be resolved. Myofascial release is described as an art form because the therapist not only uses the information that he can see from looking at the postural position of a patient, but also gains information from what he can feel while working on the body and can thus understand the fascial restrictions and understand what the source is, so then he can treat the cause of the pain and not merely the symptoms.

Using myofascial release, the therapist works slowly through the layers of restriction, applying gentle pressure where and when necessary and holding that pressure for around a minute and a half, which is how long it takes for the fascia to respond. A fascial release can take between three and five minutes.

According to one practitioner, myofascial release is so slow and gentle that it allows time for the body and mind to reorganise itself and unwind any twists or tractions. Some patients may actually feel their body move or twitch during treatment and become lighter. This is a good thing because when the patient becomes more aware of what they are feeling during the treatment it helps them to assist the process themselves and take ultimate control of their own health.