Beverly Montuori practices myofascial release on a client in her massage therapy studio at 5700 S. Staples in the Atrium Office, Suite F2C.
When Beverly Montuori tells people the name of her business, she usually has to explain that it has nothing to do with releasing tension in their faces. Beverly Montuori Myofascial Release, 5700 S. Staples in Corpus Christi, is a massage studio different from most. A gentle, hands-on technique, myofascial release relieves pain, reduces swelling and improves range of motion and tissue flexibility. Montuori works directly with the fascia, a slimy viscous substance that encases muscles.
"It wraps around everything," Montuori said. "It's one piece throughout the whole body. It holds everything together."
Developed by physical therapist John Barnes, myofascial release involves applying gentle, sustained pressure to the fascia.
Pain occurs when the fascia adheres to itself and can no longer slide with muscle movement. That's where Montuori's training comes in. She puts light pressure on the tissue, following it as it moves, manipulating it into certain areas, loosening it up. It's the fascia that allows the muscles to move smoothly. Sometimes, that needs to be loosened.
"It's like putting your thumb on butter," she said. "When you feel it melting out from under you, or it feels like your stretching taffy, that's when it's releasing."
The results are immediate, which is what she likes best about her job.
"The client can tell the difference after just one treatment," she said. "I like to see immediate relief for my client."
Montuori also works as a physical therapist in a different facility. She does not mix the two on one client but counts her training in both fields as a plus for anyone under her care.
When asked what sets her apart from other massage therapists, she points out her background knowledge of physical therapy and her training with Barnes, who developed the technique.
"It's not like a typical massage," she said. “It's not a full body massage. I concentrate on the area of the pain and areas or trigger points that may be causing that pain.”
Clients can feel anything from absolutely nothing while the work is being done to sensations of heat, cold and total relaxation.
"If I'm working on a leg, it might feel twice as long as it usually does," Montuori said. "Whatever part of the body I'm working on may want to move while I'm treating it."
Another difference from a typical massage is that Montuori does not require patients to take off all their clothing. Only the part of the body being worked on needs to be uncovered. The procedure requires no oils or creams either.
A $75 session usually takes about an hour. Two sessions cost only $135, she said.
The procedure is fairly new but is beginning to catch on as an effective way to relieve pain. Educating people about the technique and how it can help has been her biggest challenge in starting up her new business, which is only about two years old.
"I tell people this can help with their mind/body awareness," she said. "Sometimes, you can get to a point where you don't know you're hurting, you've been living with the pain for so long. You don't realize you are walking with a slumped shoulder. The body gets used to it."
Myofascial release can be a life changer, Montuori said, especially for people who are enduring pain but are not at a point where they need to see a doctor. They can walk in for myofascial release without a prescription.
"What I tell my clients is that it's like a car tire," she said. "If you're out of alignment, you will wear out your tire. You have to correct the alignment. If you have poor posture, you will have joint problems."
Montuori plans to move more of her time into providing myofascial treatment as she meets the challenge of educating potential clients about the possibility of drug-free pain relief.
"I want to build this business up to depend on it solely," she said. "I have a lot of education to do to build my practice. The majority of the population is not educated about the procedure and how it can help with their pain."
Beverly Montuori Myofascial Release
5700 S. Staples in the Atrium Office, Suite F2C
Corpus Christi
361-549-9242
