Massage.
TechniquestretchingBeyond Cert IVDraft

Soft tissue release

A still "lock" is pressed into a shortened, relaxed muscle, then the joint is moved so the muscle stretches away from the fixed point.

Purpose
  • Combine specific pressure with movement so the tissue, not the hand, does the moving
  • Focus a stretch on one small area of a muscle
  • Progress from therapist-moved (passive) to client-moved (active) versions
Pressure
4–7 / 10 · pressure scale
RhythmLock for a few seconds while the joint moves slowly through range; release, move a little further along and repeat.
HandsPalm, soft fist, supported thumb or forearm as the lock; the other hand moves the joint
Cautions
  • The lock must stay still. If it slides with the tissue, the stretch is lost.
  • Keep the movement slow and within a comfortable range.
  • Avoid bony areas and places where nerves run close to the surface, such as the back of the knee.
  • Take care with fragile skin, easy bruising and very flexible (hypermobile) clients.

Step by step

1 / 7
  1. 01 / 07

    Position

    With the client prone and the feet over the end of the table, warm the calf with general strokes first.

  2. 02 / 07
    Prone, foot over the table end: the ankle is pointed to put the calf in a shortened position

    Shorten the muscle

    Point the client's foot (plantarflex the ankle) so the calf is relaxed and in a shortened position.

  3. 03 / 07
    A broad, still lock is pressed into the relaxed calf

    Apply the lock

    Press a broad palm, soft fist or supported thumb into the calf near the knee end. Hold it still at a firm but comfortable depth.

  4. 04 / 07
    Lock held in place while the ankle is flexed, stretching the calf away from the lock

    Stretch away from the lock

    Keeping the lock in place, slowly flex the ankle (bring the toes towards the shin) so the calf lengthens under your hand.

  5. 05 / 07

    Release and move on

    Release the lock, return the foot to the pointed position, and place the next lock a little further towards the heel. Work from the knee end down.

  6. 06 / 07

    Progress to active

    Once the client is comfortable, ask them to move the foot themselves while you hold the lock (active STR).

  7. 07 / 07

    Finish

    Close with a few effleurage strokes over the whole calf.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the lock slide with the tissue as it stretches.
  • Applying the lock when the muscle is already on stretch.
  • Moving the joint quickly or forcing the end of range.
  • Placing the lock on the back of the knee or other sensitive areas.

How it should feel

  • Giver: the lock stays fixed while you feel the tissue draw out from under it.
  • Receiver: a strong, focused stretch right under the pressure point, easing as the foot returns.

Self-check

Drills

This technique is beyond Cert IV scope and should be practised only after appropriate training. It is included here for awareness and future study.

Soft tissue release (STR) mixes pressure and stretching. The key idea is that your hand stays still and the tissue moves under it. The Gastrocnemius and Soleus of the calf are the usual teaching examples because the ankle is easy to move with the client Prone.

There are three versions: passive (you move the joint), active (the client moves it) and weight-bearing (the client moves while standing). There is little formal research on STR, so describe it as a way to focus a stretch rather than as a treatment. It is related to Active-assisted stretching and Stripping.

Muscles

  • Gastrocnemius — Two-headed superficial calf muscle that runs from above the knee to the heel and points the foot and helps bend the knee.
  • Soleus — Broad, flat calf muscle lying under the gastrocnemius that points the foot and keeps the body from tipping forward when standing.
  • Hamstrings — Group of three muscles on the back of the thigh, running from the sitting bone to below the knee, that bend the knee and extend the hip.

Sources

  1. Brighton School of Massage: Soft tissue techniques (STR handout) (Lock applied with the muscle relaxed and shortened, static pressure while the limb moves; work proximal to distal; common mistake is letting pressure move with the tissue.)
  2. Niel Asher Education: Soft tissue release (STR) (Passive, active and weight-bearing STR; lock maintained while the foot is dorsiflexed, using the soleus as the example.)