Training Day Gym Educational Article - All About Myotherapy
All About Myotherapy - By Jayden Seracino
What is Myotherapy?
Myotherapy is a system of health care primarily focusing on assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal pain. Myotherapy is used in the treatment of acute and chronic conditions as well as preventive management.
What does a Myotherapist do?
Myotherapists draw from a large range of treatment techniques to achieve the desired outcome for patients. A lot of the treatment you receive with Jayden at MyoActive | Training Day Clayton comes from years of study and hands on experience obtained with a diverse patient basis including children, the elderly, physically disabled as well as professional body builders, athletes and AFL players.
The most important aspect being an understanding of why the techniques chosen for you work and how to maximise and take advantage of their effects for long lasting solutions.
The techniques utilised by myotherapists have a lot in common with ones that you’ll see used variously in physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic, exercise physiology and remedial massage therapy. While the distinctions between myotherapy and exercise physiology (an intervention focusing primarily on exercise), remedial massage (an intervention oriented primarily around massage) and chiropractic (an intervention focusing primarily on the spine) are fairly easy to spot, the distinction between myotherapy, physiotherapy and osteopathy can be harder to fathom.
While all involve assessment, treatment and rehabilitation, myotherapy predominantly focuses on musculoskeletal pain, physiotherapy on movement and osteopathy on structure.
Myotherapists are traditionally known for a strong focus on, and excellent use of hands on techniques including – myofascial release, soft tissue and joint mobilisation. These techniques are particularly useful for conditions involving muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia, especially those where pain, limited range of motion (ROM), and/or reduced function are part of the picture.
Treatment Techniques
Myotherapists can also employ the following treatment techniques as part of a consultation, with each technique being applied with a specific purpose in mind to benefit you.
Dry Needling
Activation Exercises – eg. Prior to exercising/compound movements to assist in prehab/rehab.
Electrotherapies (eg muscle stimulation (m-STIM), TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation)
Taping techniques – eg. Kinesiotaping (Rocktape), traditional sports taping
At MyoActive we believe strongly in incorporating movement and strengthening into your treatment sessions to achieve the best result for you.
As a general rule of thumb, the treatment techniques listed above provide a window of opportunity to make real and lasting change through movement!
General range of motion exercises, specific isolated strengthening, strength training and stretching will be used to get the most out of treatment. That may also involve you doing stretches or exercises at home yourself in between sessions.
Myotherapists treat various issues such as sporting and occupational injuries, stiffness and soreness, chronic pain and overuse syndromes, symptoms associated with arthritis and other chronic musculoskeletal conditions as well as assisting with past injuries.
Myotherapists can also assist with recovery and return to regular activity following surgery and/or extended periods of inactivity.
Conditions Treated
The following are some of the specific conditions you may seek myotherapy treatment for:
Back Pain (upper and lower)
Hip pain
Neck pain
Shoulder pain
Knee pain
Hip pain
Headaches & Migraines
Stress and tension
Fibromyalgia
Specific event preparation (eg: Weightlifting)
Conditions we regularly see include carpal tunnel syndrome, pelvic girdle pain, and pregnancy-associated low back pain, among others.