Myotherapy

About myotherapy

Myotherapy is a form of physical therapy used to treat or prevent soft tissue pain and restricted

joint

movement caused by muscle or myofascial dysfunction.

Myofascia are the thin, fibrous sheets of tissue that surround and separate

muscles

. Ligaments and tendons are comprised of bundled myofascia.

The philosophy of myotherapy is founded on Western medical principles including anatomy, physiology and biomechanics. You don’t need a referral from a doctor to make an appointment with a myotherapist.

Symptoms of soft tissue pain

Pain that is caused by muscle tissue or muscle fascia (myofascia) is called myofascial pain. Symptoms can include:

deep and constant aching

muscle tightness

sore spots in the muscle (myofascial trigger points)

reduced joint mobility

stiff joints

numbness

recurrent tingling, prickling or ‘pins and needles’ sensation

chronic pain.

Myotherapy can treat a range of disorders

Myotherapy can be used to treat a wide range of disorders including:

overuse injury, such as tennis elbow or shin splints

some sports injuries

tension

headache

pain caused by poor posture

some types of chronic

back pain

some types of joint pain, such as shoulder impingement syndrome

muscle sprains.

What to expect at your first myotherapy appointment

For your first appointment, take any medical test results and reports (such as x-ray films) that relate to your condition.

The myotherapist will ask questions about your symptoms. Tell them about your medical history, including prior illness and surgery. Give them a list of all the medicines, natural and prescripted, that you are currently taking. This information is kept in strictest confidence.

The myotherapist will perform some physical assessment as well as orthopaedic and/or neural tests to assess dysfunction and address pain, if necessary.

This initial examination is thorough and helps the myotherapist to find out if the symptoms are myofascial. The myotherapist may refer you to other healthcare professionals for further diagnosis or treatment, depending on your medical condition.

Myotherapy techniques

Myotherapy uses a range of techniques which may include (but is not limited to):

massage

, including sports and remedial techniques

gently moving the patient’s affected body part through its range of motion (passive stretching)

hot or cold therapy

transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy

trigger point therapy (acupressure)

myofascial dry needling

myofascial release.

Each session typically lasts one hour.

Self-help suggestions

The myotherapist will explain your condition in detail. Dietary changes could be recommended. The myotherapist may advise treatments to use at home including:

exercises and stretches specific to your condition

self-administered massage

heat packs

ice packs

relaxation techniques, including

meditation

Ongoing management with myotherapy

The myotherapist will work with you to identify factors that may be making your condition worse (such as poor posture,

scoliosis

or overtraining) and help you find ways to avoid or reduce these aggravating factors.

If something cannot be changed (for example,

arthritis

or age-related changes to spinal discs), the myotherapist will develop a pain management program. This may involve referral to other healthcare professionals.

For acute or persistent joint pain, always see your doctor.

Finding a myotherapy practitioner

Suggestions for finding a practitioner include:

Visit the

Australian Massage

Myotherapy

Myotherapy

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