muscle & energy massage
Muscle and Energy Massage
Are you training up for a competition, sports event or long distance run? If you want to improve muscle flexibility, prevent injuries and lengthen your muscles, muscle and energy massage may be exactly what you need. There is no telling when an injury or sprain can occur, but with our muscle and energy massage at Elkhart Massage, you can help prevent it. |
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Muscle and energy massage can also be used to help individuals with limited range of motion due to acute or chronic pain in their neck, back or shoulders. Those with scoliosis, sciatica or stiffness would also benefit from this massage.
There are two different types of techniques used in the muscle and energy massage: Post-Isometric Relaxation and Reciprocal Inhibition. The first technique lengthens and relaxes your muscles through contraction. The second technique uses contraction against resistance to relax opposing muscles. Both these techniques work together to prevent injury and relax your muscles melting away pain and reviving muscle fibers.
Muscle Energy Technique is a manual therapy that uses the gentle muscle contractions of the client to relax and lengthen muscles and normalize joint motion. Post Isometric Relaxation (PIR) – Muscle to relax after an isometric contraction. To define it specifically, it is “a direct manipulative procedure that uses a voluntary contraction of the patient’s muscles against a distinctly controlled counterforce from a precise position and in a specific direction”. It is considered an active technique, as opposed to a passive technique where only the therapist does the work.
Muscle energy techniques can be employed to reposition a dysfunctional joint and treat the affected musculature. Indications include, but are not limited to: muscular shortening, low back pain, pelvic imbalance, edema, and limited range of motion, somatic dysfunction, respiratory dysfunction, headaches, and many others. These techniques are inappropriate when a patient has injuries such as fractures, avulsion injuries, severe osteoporosis, open wounds, or has metastatic disease. Additionally, because these techniques require active patient participation, they are inappropriate for any patient that is unable to cooperate.
Muscle energy techniques can be applied to most areas of the body. Each technique requires 8 essential steps:
* Perform and obtain an accurate structural diagnosis.
* Engage the restrictive barrier in as many planes as possible.
* Physician and patient engage in an unyielding counterforce where the patient's force matches the physician's force.
* The patient's isometric contraction has the correct amount of force, the correct direction of effort (away from the restrictive barrier), and the correct duration (3–5 seconds).
* Complete relaxation occurs after the muscular effort.
* The patient is repositioned into the new restrictive barrier in as many planes as possible.
* Steps 3-6 are repeated approximately 3-5 times or until no further improvement in range of motion is observed.
* The structural diagnosis is repeated to evaluate if the dysfunction has resolved or improved.
There are two types of MET
1. Post-Isometric Relaxation (PIR) The therapist stretches and lengthens a muscle as it relaxes right after a client contraction. This lengthens, relaxes and realigns the muscle fibers.
2. Reciprocal Inhibition (RI) It is a law of body dynamics that when you contract a muscle the opposing or reciprocal muscle must relax. That is the way the brain is wired and the principle that makes this technique work. The therapist has the client’s muscle perform a contraction against resistance which relaxes the opposing muscle.
For a preventive measure against strains and pressures, make an appointment with a massage therapist at Elkhart Massage today for a relaxing stimulation that will melt away any pain.
There are two different types of techniques used in the muscle and energy massage: Post-Isometric Relaxation and Reciprocal Inhibition. The first technique lengthens and relaxes your muscles through contraction. The second technique uses contraction against resistance to relax opposing muscles. Both these techniques work together to prevent injury and relax your muscles melting away pain and reviving muscle fibers.
Muscle Energy Technique is a manual therapy that uses the gentle muscle contractions of the client to relax and lengthen muscles and normalize joint motion. Post Isometric Relaxation (PIR) – Muscle to relax after an isometric contraction. To define it specifically, it is “a direct manipulative procedure that uses a voluntary contraction of the patient’s muscles against a distinctly controlled counterforce from a precise position and in a specific direction”. It is considered an active technique, as opposed to a passive technique where only the therapist does the work.
Muscle energy techniques can be employed to reposition a dysfunctional joint and treat the affected musculature. Indications include, but are not limited to: muscular shortening, low back pain, pelvic imbalance, edema, and limited range of motion, somatic dysfunction, respiratory dysfunction, headaches, and many others. These techniques are inappropriate when a patient has injuries such as fractures, avulsion injuries, severe osteoporosis, open wounds, or has metastatic disease. Additionally, because these techniques require active patient participation, they are inappropriate for any patient that is unable to cooperate.
Muscle energy techniques can be applied to most areas of the body. Each technique requires 8 essential steps:
* Perform and obtain an accurate structural diagnosis.
* Engage the restrictive barrier in as many planes as possible.
* Physician and patient engage in an unyielding counterforce where the patient's force matches the physician's force.
* The patient's isometric contraction has the correct amount of force, the correct direction of effort (away from the restrictive barrier), and the correct duration (3–5 seconds).
* Complete relaxation occurs after the muscular effort.
* The patient is repositioned into the new restrictive barrier in as many planes as possible.
* Steps 3-6 are repeated approximately 3-5 times or until no further improvement in range of motion is observed.
* The structural diagnosis is repeated to evaluate if the dysfunction has resolved or improved.
There are two types of MET
1. Post-Isometric Relaxation (PIR) The therapist stretches and lengthens a muscle as it relaxes right after a client contraction. This lengthens, relaxes and realigns the muscle fibers.
2. Reciprocal Inhibition (RI) It is a law of body dynamics that when you contract a muscle the opposing or reciprocal muscle must relax. That is the way the brain is wired and the principle that makes this technique work. The therapist has the client’s muscle perform a contraction against resistance which relaxes the opposing muscle.
For a preventive measure against strains and pressures, make an appointment with a massage therapist at Elkhart Massage today for a relaxing stimulation that will melt away any pain.
