Myotherapy
By Dr. Liberty Santos
PUBLISHED: JANUARY 2009
Myotherapy is a special form of massage that uses deep manual pressure on specific spots on the body to release trigger points. Trigger points are usually within a tight band of skeletal muscle or in the muscle's fascia (connective tissue encasing the muscle). They are painful upon compression that "trigger," or cause, pain in other parts of the body. They are often caused by falls, strains, sprains, occupation, or misuse or overuse of certain parts of the body. Although trigger points may lie inactive for years, they can "fire" and cause the muscle to go into painful spasm in the presence of physical or emotional stress. Recurring episodes of spasms can keep the muscle constantly contracted and eventually cause trigger points to build up. These not only generate ongoing pain, but also interfere with posture, balance, and muscle function.
Myotherapy uses manual pressure to break this cycle of localized muscle spasm and pain. It aims to relax these muscle knots and quickly relieve muscle-related pain. To treat the affected trigger points, the practitioner will apply pressure with the fingers, knuckles, and/or elbows to each point for five to seven seconds. The pressure will feel painful at first, but it will ultimately bring about considerable pain relief. |
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