Muscle Energy Technique (MET’s)
Muscle Energy Techniques are used to lengthen shortened or spastic muscles in order to improve weakened ligaments and muscle strength and range of movement. The patient is asked to contract a muscle for a few seconds against an anti-force applied by the therapist. This is performed 2-3 times in hopes of stretching the muscle a little more each time.
MET’s can be applied safely to almost any joint in the body. Often they are used as a preventative measure, to guard against future muscle and joint injury, however, it is mainly used by individuals who have a limited range of movement due to back, neck or shoulder pain. MET’s are also used in the treatment of chronic muscle pain, stiffness or injury or to help when muscles have gone into spasm.
Trigger Point Therapy
Trigger point therapy focuses on the tight areas that build up within muscle tissue, aptly named trigger points. Trigger points can be particularly painful when pressed on and can cause referral pain, for example, a trigger point in your trapezius can cause referral pain up your neck and eventually cause headaches.
Trigger point massage therapy specifically relieves the source of the pain through cycles of isolated pressure and release. Due to the nature of this hands of treatment, you can feel pain relief straight away, for some people it make take a few treatment sessions to really feel relief though. You may find you feel a little sore for 1-2 days after.