Techniques Used

Medical accupuncture and dry needling

Muscle Energy Techniques (MET)

Soft tissue release (STR)

Neuromuscular Techniques

Friction

Positional Release

Dry Needling

Dry needling involves inserting a tiny monofilament needle in a muscle or muscles in order to release tension in muscles and especially in trigger points. This can help resolve pain and muscle tension and promotes healing. This is not traditional Chinese acupuncture but is instead a treatment that relies on a medical diagnosis to be effective. Dry needling is a valuable and effective treatment for pain of musculoskeletal pain.

Muscle Energy Techniques (MET)

MET’s main benefit is that it releases excess tension so restoring normal length and tension. This involves actively contracting muscles in a specific direction against a counterforce, to make beneficial changes to the muscle. The technique originated with osteopaths who used this to relax muscle before manipulations and help aid muscle balance to normalise joint mobility. It can also help to strengthen weak muscles, restore tone, improve circulation and improve musculoskeletal function.

 Soft tissue release (STR)

STR is a method for stretching muscle fibres, tendons and fascia. It involves applying pressure to the muscle and then moving it to stretch it in small, precise areas. It helps to improve mobility, helps release the scar tissue, helps to break down adhesions, improve muscular balance and realign the fibres.

Neuromuscular Techniques

Sometimes our brain can hold muscles in a constant state of contraction, causing subsequent issues and discomfort. This technique works to break that cycle and return tissue to a normal balanced state. 

Friction

Frictions are used on muscular knots/ tight spots on the fibres, producing heat to help the muscle relax and fibres realign. A build-up of tension can cause muscle imbalance or weakness which leads to poor muscular health and injury.

What is a trigger point

Once a trigger point has started there is a continual loop which keeps happening. The spasm leads to a tightness of muscles in that area which leads to a reduced blood flow which causes a build up of waste which causes pain repeating the loop back to increasing amount of spasm to more muscle tightness etc.

Trigger points are very common and everyone has them which causes irritation but one is still able to carry on.Active pressure point areas if used can cause further shortening of that muscle increasing the pain and problem further. It can cause a deep aching and stiffness, to pain that radiates out from that spot, referred pain. These are often referred to as deep knots due to the feel of hardness or lumpiness at the site of pain.

Positional Release

Positional release helps to unkink the tissues that are tight and causing the knot. It gently takes the pressure off them so helping them to release.

This will enable a reduction in the pain, reduction in inflammation, reduction of stiffness, increase the blood flow and increase muscle range of movement.

If you have an area that is tight this will affect how you move. Then one day you go to pick something up and suddenly your back goes into spasm.

It is a useful technique to use on muscles that are still in spasm or very tight, protecting an area and also useful to use on the frail and elderly as this is a pain free and relaxing technique.