Myotherapy Facts And Statistics

Myotherapy is a form of physical therapy used for the treatment and prevention soft tissue pain and joint restriction movement caused by muscle or myofascial disfunction. It involves a manipulation technique that improves muscle issues and pain in such a way as to restore maximum movement and functioning.

1. Myotherapy was developed in the 1970s by Bonnie Prudden, an American exercise and fitness expert, as a system of treating painful and dysfunctional muscle and soft tissue.
2. Prudden spent 4 years investigating the parallels that she perceived between the injection of pain relievers into nerve locations in trigger point therapy and the potential to relieve pain through external physical pressure on the nerve points and developed a new pain relief therapy that she named myotherapy. She established a certified training program for myotherapy technicians.
3. The word myotherapy comes from MYO which means muscle, so Myotherapy is “muscle therapy”. Myotherapy forms part of a group of therapies known collectively as “Functional Therapies” which work towards conditioning and normalising the function of the body’s tissues, including their associated supporting and supported structures; the whole body with the ultimate goal being to ease and balance of movement.
4. Myotherapists only manipulate soft tissues and that they never crack or manipulate joints. Connective tissues and muscles are massaged to stimulate the surrounding nerves to improve endurance, coordination and strength in and between the muscles and joints.
5. Techniques used in myotherapy include massage, trigger point therapy, stretching, corrective exercises, cupping and dry needling.
6. The range of techniques are used to restore and maintain the normal integrity of muscles, tendons, ligaments and facia.
7. Massage dates back thousands of years and its modern meaning was first adopted in 1866. The words “masseur” and “masseuse” followed in 1876 and 1879 respectively.
8. At the 1996 Olympics, massage therapy was officially offered as a core medical service for athletes in Atlanta.
9. Myotherapy increases blood flow in the area, stretches connective tissues and muscles and lessens stiffness to increase range of movement.
10. When treating patients myotherapists take into account all aspects of health and wellness – physical, psychological and occupational.
11. Myotherapy is used to treat tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, lower back pain, headaches and neck pain, muscle strains and sprains, muscle spasms and tennis and golfer’s elbow.
12. Myotherapy is effective in eliminating 95% of all physical pain associated with muscular discomfort and is successful in patients suffering from many types of head, back, and neck pain as well as relieving the discomfort of fibromyalgia and arthritis.
13. Patients suffering from multiple sclerosis experience reductions in swelling after myotherapy.
14. Myotherapy is an advancement on Remedial Massage. It uses all techniques for remedial massage but also includes corrective exercises, ergonomic advice, dry needling and cupping.
15. Myotherapy benefits those who suffer from musculoskeletal pain.
16. Athletes who undergo myotherapy often experience enhanced physical performance.
17. Myotherapy is founded on the notion that relief of tension in the muscle followed by revitalization of the relieved muscle through stretching, promotes healing and reduces the disposition of the muscle and the nerve to cause further pain.
18. Myotherapy treatment is the only technique used to alleviate muscle spasms that is not based on topical or internal medication.
19. To get the full benefits from myotherapy, the patient needs to have a positive attitude and willingness to give up any emotional investment in the pain syndrome. Myotherapy requires full commitment to the therapy sessions and an attitude of self-healing to bring about relief.
20. The philosophy of myotherapy is founded on Western medical principles including anatomy, physiology and biomechanics.
21. A single Myotherapy session will provide pain relief initially and should work towards solving your issues with an ongoing treatment plan seeing progression over time.
22. Myotherapy shares some techniques with Physiotherapy, including soft tissue techniques, exercise and mobilization but Physiotherapists often work in the hospital setting and their training focuses on physical rehabilitation, pre- and post- surgical management and exercise prescription, whereas Myotherapists work primarily in private practice and have more of a hands-on approach to treating pain.
23. You don’t have to be experiencing pain or have a diagnosed issue to benefit from myotherapy; it can help to minimise risk of future injuries and support your long-term health.
24. Myotherapy has evolved to become an allied health discipline that is practiced in many countries across the world including UK, Australia, USA, Canada, Malaysia and Thailand.
25. Myotherapy treatments can assist in prevention, assessment, early intervention and treatment of injuries and pain and the ongoing management of chronic musculoskeletal conditions by assessing posture, muscle imbalances, physical assessment of range of motion, orthopedic testing and a detailed medical history.
26. The symptoms of myofascial pain can include deep and constant aching muscle tightness, sore tender spots in the muscle (myofascial trigger points), reduced joint mobility, stiff joints, numbness and recurrent tingling, prickling or ‘pins and needles’ sensation.
27. The Myotherapy Association Australia (MAA) is Australia’s only professional association solely dedicated to Myotherapists and the field of Myotherapy.
28. The effectiveness of myotherapy varies from person to person, depending on your unique biology, conditions, lifestyle and adherence to the management plan; some people may get instant results, while others may take a bit longer.
29. Successful myotherapy treatment takes time, commitment and behavioural changes; the key is identifying the cause(s) then making the right changes, whether big or small.
30. Myotherapy provides great benefit for anyone who has experienced muscular injury or strain or have developed postural issues over time that may result in pain, injury, discomfort or stiffness. It’s great for office workers, sports people or anyone with a vocation with the potential to affect their muscles or joints.
31. Certain stretches and movements can be a little uncomfortable for some people, but most people do not find Myotherapy painful or even uncomfortable.
32. Your body’s response to a myotherapy session depends largely on the scale and type of problem being addressed, how long it has been there and how fast your body can accept its new range of movement.
33. For people with short term complaints, there is typically little after effect from the myotherapy session other than occasionally a slight feeling of muscle fatigue with maybe slight stiffness for 12-24 hours or so after the visit.
34. For people with intermediate and long term problems there is normally a little more initial stiffness and muscle ache because your muscles are required to start working properly again.  A small percentage of people may feel a more dramatic effect and can feel a bit stiff and sore for up to three days.
35. Following a myotherapy consultation, some people report particularly vivid dreams, and some may experience an increased level of emotional reaction.
36. Myotherapy may cause damage in unstable pregnancies so if you are pregnant, or suspect that you are, you must tell your therapist so they can decide whether or not manual therapy is likely to be appropriate for you.
37. Some viruses (or other illnesses) may become more severe following any physical work, therefore manual therapies are generally discouraged when an illness is active in a body.  Aches and pains are also common effects of infections which can complicate a Myotherapist’s work or your ability to give true feedback.
38. Certain medical conditions like cancer may be stimulated to an unknown degree because any physical work may stimulate lymphatic flow which is a common pathway for cancer to spread in the body.  Tumours may be affected by any external physical disturbance like manual therapy.
39. The myotherapists in Australia, Cambodia, New Zealand, and the U.K. are part of the Allied Health Professions, have insurance privileges, and membership in the Pain Society. That means they have a degree in myotherapy and are considered health care practitioners in their own right and some of them have PhDs in fields like exercise physiology.
40. In the U.S. (and the rest of the world), myotherapists have a certification (not a degree), and it is typically massage therapists who have gone on to get this certification.
41. Pain or symptoms caused by muscle or fascia is described as myofascial. Myofascial pain is usually not specific and is often described by the patient as a ‘deep ache’, ‘tightness’ or ‘tenderness’ in an area. It can vary in intensity and radiate to other areas.
42. Myotherapy is a branch of manual medicine focused on the treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal pain and associated conditions. It involves a physical evaluation and an integrated therapeutic approach to affected muscles, joints, nerves, and associated viscera (organs) and is used in the treatment of acute or chronic conditions and in preventative management.
43. Myotherapy plays a role in manual medicine as a single mode of treatment, or is used in conjunction with treatment provided by both medical and other allied-health practitioners such as physiotherapy, podiatry, chiropractic, osteopathy, and acupuncture/TCM.
44. Soft Tissue Therapy is one of the myotherapy modalities used - the use of the hands to target specific areas of dysfunction for the purpose of a therapeutic outcome. Techniques may include therapeutic massage, muscle energy techniques, neuromuscular techniques, positional release techniques, myofascial release techniques, trigger point therapy, lymphatic drainage techniques and joint mobilisation.
45. Another modality is Temperature Therapies - the application of either heat (thermal therapy) or cold (cryotherapy). Techniques may include heat packs, cold packs, ice baths, whirlpools, heat lamps, and paraffin wax baths.
46. Electromechanical Stimulation is the application of electrical currents or soundwaves to produce a healing and/or analgesic (pain-modifying) outcome. Techniques include TENS therapy, interferential technique, therapeutic ultrasound and low level laser therapy.
47. Myofascial Dry-Needling (MDN) is the application of fine filiform needles into specific points in the muscles known as trigger points, to produce a healing and analgesic (pain-modifying) outcome.
48. Myofascial Stretching is the application of a range of stretching techniques, used to elongate the muscle fibres, return functionally short muscles to their optimal length and increase the range of motion of a joint, leading to prevention of further injury. Techniques may include static stretching, dynamic stretching and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching (PNF).
49. Rehabilitative Exercise and Corrective Actions are central components of any myotherapy treatment which enable the client to take responsibility for their own health, act to permanently change dysfunctional patterns, and prevent injury. Techniques may include core stability and Swiss Ball, hydrotherapy neuromusculoskeletal rehabilitative programs, biomechanical retraining, nutrition, injury prevention, and lifestyle education.