Myotherapy, like most
complementary medicine modalities, is not a registered profession,
meaning that there is no legislation defining the profession (like
medicine, where you have to be a doctor to call yourself a doctor).
When looking for a therapist
(in any field) ask a good number of people if they know of someone. When
you hear the same name come up time after time, there is a good chance
that you have found a practitioner worth seeing.
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Myotherapy is practiced in
the Ashmore Health Centre by
Craig Berry and
Andrew Ross.
Myotherapy as a profession
is quite new as a term, but is based in some of the oldest therapy known
to humans,.. massage. The term, "Myotherapy" was coined (in
common use) in the 1990's.
Myotherapy is now taught
as an Advanced Diploma in a growing number of private institutions and
in one of Australia's more prestigious Universities, the
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, which also teaches many of
our new Chiropractors and Osteopaths.
******************
The entire information
set below can be downloaded
for your convenience.
Myotherapy
Information for
clients and therapists
This information is designed to give you a solid overview of what
Myotherapy is about and to detail its potential benefits and risks.
Please take the time to read this information as this forms a
significant part of your “INFORMED CONSENT”, meaning you know and
understand the potential benefits and potential risks involved before
consenting to any procedure. Please note that this booklet is written in
‘lay terms’ and can not be used as an authoritative guide to the
principles or practice of Myotherapy or its related fields.
Informed Consent is both your right and your responsibility. Never
undertake any treatment or procedure of any kind until you are satisfied
that you clearly understand both the potential risks and potential
benefits of that treatment.
- What is Myotherapy? -
MYO means muscle, so Myotherapy is “muscle
therapy”. Myotherapy is also a part of a group of therapies known
collectively as “Functional Therapies”. Myotherapy (and all
Functional Therapies) work towards conditioning and normalising the
function of the body’s muscles, including their associated tissues and
structures. The ultimate goal is ease and balance of movement
(function).
- An overview of Functional Therapy
-
To illustrate the way functional therapy’s
philosophy works, imagine a person with a right shoulder which is
painful and restricted in its movement.
The shoulders’ comfort and range of movement will
be assessed and compared. We might find that the left shoulder is
not moving quite as well as the ‘books’ tell us it should, but is not
giving them any trouble at all. The right shoulder’s movement is
very limited and painful.
In Functional terms, the left shoulder is
considered “functionally” normal. A Myotherapist will work towards
restoring the function of the painful right shoulder to match the
comfortable left shoulder. Once the right shoulder’s function is
restored to match the left side, the person’s quality of life should be
as if their shoulder had never hurt in the first place.
Should our imaginary patient be more concerned with
the fact that in real terms, both of their shoulders are working without
any problems OR should they be concerned that their shoulders still do
not work quite as well as some text books say, even though they do not
hurt or cause any problems?
Functional therapies philosophy says that the first
choice is a more realistic and achievable expectation. Of course,
if both shoulders can have their range of movement and comfort increased
and still remain balanced, this is even better.
- The logic of Functional Therapy -
Functional therapy relies on a simple, logical
sequence of function and dysfunction within the body:
· Muscles attach to bone; bones meet
to become joints; muscles move the bones which make up joints; if a
muscle is dysfunctional, the associated joint which it moves must also
be dysfunctional; if one joint becomes dysfunctional, other joints must
take on an increased work load; the extra workload stresses other
muscles resulting in more joints becoming dysfunctional; this
dysfunctional cycle will perpetuate for as long as the original problem
goes un-remedied.
· Functional Therapies (Myotherapy)
seek to find and address the original cause of a problem, allowing other
‘dependant’ problems to resolve themselves without the need for extra
intervention.
· By correcting muscle function, the
function of the body has a chance of returning to a normal and
functionally effective state.
· Without correct muscle function,
nothing in the body has a realistic hope of functioning at its optimum
potential.
- How does Myotherapy work? -
To answer this question, one has to understand a
little of how the brain and muscles communicate. Signals going
from the brain to the body generally tell the body to do things
(output). Signals going from the body to the brain generally tell
the brain about what is happening in the body (input). Input can
be divided (for this example) into two different circuits, sensory input
and pain input.
All muscles in the body have sensors to measure
what tensions are effecting the muscle and relay those measurements to
the brain. The brain relies on this feedback to keep all of the
body’s muscles at their right tones and tensions. This is just
like you relying on your car’s speedometer to give you accurate
feedback. You believe and rely on your speedo telling you about
your car’s speed just like the brain relies on the feedback from sensors
in the body’s muscles.
The brain doesn’t devote the processing power
needed to keep measuring how much output is going to those muscles, it
just monitors the feedback coming back from them. Keeping to our
model of you and your car’s speedo, you generally do not have to keep
feeling how hard you are pressing on the accelerator to judge your
speed, you simply check and believe your speedo.
If a muscle’s sensors are not working properly, the
brain might think that everything is fine when in fact the muscle might
be quite dysfunctional. This dysfunction might be triggering pain,
but pain is processed in a different part of the brain and on a
different circuit so the brain doesn’t know that the muscle’s sensors
are faulty. Imagine if the speedo in your car was incorrect, you
would be unlikely to know that a problem even exists until the police
pulled you over.
This is where a Myotherapist comes in. By
working with the muscles through specific releases, stretches and
movements, the brain is ’told’ that its sensors are not working
properly. The brain then measures how much output is going to the
muscle and contrasts that against what the sensors are telling it and
adjusts everything accordingly. If the Myotherapist has done their
job properly, the muscle should be much closer to giving the brain
accurate feedback.
When the brain realises that a signal is wrong, it
corrects it, normalising the function of the muscle which was in spasm.
When a spasmed muscle is released, the bones which those muscles are
attached to can then move the way they are supposed to, releasing joint
restrictions and helping to normalise the FUNCTION of the body’s
tissues. Normal function means a happier person.
- Does a Myotherapist “crack”? -
The short answer is “No”. Sometimes during
the course of specific stretches or movements a person might hear a
click from a joint (or even a number of clicks), but this is not the
goal of the movement, nor are these clicks necessary for a successful
adjustment. These noises are much more like the clicks you can get
simply by stretching your back or toes etc. Certain areas of
the body tend to make more clicks than others, with the rib cage
probably the area of the body most likely to make noises during a
stretch or release.
Even though the Myotherapist is aiming at normalising the function of
the muscles, the ligaments that hold a joint together can sometimes take
the opportunity to pull their associated bones back into proper
alignment at or near the moment that the muscle spasms (which were
originally holding the joint “out” in the first place) are released.
A Myotherapist does not and should never seek to
make a joint ‘crack’. Aside from this being the domain of other
professions, Myotherapy works on a different philosophy. This does
not mean that manipulative therapy (‘cracking’) is wrong.
Myotherapists refer freely between themselves and other professionals
who practice different forms of health care including Medicine,
Manipulative Therapies, Physiotherapy, Medical Imaging etc. as is
appropriate for the client.
- Will Myotherapy work for me? -
No one therapy can claim to be able to fix all
problems. If there was one therapy which had all of the answers,
that would be the only type of therapy that existed because the need for
other modalities would not exist. The logical end to this argument
means that there are a number of different therapies which are all
effective at addressing different problems and many will work for
different people (even with the same problem).
If Myotherapy is going to work for you, you should
feel some benefit immediately, either in movement or in reduced pain (or
preferably both). Your Myotherapist should be able to map out a
plan of action which you should be able to understand and feel
comfortable with. A lot of your recovery will depend on you
following good postural habits (see the enclosed YELLOW SHEET of rules
which should be fixed to the back of the toilet door (to be seen
daily!).
The one guarantee any good therapist should be able
to give you is that of giving you an honest opinion without fear or
favour. If they can help you, they should be able to show you.
If they can’t help you, they should be honest enough to tell you AND
recommend a therapist who they feel may be better suited to help you.
They should also be willing to refer you to another therapist if they
feel that that person will be able to achieve better or faster results
for you.
It is essential that you realise that to get better, you will have to
make some changes, otherwise the things that have caused the problem
will continue to cause the problem. Correcting postural habits,
not wearing high heels etc. are essential to any long term recovery.
The other essentially intangible factor effecting
your recovery is the health potential which remains in your effected
region. For instance, if your knee is sore, it might be a
combination of wear and tear and muscular dysfunction. A
Myotherapist might be able to help with the muscular component, but can
do nothing for the wear and tear. The knee will not be perfect,
but Myotherapy is likely to get it as good as the remaining structure
will allow. That is actually the goal of Myotherapy,.. to help the body
to achieve its maximum health potential.
- Does Myotherapy hurt? -
Rarely. Most people do not find Myotherapy
painful or even uncomfortable, but certain stretches and movements can
be a little uncomfortable for some people. Your Myotherapist will
always work within your tolerance levels and will ask you to speak up if
the therapy is becoming more than just a little uncomfortable.
This said, most of Myotherapy's movements are so
gentle and subtle that during their first visit many people wonder if
anything is actually happening! Once a client is experienced
in what to expect, they can often feel the tiny movements which makes up
most Myotherapy techniques.
- Before your first Myotherapy session -
Before a Myotherapist sees you for the first time,
you will need to complete a detailed client history form which gathers
all relevant case information. All of this information is
important to you having a safe and effective Myotherapy consultation.
Please take the time to read the parameters of each question carefully
or you may end up giving us inappropriate information. You will
need to allow around fifteen minutes or so to complete this initial
consultation form when coming in for the first time.
- During your Myotherapy session -
When a Myotherapist is working with you, they will
ask you to give them continual feedback on how you are feeling and how
each release is feeling (during and after). It is critical for you
to give the most honest and concise feedback as you can during your
visit. Incorrect feedback will lead to an ineffective visit.
Should your Myotherapist be doing anything that you
feel uncomfortable with, be it because of pain, personal boundaries,
cultural boundaries etc., PLEASE SPEAK UP and let them know immediately,
even if you just want to know more about a particular release or stretch
before it is done. It is your body so speak up and ask whatever
you need to ask to allow you to decide if you are willing to have that
particular release or stretch done.
- After your Myotherapy session -
Responses following a session typically range from
feeling relaxed and wonderful to feeling a little “worked over” but
better at the same time. Many people find that they feel like
going to bed early following a consultation. Your response 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.
For short term complaints, there is typically little after effect other
than sometimes a slight muscle fatigue feeling with maybe a slight
stiffness for 12-24 hours or so after the visit.
For 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. They are not
always happy to be back in action. To illustrate; if you went from
doing nothing to playing a long game of tennis, it is likely that your
muscles would be sore for a while until they got used to the new
routine.
A small percentage of people may feel a more
dramatic effect and can feel a bit stiff and sore for up to three days
following any form of manual therapy including Myotherapy. This is
generally not a problem with the therapy, but just the way those people
are ‘wired’. If this is the case, the therapist will generally go
far lighter for the next visit to minimise any discomfort.
Occasionally a person’s body holds every little bit of work done in a
visit and recovers its mobility far faster than most other people.
This is good because they will recover from their problems more quickly
BUT the muscles are going to have to adapt to a greater range of
movement and action in a shorter period of time, possibly leading to
quite irritated muscles for three or so weeks.
In short, there is no way of predicting how your
body will respond to any specific type of therapy other than to try it.
If you are experiencing something that you are not sure of, PLEASE call
the centre and ask. Sometimes one simple stretch can help relieve
a problem that might appear following a visit.
The staff at the Ashmore Health Centre can easily
advise you. They are very experienced at deciphering a body’s
responses to Myotherapy.
- Why am I not sent for more tests?
-
Some people feel that they should have a lot of
tests to determine their condition before anything happens. This
is not necessarily the case. Your Doctor or Therapist can advise
you in this regard. A test (X-ray, blood test etc.) is only
warranted if the result of that test will materially effect the therapy
applied.
To illustrate this point; you have a little toe
that was stubbed badly five days ago and is still very sore and might be
broken. Provided that there is no discoloration, feeling is
preserved etc., a doctor is unlikely to request an X-ray as it would not
change the way in which the toe was treated, broken or not.
- When are Myotherapy & other modalities combined? -
Often Myotherapy will work very well for a person
with little adjunctive (combined) therapy required. Sometimes a
person may be getting great results after each consultation but find
that the results are not holding for any length of time. In these
cases, another modality like Acupuncture might be needed in combination
with Myotherapy to achieve long term results. Likewise, referral
for a different form of therapy might also be indicated.
Talk to your Myotherapist before combining other forms of treatment with
Myotherapy.
- What are the Potential Risks associated
with Myotherapy? -
The potential risks or complications listed below
apply to virtually any type of manual therapy as much as they apply to
Myotherapy.
It is important
that you understand these risks so you can make an informed choice as to
whether or not you find these risks personally acceptable before
consenting to undergo any form of manual therapy.
You may become stiff
or sore
following any form of manual therapy including Myotherapy. See the
preceding section for a complete discussion on this.
A problem may be
aggravated by any form of manual therapy
including Myotherapy. This can also potentially include previously
undiagnosed problems. Nobody, yourself included, can know exactly
how your body will react to any given form of therapy. Whilst
every therapist does their best to minimise this risk, by the nature of
the fact that the body is a living and dynamic thing, different
reactions, responses and results can happen to two people with seemingly
identical problems and histories.
Even after extensive testing and assessment prior
to a consultation, some problems or unseen damage may mildly or even
severely complicate any form of therapy, even though the therapy itself
might be well advised and executed. This is simply one of those
indefinable elements that is day to day reality in life.
Emotional issues
may come up during any form of manual therapy including Myotherapy.
Whilst the theory of “tissue memory” may be debated academically, at a
clinical level therapists see its effects every day. This is of
particular relevance to those people with physical problems which may be
associated closely with an emotional time, trauma or incident.
For example, a sexual assault resulting in physical
trauma is likely to have a number of deep emotional triggers linked to
the current physical problems. When these tissues are worked on,
there is a chance that some repressed memories can come flooding out
(with crying, shaking etc. possible manifestations). In these
cases, clients will be referred to appropriate psychology or counselling
services for follow on therapy.
Some people report particularly vivid dreams as a lesser form of this
phenomena following a Myotherapy consultation. People may also
experience an increased level of emotional reaction to different
situations, especially if those situations have some psychological tie
in with the original trauma’s circumstances.
Unstable pregnancies
may be endangered
by any form of therapy including Myotherapy. If you are pregnant, or
suspect that you are pregnant, you must tell your therapist clearly and
remind them of it every time you visit. They will ask you about
any history of unstable pregnancies and current injuries etc. and then
decide whether or not manual therapy is likely to be appropriate for
you.
Some ladies will be referred to their doctor for an
assessment prior to any manual work being done, depending on their
history during pregnancy.
Other conditions may
be aggravated
by any form of manual therapy including Myotherapy. If under the
influence of drugs or alcohol during a visit, the therapy may not have
predictable or positive effects. It is important to be as clear
headed as is possible during your Myotherapy visits.
Some viruses (or other illnesses) may become more
severe following any physical work. For this reason manual
therapies are generally discouraged when an illness is active in a body.
Aches and pains are also common effects of viruses which can complicate
a Myotherapist’s work and your ability to give true feedback.
Some conditions like cancer may [debatably] be
stimulated to an unknown degree because any physical work may stimulate
lymphatic flow to some extent which is a
common pathway for cancer to spread in the body.
Likewise, tumours may be effected by any external physical disturbance
(including manual therapies). The degree of risk is essentially
debatable but might exist and must be mentioned.
There is still so much that is not known about so
many of the disease states that effect Human Beings that no-one can
honestly claim the ability to accurately and certainly predict how an
illness or condition might respond to any given type of therapy under
all circumstances. Practitioner experience and training can only
reduce the level of uncertainty. The choice is ultimately yours.
- Using Myotherapy with other manual
therapies? -
Massage or other forms of manual therapy alter the
nature of the tension within the body’s tissues and can complicate a
Myotherapy consultation which relies on examining the natural state of
the body and its imbalances.
It is important to only change one thing at a time
so that if a change occurs in your condition, you know what is
responsible for that change. Say you started Chiropractic and
Myotherapy at the same time and started feeling better,.. How would you
know which therapy type was working for you?
- In Summary -
· Myotherapy is a modality which aims to restore balanced
and efficient function to a body. Those that Myotherapy can help
often find it works quite quickly but Myotherapy will not work for
every-one.
· Myotherapy is not about manipulations or cracking.
It is about restoring communication between the brain and the body’s
tissues, assisting the body‘s efforts to achieve its own balance.
· Like all forms of therapy (and any part of life),
Myotherapy carries potential benefits and risks. Some of these can
be assessed prior to a visit, some others may only become evident during
or after a visit. Make sure you have read and assessed the
potential risks section on pages nine and ten before consenting to any
form of manual therapy.
· Most people find Myotherapy relaxing, effective and
very gentle. Some of the movements of Myotherapy, like any other
therapy, may require the therapist to work into sore or tender tissues
and this can result in a little discomfort (but should only be well
within your personal tolerance level).
· Your Myotherapy experience should be an enjoyable and
non-stressful one.
· If at any time you have questions, queries or concerns,
you are encouraged to speak up as soon as possible. If it is of
concern to you, then it is of concern to us.
- Booking conditions and terms -
Because we do not double book, all missed appointments will attract a fee.
Cancellations with less than 6 hours notice will attract a fee if we
were unable to place someone else in that cancelled time slot.
N.B. Your agreement to these terms is a condition of making an
appointment.
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