What is Active Massage Myotherapy?
Active Myotherapy is the use of various methods to relax and release muscle & trigger points in the body. Trigger points are hypersensitive areas in muscles, tendons or connective tissue that usually are tender to the client. They usually feel like a fibrous mass of tense tissues to the practitioner. The pain from a trigger point usually radiates in a distinctive pattern near or around the trigger point. Trauma is a common cause of these points. Trauma can be from an injury or from excessive stretching or repetitive motions.

What does it Treat?
Active Myotherapy is especially good for people who tend to overwork their muscles. Athletes, musicians and some workers are prone to developing trigger points. Clients with trauma, poor posture, repetitive injuries and those who overwork particular muscles benefit from this therapy. Massage therapists often use trigger point therapy with other forms of massage as a specific technique to relieve hypersensitive 'knots' in the muscles. Physical therapists, chiropractors and medical doctors also use trigger point therapy to treat musculoskelelal problems.

How does Active Myotherapy work?
Active Myotherapy works by relieving and relaxing these hypersensitive areas. Often trigger points are located by the location of reported pain and by massaging an area. A trigger point will feel like tight bands of tissues with a different texture than surrounding areas. Clients can often give feedback on the exact location of the point, the amount of pain experienced and when the pain has decreased due to deactivation of the point.

Deactivating a trigger point allows for relief of pain and allows the muscles to return to full function. Massage therapists will often compress the point with using their hands or a tool, deep stroking massage, deep friction to the trigger point site. Stretching the area after releasing the trigger point allows the affected tissue to return to a normal state. All of these techniques are used to relax muscles and tendons while breaking up any adhesions that may have formed holding the trigger point in place.

What to Expect at a Consultation
Active Myotherapy trigger points are often found while doing massage and can be treated at the time by a trained massage therapist. Usual consults for massage therapy with trigger point therapy vary in length from 30 minutes to 60 minutes. If part of a massage, the therapist will usually will begin with some questions about the reasons for getting a treatment., current physical conditions, a brief medical history and specific areas of pain.

Clothing
The client will be asked to remove as much clothing as they are comfortable with and get under a sheet or towel on the massage table. The therapist will uncover only the parts of the body being massaged, insuring that modesty is respected. Cushions and a face rest are usually used to make the client comfortable while on the table.

After the treatment is finished, the client will usually be given a few minutes to rest before getting up. The therapist usually leaves the room as the patient changes clothing before and after the treatment. At the end of an appointment, the therapist will sometimes talk for a few minutes about what they found and make recommendations for ways to keep the area stretched and relaxed.