Muscle Energy Technique - Brisbane MSK Clinic

Muscle Energy Techniqueis a manual therapy that uses contractile muscle power to stretch opposing muscles to increase mobility, reduce tension, and pain. Muscle Energy Techniques are just one of many treatment methods available at the Brisbane MSK Therapy Chronic Pain Clinic in (Morningside).

Muscle Energy Technique - MET, originates from Osteopathic medicine, and is another form of fascial release technique. There are many variants of Myofascial Release Therapyand MET is just one. Each form of fascial release technique works slightly differently, and practitioners need to know when it is or is not appropriate to use any given method.

Myofascial release works with muscles and connective tissues, collectively known as myofascia. It is possible to make aliments far worse or even create new symptoms if the wrong treatment method is used in any given circumstance. For example, the use of muscle energy techniques (MET) could create painful muscle spasms in some cases. Hence, therapists need to have a detailed understanding of which method to use with any given patient presentation.

Muscle Energy Techniques - METs work by utilising principles of anatomy, physiology and movement to in effect use the energy of muscles to create a type of myofascial release MFR. To explain the principles of Post Isometric Relaxation and Reciprocal Inhibition, one needs to understand a little about the muscle anatomy, physiology and human movement.

Correct use of MET requires a detailed understanding of anatomy and physiology namely:-

stretch reflex, the role of muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs.

• Muscles spindles are sensitive to changes in length (stretch) and how rapidly such changes occur.
• Golgi tendon organs are sensitive to prolonged changes in tissue tension. When tissues are stretched the spindles within the muscle transmit increased nerve impulses to the posterior horn cell within the spinal cord. The increased nerve transmissions then result in increased nerve impulses to the anterior horn cell, which in turn results in a protective contraction of the stretched tissues. Within split seconds, the Golgi tendon organs within the stretched tissues detect a prolonged change in tissue tension and to avoid tissue damage the Golgi tendon organs transmit increased nerve impulses to the posterior horn cells. These increased nerve impulses produce an inhibitory effect on the anterior horn cell, which relaxes the tissues under tension.
• The stretch reflex is a protective mechanism, which is initiated if muscle spindles detect rapid stretching, likely to result in tissue damage. Effectively, resulting in an initial tissue contraction to prevent further stretching. Once tissues have become relaxed due to Golgi tendon input, it is possible to safely stretch/override the stretch reflex.

If these processes did not happen, then we would be incapable of movement. In essence, movement works by muscles and tissues, applying contractile forces to bones and joint structures. The only way to achieve movement is by alternating muscles contractions. For example, to bend or flex the knee, the hamstrings will contract, and the quadriceps will relax. The exact opposite is true for extending or straightening the leg; however, movement is far more complicated than this. These principles of movement can be used by a suitably qualified and experienced therapist to treat dysfunctional tissues with Muscle Energy Technique - MET.