What is Neuromuscular Therapy?

 

Neuromuscular therapists are highly skilled in muscle anatomy, connective tissue work, trigger point therapy and manual therapy. The goal of neuromuscular therapy is to reduce pain, discomfort and stress in the body by using precise manual techniques that maintain relaxed and lengthened muscles.

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Neuromuscular therapy is a manual therapy for pain management, rehabilitation and prevention. 

 

It is a treatment for myofascial trigger points, which are small contractions in muscle fibers that cause pain, weakness and discomfort in a referred area.

 

In the right hands, neuromuscular therapy is a highly effective treatment for chronic pain, muscular trauma resulting from an accident or injury, or strain caused by overuse.

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One of the factors that differs neuromuscular therapy from general deep tissue massage is most neuromuscular therapy sessions will focus treatment on the area of discomfort and may not include a full-body massage.

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In the assessment, a neuromuscular therapist examines a client’s posture and range of motion, and reviews their medical intake form and asks questions — many questions. They perform various muscle tests to identify the source of pain, which can be but are most likely not the muscles where the client feels pain.

 

Neuromuscular therapy takes a science-based approach to pain resolution by narrowing down the affected areas based on the results of the assessment. Some therapists will know right away what muscles to work based on their experience, but even experienced neuromuscular therapists may find themselves working several areas before finding the trigger point for the referred pain zone.

 

Positional Release

 

Positional release, also known as strain-counterstrain, is a passive technique that releases tight muscles and trigger points by putting the muscles in a position of ease and holding it for several seconds before releasing.

 

This technique is typically used by neuromuscular therapists prior to massage.

 

Palpation Skills

 

One of the distinguishable factors of neuromuscular therapists is their exceptional palpation skills. This skill takes time to develop and involves the accuracy of touch.

 

Therapists trained in this technique are able to palpate muscle fibers and move the hands through the many layers of tissue accurately and without injury to the client. We will look into this further in the next section.

 

PNF Stretching

 

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) is a stretching technique that contracts and stretches the targeted muscle group at the same time. It is widely used in rehabilitation and sports training to increase range of motion, flexibility and strength.

 

Other types of assisted stretching are also used in neuromuscular therapy. Some states require additional licensing to practice assisted stretching, and in those states neuromuscular therapists can refer clients for further treatment to health care providers specializing in this modality.

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