Enter the Myotherapist

Ever woken up with a stiff neck? Sat at a computer for hours and found you have sore shoulders? Can’t sleep or get comfortable because of back pain? Had a sports or work injury?

If the answer is yes to any of these, then myotherapy may bring you relief from your pain and stress.

What many people don’t know is that myotherapists can be a first point of contact for health related issues, being tertiary qualified, and trained to assess and treat musculoskeletal and other soft tissue injuries.

Nathan McKeown, a qualified Myotherapist and Exercise Physiologist, works at one of Melbourne’s leading sports and work injury clinics, and advocates myotherapy as a treatment that can help with symptoms from a range of conditions.

Myotherapy for office workers

‘I treat many people using myotherapy and it’s not limited to high impact or heavy movement related conditions,’ Nathan said.

‘Office workers are one of our biggest groups seeking relief from pain and stress using myotherapy.’

‘It is very common for people who sit for long hours at a desk or computer to experience stiff or ‘wry neck’, sore shoulders or lower back pain.

‘And it surprises many when I tell them it is a lack of movement and strength that is usually the root cause of their complaint, and part of the solution to relieving the pain they experience.’

Myotherapists assess your biomechanics

Treating ongoing pain caused by office work can involve addressing the biomechanics of the working environment, assessing posture, seating and office arrangements.

Nathan says serious pain can be improved by simple changes in the office environment.

‘Things like altering the height of the computer screen or undertaking a daily routine of movement while at work, can help a lot.

‘Getting good advice from a professional myotherapist is important.

‘You can’t really observe yourself as well as someone with the training and experience to assess your individual body type, structure, and biomechanics in relation to your condition and work environment,’ says Nathan.

Myotherapy as a hands on treatment for pain

While it is important to assess and provide postural correction and exercise, as part of the cause and relief of pain, people should also understand that myotherapy is a ‘hands on’ therapy.

‘Helping people move better is a key part of treating neck, shoulder or back pain, which can also lead to poor sleep and heightened feelings of stress and anxiety at work,’ Nathan said.

Relieving the point of inflammation, or muscle tension through various massage techniques, dry needling, myofascial tension relief, trigger point techniques, deep tissue, or Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS or TNS) are all very useful tools in the armoury of myotherapists.

Nathan says, ‘It’s the combination of treatments, changes to the work environment, and movement plans applied specifically to suit each individual’s unique set of circumstance, that enables professional myotherapists to deliver the relief of pain and stress that people are seeking effectively .’

Myotherapy techniques often used to relieve pain

Myofascial Dry Needling uses extremely fine needles, to deactivate and release active trigger points.

Trigger Point Therapy involves the compression of trigger points, causing the muscle fibres and nervous system to relax.

TENS involves using electricity to stimulate the nerves for therapeutic purposes.

Alexander Technique works by eliminating poor coordination habits through observing posture, and movement patterns such as walking, standing up or sitting down in a chair.

Remedial Deep Tissue Massage concentrates on the deeper layers of muscle tissue, with the aim of releasing chronic patterns of tension in the body.

Nathan McKeown holds a Bachelor of Applied Science, Advanced Diploma Myotherapy, and Graduate Diploma in Exercise Rehabilitation. He is a member of Massage & Myotherapy Australia.

To find out more about myotherapy for office workers, work or sports injury watch Nathan’s video.