Physical Therapist / Myofascial Release Therapy

Myotherapy is an advanced form of remedial massage, also known as sports massage or medical massage. During myotherapy, a therapist uses trigger point release and a variety of other techniques to relieve muscle and myofascial pain.

Trigger points are sensitive areas of tight muscle fibers that form in your muscles, typically from overuse or injury. To relieve tension in these areas, a myotherapist employs special massage techniques using their hands, fingers, elbows, or knuckles.

The idea that pain can originate in a muscle has been widely accepted in the medical community only since the 1990s. However, more recent evidence has found that pain originating in a muscle is very common

Sometimes an injury or dysfunction of a muscle can lead to referred pain in a nearby area.

Myotherapy is still an emerging specialization, so there’s currently a limited amount of research examining its effectiveness. However, since it’s a specialized form of remedial massage, it has the potential to deliver the same or very similar benefits.

The Institute of Registered Myotherapists of Australia conducted a literature reviewTrusted Source in 2013. According to this review, remedial massage may help:

• improve chronic low back pain
• reduce delayed onset muscle soreness
• reduce stress and anxiety
• increase quality of life and positive well-being among patients with terminal illnesses such as cancer or multiple sclerosis
• assist with pain management of fibromyalgia when combined with other treatments

Additionally, evidence has emerged over the last 10 years to suggest that treating painful trigger points may help aid muscle contractions and optimize muscular movement, according to the Institute of Registered Myotherapists of Australia.