- Myosteopractic - what is it and would it be best for me?
- Looking after you
- What is Myosteopractic Like?
- How does Myosteopractic work?
- What we do
- What we work on
- Is Myosteopractic safe?
- Is Myosteopractic painful?
- How many sessions will I need?
- Do you recommend regular check-ups or "maintenance" sessions?
- Looking after you in pregnancy and beyond
- Looking after your babies and children
- Looking after your every day problems
- Looking after your sporting goals
- Looking after you in the work place
- Looking after your later years
- What training do Myosteo-practitioners receive?
- Do Myosteo-practitioners work on more than bad backs?
- Do I need a referral letter from my doctor to see an Myosteo-practitioner?
- Can I speed up the healing process?
- What is the difference between Myosteopractic to Osteopathy and Chiropractic?
1. Myosteopractic - what is it and would it be best for me?
Myosteopractic is an inherently safe bodywork system which recognises the critical link between the structure of the human body and the way it functions. Myosteopractic techniques are designed to relieve local congestion which may arise due to wear and tear, poor posture, injury, stress or disease. The system helps the body to restore itself to the best possible function as soon as possible.
A Myosteo-practitioner focuses on the body’s skeleton and joint function, together with the underlying muscles, soft tissue, myofascia and internal organs. S/he uses his or her hands to assess the state and mobility of each element of the musculo-skeletal system, releasing or activating specific areas by applying a variety of techniques. Once adequately released, natural physical balance is restored, enabling other systems such as the circulation and digestion to function together at peak efficiency. Sessions are adapted to suit each individual client.
2. Looking after you
Our aim is to look after your long term “total wellbeing”. Because of the nature of Myosteopractic, we have been able to help people of all ages, from babies through to the elderly, whether sick or healthy, from office workers to professional athletes.
3. What is Myosteopractic like?
Myosteopractic is undertaken with the client fully-clothed on a well-supported plinth bed. In tracking and releasing structural imbalance and abnormalities, the approach is direct and firm. It is not a massage-type “zone-out“ session for the client: releases may require some active engagement (conscious movement and feedback) on the part of the client. It is also different to the sudden manipulations of certain types of chiropractic or the light touch of body stress release or reiki. In bringing together a wide range of techniques appropriate for different structures within the body, (see list of techniques on left), Myosteopractic feels quite unique, personally tailored and extremely effective.
4. How does Myosteopractic work?
Myosteopractic recognises that the body has the inherent ability to heal itself but often needs a helping hand. It combines a variety of treatment techniques to restore the natural physical balance, allowing the body to return to normal pain free function.
5. What we do
We listen first. Our priority is to hear your story by taking a detailed account of the problem. Then, using a series of questions, we do our best to ensure that there is no underlying health problem that ought first to be dealt with by your doctor. The history-taking is backed up by careful observation and skillful touch. We gently test and access problems that in most cases are to do with the musculo-skeletal system. These are often, but not always, related to the back or spine. Once the core problem areas are identified, these are addressed using the variety of Myosteopractic techniques.
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6. What we work on
Tension and stress, both physical and emotional, often add to and complicate the problem. We work on areas that are painful and stiff as a result of wear and tear, poor posture, stress and physical injury, including sports injuries. People might express these effects by complaining of sciatica leg pain, whiplash, headaches, knee pain, shoulder problems, etc. For a more detailed list of complaints, see list on left.
We successfully work on many kinds of musculo-skeletal problems, grouped as follows;
Injuries You know what you did that caused the problem but your body needs help to repair quickly. Whether the damage has occurred to muscles, ligaments or joints we will be able to work with your problem and develop an appropriate plan to aid in your recovery.
Old or recurrent injuries Sometimes following an injury a recurrent or persistent problem develops. This is when a damaged joint, ligament or muscle never fully recovers. Myosteo-practitioners are skilled at finding and correcting a variety of possible causes for the persistence, thus dealing with the underlying source rather than merely the symptoms.
Degenerative Whilst we cannot turn the clock back and fix degenerative problems, Myosteopractic is an effective way to encourage movement back into the joints and increase the health of the muscles.
Postural Sometimes you simply do not know when or what started the problem. The symptoms might have gradually developed and built up over time or become noticeable whilst doing certain things such as working at the computer. These symptoms usually have a structural component to them that Myosteo-practitioners are able to recognise and release. We are also able to give advice about your posture and how to correct it by advising on appropriate exercise that would help to maintain the body's natural strength and balance.
7. Is Myosteopractic safe?
Yes. Carried out by a certified Myosteo-practioner, who is an active member of the Myosteopractic Association of SA, the system is extremely safe.
8. Is Myosteopractic painful?
In general, yes and no. When pain is felt it’s mainly because the Myosteo-practitioner has located an irritated spot. The client may often say “that’s sore, but it’s a good pain”, “carry on”ť or “ah - you hit the spot”. There may be some aching or even a slightly "bruised" feeling after a particular session. Many clients feel freer and more comfortable almost immediately. Others feel quite tired-out for a few hours and maybe achy for a day or so. If your tissues have been tense and sore, it may be uncomfortable at first as the body releases and settles. Other sessions may not be painful at all. This does not mean they have not been effective, merely that the releases were achieved with less processing through the body.
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9. How many sessions will I need?
This will depend on many factors. The interval between visits will be determined at the end of each session. We will always try to avoid over-treatment. As a general rule, the better you feel, the longer will be the interval between sessions. As soon as sufficient improvement has been made, and progress appears to be self-sustaining, you will be advised to contact your Myosteo-practitioner, or return, only if you feel the need.
10. Do you recommend regular check-ups or "maintenance" sessions?
Not as a rule. We consider that, given the opportunity, your body is quite capable of maintaining normal function. Our job as Myosteo-practitioners is to identify and deal with any obstacles to normal function. In addition to advice on appropriate exercise and self management, we will advise you on how to maintain yourself in a healthier way. This may, for example, include advice on how to improve your posture at work, in your car, or whilst exercising. There are clients that lead stressful lives (eg sit at the computer for many hours everyday), knowing that in time they will lock up again. Their self management programme may include regular (eg monthly) Myosteopractic sessions.
11. Looking after you in pregnancy and beyond
Myosteopractic is safe and effective during pregnancy. However please ensure you advise the practitioner if you are pregnant as the techniques used may need to be altered slightly.
During and after pregnancy the body is placed under immense physical and emotional strain. In order to remain in optimum health for yourself and your baby it is important that any problems are dealt with swiftly.
- Postural change
- Constipation
- Joint swelling
- Back ache
- Ligamentous laxity
- Strain from breast-feeding
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12. Looking after your babies and children
The birth process is a wondrous but often traumatic process for both mother and baby. This stress can lead to tightness in the baby’s connective tissue as it begins to adapt to the outside world. If not addressed there is some evidence that this can lead to common problems in baby’s and infants. These include:
- Altered sleep patterns
- Colic
- Irritability
- Constipation
As children develop there is often an increased strain placed on the muscular and skeletal system. This is even more pronounced if the child is active or sporty or when children go through growth spurts. Common complaints that have been addressed using Myostepractic include:
- Scoliosis
- Growing pains
- Osgood-Schlatters
- Sever’s
13. Looking after your every day problems
Numerous problems can arise due to that edgy condition we call “life”. These may be triggered by pre-existing complaints, such as scoliosis, leg length difference or by an accumulation of physical strains. Most commonly, people come to Myosteopractic for:
- Neck pain
- Back pain
- Headaches
- Muscle and joint injury
- Jaw/TMJ and sinus problems
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14. Looking after your sporting goals
Often problems arise if we do not allow enough time for the body to adapt to new physical challenges. This may be due simply to a new walking regime or increasing your training program for a triathlon. To achieve our high-end sporting goals we often have to walk a tightrope between physical progression and physical breakdown. Regular Myosteopractic sessions can help you to negotiate this path more easily, addressing amongst other things:
- Sports Injuries (e.g. tennis elbow, golfers elbow, swimmers shoulder, cyclist/runners ITB syndrome)
- Repetitive strain injury (RSI)
- Spinal and peripheral joint injury
- Biomechanical dysfunction
- Muscle and ligament injury
15. Looking after you in the work place
Work strain, ergonomic strain and PC strain are very common factors in today’s workplace. Often Myosteopractic, combined with the correct stretches and small changes to the work station or working habits, can make a significant difference. Avoiding or addressing the following common complaints, if necessary with the professional advice of your Myosteo-practitioner, should be part of your or your employees’ job description:
- Postural/ Work Strain
- Tension headaches
- Repetitive strain
- Muscle and ligament injury
- Back pain
- Neck and shoulder discomfort
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16. Looking after your later years
We do not stop the ageing process, however many of its side effects associated such as arthritis, can be limited, giving you increased mobility, reduced stiffness and pain. Continued attention to the body, through touch and conscious engagement, is a powerful tonic, restorative medicine and act of self-respect. Common ailments in older clients include:
- Osteoarthritis
- Joint stiffness
- Muscle fatigue
17. What training do Myosteo-practitioners receive?
Myosteopractic training required rigorous commitment initially for a year, continued over a number of years. SeeCollege of Myosteopractic.
18. Do Myosteo-practitioners work on more than bad backs?
Yes, Myosteo-practitioners can provide help for a wide range of complaints (see list on left) in various parts of the body, from sprained ankles to sinus problems.
19. Do I need a referral letter from my doctor to see an Myosteo-practitioner?
Not necessarily, although doctors and specialist surgeons do refer to Myosteo-practitioners.
20. Can I speed up the healing process?
Yes: listen to your body, avoid activities that cause discomfort and pain and follow the advice of your practitioner.
21. What is the difference between Myosteopractic and Osteopathy or Chiropractic?
Chiropractic treatment tends to involve a more "direct" approach with an emphasis on manipulation of the spinal joints.
Osteopathy is the most similar to Myosteopractic, in that it deals with both soft tissue and the skeletal system. Myosteopractic uses a different set of techniques, however, and our engagement approach will differ to that of Osteopaths.
Different to virtually every bodywork modality, Myosteopractic has been established as an open, learning system. This means that a Myosteo-practitioner is encouraged to study, add and share any technique that has proven functional and that will improve his/her effectiveness. As the community of Myosteo-practitioners grows, so too does the breadth and effectiveness of the techniques that comprises it.
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