Frequently Asked Questions

In short, I am kind of like a chiropractor, except, instead of focusing on your bones and joints I am focusing on, and treating your neuromuscular system.

The following is the description taken straight from the Muscle Activation Techniques® website 

"MAT was founded on the principle that human movement and exercise are fundamental to human health and that a muscle’s ability to contract efficiently is important for normal movement. Any loss of muscle contraction efficiency may be demonstrated as a loss of motion and decreased physical performance, which may lead to pain and/or the loss of physical capabilities.

MAT® is a specific and unique process for evaluating an individual’s ability to develop efficient muscle contraction(s) by first comparing left and right side range of motion, as the human body is designed to be symmetrical.

If a movement is determined to be asymmetrical (i.e. one limb has a greater range of motion than then opposite limb) as determined by the Comparative Assessment of Mobility or CAM, then we know that one or more muscles that moves the less mobile limb is potentially weak. The muscles that are responsible for moving the limb further are then assessed by the MAT® Specialist to determine if they have lost the ability to contract efficiently.

When it has been determined through testing that a muscle has lost its ability to contract, then precise forces are applied to restore that muscle’s efficiency, re-activating that muscle. As muscles are restored to efficient contraction, MAT® uses a system of accountability (checks and balances) to ensure that any increases in motion and symmetry are accompanied by improvements in a muscle’s contractile ability."    

https://muscleactivation.com/muscle-activation/#:~:text=MAT%20was%20founded,muscle%E2%80%99s%20contractile%20ability.

As a Muscle Activation Techniques® practitioner I use your bodies range of motion to help me identify muscles or groups of muscles that are shut off. I then test the muscles that correlate to the ROM (Range of Motion) that was identified as weak. when a muscle test shows that a muscle is turned off (weak) I treat it with a series of palpations that re-establish the connection from the muscle to the brain, I then retest the muscle to confirm that it is turned back on. When the muscles turn back on and can contract efficiently it increases the ROM and provides stability to the muscular system. This in turn can help reduce pain and inflammation, improve mobility, and promote overall wellness.

Muscles can turn off for any number of reasons but some of the major causes are:

•  Stress this can be anything from your daily emotional stress (ever hear about carrying your stress in your shoulders?) to something of a more physical nature like improper form while working out, poor walking or running mechanics, bad posture, muscle imbalances that may cause other parts of the body to work harder, surgery on an area such as the shoulders knees or hips or something like having to favor one leg after a knee surgery
•  Trauma. Such as injuries from a fall, or car accident, contact sports like football, wrestling, basketball or martial arts. As well as sports or life related injuries.
•  Overuse. Things like repetitive movements, long distance running (or short distances ran regularly ) sitting or standing in one position for long periods of time on a regular basis ( think sitting at a desk or in a car for hours a day.) Long periods of time spent in a less than optimal position (like hours spent hunched over a computer or neck tilted down looking at your phone.) Even something as simple as carrying a heavy purse or backpack or holding a child on a regular basis can put an added strain on our body that becomes the  straw that breaks or at least tweaks the camels back.

MAT® can help with a variety of conditions including but not limited to shoulder pain, Frozen shouler, hip pain, knee pain, back pain, neck pain, Migraines, Tension headaches, sciatica, Piriformis syndrome, Tennis elbow, Golfers elbow, Arthritis pain, Plantar fasciitis, and Carpal tunnel. In short if it hurts or is tight there is a good chance M.A.T® can help

Yes!! MAT® can help speed up the injury recovery process by fixing muscular imbalances that slow healing. By activating weak muscles we can reduce pain, increase mobility, and get back to life as soon as possible!

• Post surgery rehab. By reactivating the muscles that were shut off from surgery (or even the original injury) we are able to speed up healing and recovery. (e.g., after ACL repair or rotator cuff surgery).
•  By improving stability and the muscles ability to contract properly MAT® can help you bounce back from sprains, strains, or muscle tears.
• Injuries caused from repetitive movements and over use like shin splints, tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis.

Yes!! MAT® can help athletes of all ages. From the weekend warrior and high school athletes to the professional athlete. MAT® is effective for sports-related injuries and for improving overall performance by addressing muscle imbalances and tightness that cause you to preform and recover at less than your best. It helps with healing, reduces pain, and bring back the optimal function, helping athletes return to their sport stronger and ready for the next thing that life throws at them.  

• Having ALL of your muscles firing properly helps us to get as much strength as possible out of our movements. Many hands make light work so we want to have each muscle doing its job.
•  Increasing the muscles ability to contract and contract on demand can help to improve speed and agility. With an engine, we want to have all cylinders firing and we need the timing of each of the cylinders firing to be in perfect sync in order to get max speed and power. In the same way we also want the neuromuscular system firing on all cylinders. With all of the right muscles firing in perfect timing we are able to get the most out of our speed and agility training, and in turn, out of our game day performance.
• M.A.T® can also help with muscular endurance. By having all your muscles doing their job other muscles don't have to step in and pick up the slack of another muscle, in turn leaving each muscle with the time and energy to devote to its own task. ( remind you of any of your coworkers?)
•  Muscle Activation Techniques® Helps with improving mobility and relieving muscular tightness that limits your performance (and recovery). Think an improved ability to get into a proper golf back swing, an easier and more effective arm swing for a volleyball serve,  ease of getting to a full range squat with less hip pinch or knee instability, Better hip mobility and ankle stability for faster and stronger change of direction, or being better able to get into and hold a proper three point stance in football.
• By reducing inflammation and improving stability and the neuromuscular connection in the injured muscle, M.A.T® can help you recover faster from strained muscles. Getting you back to the Sports and hobbies you love 
• By addressing any underlying imbalances you may have we can work to prevent or minimize repeated injuries. I.E. If you always pull your right hamstring or roll your left ankle chances are good you have a muscular imbalance that is causing more stress or instability in that area.

Muscle pain, joint pain, feeling like something isn't "stable" or chronic tightness of the body. Common areas of tightness include shoulders, upper back and neck, That knot behind your shoulder blade, Tight pinching hips, the calves, the low back, or hamstrings. (especially if one side is tighter than the other side) Essentially any pain or tightness could be related to a muscle being shut off.

Just like you take your car in for oil changes and alignments it is a great idea to do tune up sessions on your body as well. ( You can always buy another car!) While once a month minimum is highly recommended. (Just like it is cheaper and less time consuming to get an oil change regularly than it is to have your car in the shop for weeks while you replace a blown motor. It is also better to keep your body feeling good and working well than it is to wait till you are not functioning well or even injured to start taking care of your body)  That being said the answer is different for each person.  Some people need one or two sessions to get back in order and then they are good for 6 months or more. Some people need a session every few weeks or once a month to stay feeling their best. 

Some of the big factors to consider are age, overall health and fitness levels, the responsiveness of your nervous system, how long you have been dealing with the issue, whether or not you have a job or hobby that is hard on the body, and the severity of the original injury(if any). 

The answer is different for each person with some people only needing one session to get back to moving well and some people may need several sessions to get everything moving again. While It is recommended that you plan to start with at least six sessions to make sure you get everything firing well. (It is not uncommon to see first time clients who have issues with multiple areas that should each be sorted out for the best long term results.)  We can also go with a session by session decision depending on how you are feeling and how your body responds.

Again some of the big factors to consider are age, overall health and fitness levels, lifestyle, response of the nervous system, how long you have been dealing with the issue and the severity of the original injury (if any). 

While MAT® can help with a variety of conditions it is not always a silver bullet. It primarily helps with the neuromuscular system If there is something structural like a bone spur, broken bone or fully torn ligament MAT® will not reverse these things. 

If you have any specific questions regarding an injury please reach out and I would be happy to discuss whether or not this might be a good fit!

Muscle activation techniques® is primarily working with the neuromuscular system to restore muscle contractile efficiency and to help reverse muscular imbalances which are often a root cause of pain and tightness and may even lead to injury.

 Unlike chiropractic there is no manual manipulation of the joints. However since muscles move bones, and muscles hold bones in place, having your muscular system functioning smoothly can help your chiropractic treatments to hold better.

you will also find that a lot of chiropractors are teaming up with MAT® practitioners or adding MAT® into their practice.

 The dictionary defines physical therapy as:

1. the treatment of disease, injury, or deformity by physical methods such as massage, heat treatment, and exercise rather than by drugs or surgery.

Physical therapy often focusing on strengthening the muscle or increasing ROM through traditional strengthening exercises and treatments of tight muscles such as myofascial release, dry needling, massage or stretching.

Muscle Activation Techniques® focuses on the neuromuscular system and by reconnecting the muscle to the brain we allow you to tap into the strength you already had and by " reconnecting your battery cables" the body will naturally increase your ROM as it recognizes the increased stability in the muscular system.

As with chiropractic you will find that both MAT® and physical therapy are quite complimentary to each other. With muscles that are firing properly it makes it easier for the body to respond to the PT's magic!

With terms like "activate the muscle" and "getting the muscle to fire properly" it is easy to think of MAT® as being something that you would do with exercise or weights. That being said there is no need to start drinking raw eggs and working on your best Arnold impersonation. Muscle activation is done on a massage table making it easy to see compensations and limitations in range of motion as well as making it possible to help people of all ages and levels of mobility. 

I have worked with everyone from high-school athletes to people in their eighty's.

In short as long as they have the muscular control and cognitive ability to respond to instructions such as sliding a limb towards the edge of the table or resisting my pressure I can work with any ages!!

In-office sessions are 55 minutes. In-home sessions are 75 minutes to allow for me to set up and take down my table. in both in-office and in-home sessions We will start the session off by having you read over and sign the liability waiver.

Then I will spend a few minutes talking with you about what we are working on for the day, get some background and ask a few questions to help me find a few more pieces to the puzzle. 

After that we will get you on the table and assess your mobility looking for limitations in your range of motion that might be causing your problem (In some cases I have seen neck pain decrease by treating the ankle).

 Once we find a limited range of motion we will begin muscle testing on the muscles that relate to that range of motion.

 When we find a muscle that is weak or "off" I will treat it either with a series of palpations to specific landmarks on the muscle or with a series of targeted Isometric contractions. 

Once I have activated the muscle we will retest it to confirm it is firing properly and then move to the next muscle. After the session we will discuss what was done and schedule any recommended follow up sessions and then collect payment.

Something like you would wear to the gym. Such as shorts, sweats, tights or yoga pants and a light weight short, long sleeve shirt or tank top. Sessions are preformed barefoot ( in most cases leaving your socks on is going to be ok) so it is recommended to wear shoes that are easy to get on and off. NO BEDAZZLED CLOTHES (it can ruin the table.)

What not to wear.

Any bedazzled clothes, Jeans, Coats, Hoodies or other super baggy or thick, heavy articles of clothing as this can make it hard to properly see compensations & reduced range of motion as well as makes accurate palpations more difficult.

I do not currently take insurance but I am able to take HSA's!