for a pain free life
I’m a Muscle Activation Technique (MAT) specialist. MAT is a systematic approach that objectively evaluates the body, identifies weak or inhibited muscles, and then treats muscular imbalances in the body that contribute to pain, injury, or lack of performance. MAT gets to the root of a problem, addressing its underlying cause rather than just treating its symptoms. With each session, I’ll help restore your body’s natural alignment and movement. Soon, you’ll feel better and perform better.
MAT complements injury prevention and rehabilitation, and any kind of exercise regimen, including CrossFit, martial arts, pilates, yoga. MAT will help you do any and all of the following:
• Recover faster from surgery
• Prevent Sports Injuries
• Improve Sports Performance
• Enhance your exercise program
• Eliminate pain that's slowing down your fitness progress
The Problem
Many times, due to factors such as stress, trauma, or overuse, the neurological connections of muscles may become altered creating a reaction in the body, similar to that of loose battery cables in your car. When the brain sends a message for a muscle to contract, the muscle does not respond immediately, creating increased demand on other muscles to perform the desired movement. The result becomes what we know as compensation. When muscles across a joint become weakened, other muscles across that joint become tight to prevent the joint from going into a position of weakness or instability. These tightened muscles can become inflamed and cause friction in that joint, leading to pain, malfunction, and inflammation. Over time, these compensation patterns create altered alignment in the joint, leading to joint instability and abnormal wear on the joint surfaces, which can lead to arthritis. This progressive degeneration has also been correlated with aging. But if identified and properly addressed, it does not have to occur and overall performance can actually improve.
The Solution
The solution is to correct these muscle imbalances with MAT. The big difference between MAT and other therapy methods, treatment programs, and exercise routines is that all the others view the muscle tightness as the primary factor in pain and injury. MAT views muscle tightness as the body’s natural protection mechanism, which is activated when the brain detects an unstable joint due to weakness.
Simply stretching, massaging, or manipulating the joint in order to release tightness does not get at the root of the problem. MAT directly addresses the dysfunctional muscles responsible for joint instability and restores normal joint function by eliminating the body’s need for muscle tightness without overriding its important protective mechanism.
The MAT Session
I follow a three-step process for MAT:
Step 1: The Range of Motion Test
First I’ll identify what restrictions in movement you may have in your body. Finding these restrictions will guide us to the muscles that may be inhibited or weakened, so we can set up a plan for treatment.
Step 2: The Muscle Test
The muscle testing process is what really sets Muscle Activation Technique apart from other types of therapy. This can take some time. Experts in MAT know every muscle in the body. I want to be thorough. Pain in one part of your body could be caused by another problem in an entirely different muscle. It’s bona fide detective work for me, but it’s easy on you. I simply apply a little pressure to test neurological ability of a specific muscle and see how it responds. If I find a muscle is weak, we’ve found our culprit and I can start to treat it.
Step 3: Muscle Treatment
Treatment involves a precise palpation technique using my fingertips to activate the weakened muscle. I have to address the muscle in exactly the right place in the right way. You’ll feel some pressure as I work the muscle, but we’ll always listen to your body and go as deep as your comfort level allows. Most people actually like the treatment. It’s not a message – I’ll make you work – but there’s no bone cracking like chiropractic care, and you’ll feel good afterward.
