Most massage therapists are totally unaware of the incredible benefits of effective stretching. Armed with the knowledge of a variety of stretching techniques and an understanding of the difference between effective and ineffective stretching, you will be able to incorporate stretching methods into your treatment as well as devise safe and appropriate stretching programmes for your clients to do between massage treatments.

Muscle Energy Technique

Muscle Energy Technique is a gentle, non-invasive form of Neuromuscular Therapy. More specifically, this technique is primarily designed to restore optimal function to joints whose normal range of motion has been compromised by shortening and/or spasm of the musculature surrounding those joints. Assessment consists of the winning combination of precise application of active isometric and isotonic contractions and muscle balancing.

Muscle Energy Techniques (MET) are effective manipulative treatments in which a patient, on request, actively uses his or her muscles from a controlled position in a specific direction against a distinct counterforce.

The MET isometric and isotonic techniques are used to:

• Strengthen weak muscles
• Release hyper-tonicity
• Stretch tight muscles and fascia
• Improve musculoskeletal function
• Mobilise joints in which movement is restricted
• Improve local circulation

Muscle Energy Technique is also used as a diagnostic tool to identify restrictions in the articular range of motion and correct these restrictions. When a joint has restricted movement or joint stiffness, no amount of massage will correct this problem until these restrictions are first addressed and removed. Muscle Energy Technique helps to restore the full range of movement to frozen joints and aids in the strengthening of the associated muscles.

Muscle Energy Technique can be used to treat most joints in the body, including the inter-vertebral joints, in a safe and effective manner. Many athletes use MET as a preventative measure to guard against future muscle and joint injury. However, its mainly used by individuals who have a limited range of motion due to back, neck and shoulder pain, scoliosis, sciatica, unsymmetrical legs, hips or arms (for example when one is longer or higher then the other), or to treat chronic muscle pain, stiffness or injury.

Why learn Muscle Energy Technique?

• Increase your effectiveness
  These techniques will extend your ‘repertoire’ and make your treatments more effective! They are adaptable and can be incorporated into any basic massage routine PLUS they can be used through clothing and are therefore ideally suited to complement on-site work, such as Indian Head Massage. Your goals may be to relieve pain or simply help your client relax. You may want to improve your client`s sports performance. Whatever your focus or current preferred treatment, Muscle Energy Technique can, without doubt, greatly improve your effectiveness.

• Stay Current within the Field of Bodywork
  Undoubtedly, the concept of having the “right tool for the job” applies here. If your practice already includes working with structural problems, then Muscle Energy Technique will be an indispensable addition to your current skills. If you want to add concrete structural work to your practice, this is a great place to start!

• Reduce Your Physical Effort
  Furthermore, often the bodies of experienced therapists start to “feel it?” Muscle Energy Technique can greatly reduce the physical effort you require to bring about changes in your client. This is because clients use their own muscle power to make changes – not just yours!

• Reduce Referrals Out
  Doubtless you would like to keep your clients under your care, rather than refer them to other therapists. With Muscle Energy Technique you have an additional skill to effect changes in joint mobility. You may not have to refer out as often to other practitioners such as osteopaths or chiropractors.

Course Details

For dates, prices and to book please scroll to the bottom of the page

This Effective Stretching workshop will cover the following:

• Understand the difference between tactive and passive stretching.
• Demonstrate active stretches for all major muscle groups of the body
• Carry out passive stretches on all major muscle groups of the body
• Explain the procedure for developmental stretching
• Muscle energy techniques– What are they/How they work/When to use them
• Types of muscle contractions
• Stretch reflexes
• Joint mobility
• Range of movement assessment and ‘bind’ sensitivity
• Review major pairs of reciprocally antagonistic muscles to help identify restrictions in range of movement
• Incorporate a variety of stretching methods into your treatments
• Devise safe and appropriate stretching programmes for your clients

Join us for this really rewarding and hands on workshop. You will find out how easy it is to use these techniques. Furthermore, you will also be able to integrate them into your practice immediately, with observable results. You will also find your treatments to be more effective and longer lasting with the combination of MET and massage.

Why settle for being an ‘average’ massage therapist? With skills such as these, you will better serve your clients and your reputation as an advanced practitioner will go before you!

Who Can Attend?

This Effective Stretching workshop is designed for practitioners, qualified in any form of Body Massage Therapy.

Recognition by Professional Associations

Widely accepted by most Professional Bodies. If you are not already registered with a Professional Body and would like to do so here are some useful links – ICGT,  CtHA, FHT.

For stand alone insurance Westminster

More Information

The workshop will be largely practical in content and as a result, you will need appropriate clinic workwear for the duration of the course. This is very much a hands-on day allowing sufficient time to practice and perform the techniques under the guidance of the tutor. During the course you will partner up with another therapist and will get the chance to perform the techniques taught as well as being the recipient. This is because understanding what the technique should feel like is an invaluable tool for you as a therapist.

Duration: 1 day

Course fees include the following:

• All class tuition
• A comprehensive course manual
• An MSCM Certificate of Attendance for your professional portfolio
• 5 cpd points
• Tea and coffee throughout the day
• Use of Massage Couch on the course

You may also find the following advanced techniques workshops very beneficial:

• Soft Tissue Release
• Trigger Point Therapy including European Neuromuscular Technique

Tutor: Anita Snowball – see our MSCM Tutor Page

Find out what others had to say about this workshop – Student Reviews

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If the course you wish to attend is full please send us an email at [email protected]. and we will be pleased to add you to the waiting list in case we have any dropouts.

If you are unable to attend the date below and are keen to do the course please let us know on [email protected]. If we have enough interest for another date we will be happy to schedule one in.