WHAT IS TRIGGER-POINT THERAPY

A trigger point is a hyperirritable spot that is painful. It is called a trigger point because it causes pain to be referred "triggered" to other muscles and tissues in the body.

Trigger points are located in a taut band of muscles fibres. The trigger point is the most tender point in the band.

The therapist will locate and deactivate the trigger points using finger pressure.

Techniques include:

Picking up the muscle fibers in a pincer grip.
Applying direct finger or thumb pressure directly to the trigger point.

It took a while for the muscle to get into that condition, and it will likely take more than one massage to get rid of it.

Identifying why the trigger points occured in the first instance is the key to how to stop the trigger points from re-occurring.

WHAT IS CROSS FIBER MASSAGE

Cross-fiber friction massage also know as frictions is a technique of massaging at right angle to the flow of the underlying tissue.

Muscles fibres run from one attachment point to another in a linear configuration. When a muscle is injured for whatever reason, the resulting repair is laid down in a matrix or grid type formation (scar tissue) as opposed to a linear formation. This matrix formation restricts blood flow, reduces mobility, causes pain and reduces the muscles ability to contract effectivly.

Cross-fiber massage is most commonly used to help break down scar tissue and return the muscle tissue to its linear formation.

No oils or lotions are used, allowing transmittal of the therapist's energy to be transmitted directly to the deep tissue being treated.

WHAT IS MOBILISATION

Mobilisation is the movement of any joint. The massage therapist will use mobilisation for several reasons depending on the desired outcome and the patients injury or complaint.

The mobilisations themselves are performed in various pressures.

Mobilisations are performed to -

Initiate a full range of movement.
Relieve pain by applying slightly more pressure.
Relieve pain and improve a joints range of motion by applying further pressure
Stretch the surrounding tissue to relieve tension in chronically damaged joints by applying intense pressure.

An advanced technique called Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) may be used to target tight mucles.

WHAT IS TRIGGER-POINT THERAPY

WHAT IS CROSS FIBER MASSAGE

WHAT IS MOBILISATION

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