What is Musculoskeletal Therapy

For many patients, one of the primary objectives is pain relief. This is frequently accomplished with hands-on techniques such as, massage, mobilization, cupping, dry needling and/or heat or cold therapy. Movement often provides pain relief as well. Your MST will provide you with the appropriate exercises not only for pain relief but to recover range of motion, strength, and endurance.

In some cases, Musculoskeletal Therapy techniques can be painful. For example, recovering knee range of motion after surgery or shoulder range of motion after shoulder surgery may be painful. Your physical therapist will use a variety of techniques to help maximize your treatment goals. It is important that you communicate the intensity, frequency, and duration of pain to your therapist. Without this information, it is difficult for the therapist to adjust your treatment plan.

There are dozens of different types of treatment interventions. Here is a list of treatment that may or may not be used on you during a treatment. Please remember not all techniques have to be used in every treatment.

• Active Range of Motion (AROM) – the patient lifts or moves a body part through range of motion against gravity. AROM is usually one of the first modalities prescribed for arthritis.
• Active Assistive Range of Motion (AAROM) – therapist-assisted active range of motion. This is usually prescribed for gentle stretching or strengthening for a very weak body part.
• Gait or Walking Training – the analysis of walking problems by visually examining the interaction of the low back and the joints of the thighs, legs, and feet during the various stages of walking, including initial contact, loading response, mid stance, terminal stance, pre swing, mid swing, and terminal swing. Many back, thigh, leg, ankle, and foot problems may be caused by or manifest themselves in subtle gait abnormalities.
• Isometrics – muscle contraction without joint movement. This is usually prescribed for strengthening without stressing or damaging the joint (e.g., arthritis, or exercises to be performed in a cast, or right after surgery if recommended by the therapist/doctor).
• Isotonics- muscle(s) contracting through the ROM with resistance. This is usually prescribed for strengthening.
• Soft Tissue Mobili zation – therapeutic massage of body tissue performed with the hands. Soft tissue mobilization may be used for muscle relaxation, to decrease swelling, to decrease scar tissue adhesions, and for pain relief.
• Mobilization – hands-on therapeutic procedures intended to increase soft tissue or joint mobility. Mobilization is usually prescribed to increase mobility, delaying progressive stiffness, and to relieve pain. (Remember this is not a manipulation)
• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) – a system of manually resisted exercises performed in diagonal patterns that mimic functional movements. PNF was initially used in developmentally and neurologically impaired patients but now is used in almost every aspect of neuromuscular retraining from athletes in sports facilities to the very weak in hospitals and nursing homes.
• Posture Training – instruction in the correct biomechanical alignment of the body to reduce undue strain on muscles, joints, ligaments, discs, and other soft tissues. There is an ideal posture, but most people do not hav e ideal posture. Therapists educate patients about the importance of improving posture with daily activities. Stretching and strengthening exercises may be prescribed to facilitate postural improvement and to prevent further disability and future recurrences of problems.
• Passive Range of Motion (PROM) – the patient or therapist moves the body part through a range of motion without the use of the muscles that “actively” move the joint(s).
• Stret ching/Flexibility Exercise – exercise designed to lengthen muscle(s) or soft tissue. Stretching exercises are usually prescribed to improve the flexibility of muscles that have tightened due to disuse or in compensation to pain, spasm or immobilization.
• Cryotherapy or Cold Therapy – used to cause vasoconstriction (the blood vessels constrict or decrease their diameter) to reduce the amount of fluid that leaks out of the capillaries into the tissue spaces (swelling) in response to injury of tissue. Ice or cold is used most frequently in acute injuries, but also an effective pain reliever for even the most chronic pain
• Neck Traction/ occipital release – a gentle longitudinal/axial pull on the neck, intermittent or continuous for re lief of neck pain, to decrease muscle spasm and facilitate unloading of the spine.
• Heat – heat is recommended to decrease chronic pain, relax muscles, and for pain relief.

Massage may be part of your treatment. However, Musculoskeletal Therapists are trained in a variety of techniques that may help with your recovery. Deep tissue techniques may be part of the rehabilitative process. Massage is used for three reasons typically – to facilitate venous return from a swollen area, to relax a tight muscle, or to relieve pain. It is not a normal treatment to receive a full 60 minute massage from your MST.

Yes, you can choose any MST clinic available to you.

Our practice specialises in performing arts medicine clients who have performance related injuries; however we do see people who have no association with the arts.

The best thing to do is give us a call and we will attempt to answer all of your questions.

You do not require a referral from your doctor. All you need is to make an appointment online or call us on (07) 3844 2265.

In all cases, MST’s cannot make a medical diagnosis. This is something that your medical doctor will provide for you. However MST’s are an important member of your medical team, therefore the information and knowledge they can share with you is invaluable.

Some patients will need to continue with home exercises. Some may choose to continue with a gym exercise program. Others will complete their treatments and return to normal daily activities. It is very important that you communicate your goals to your therapist, so they can develop a custom program for you.

All staff at Skeletal Harmonics are registered through the Australian Natural Therapies Association (ANTA). Their insurance is through OAPMS, Australia’s largest natural health care professional’s insurance company.

Skeletal Harmonics is registered with the International Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA) which makes them one of only 15 practitioners Australia Wide to have been accepted.

• The MST should be registered and be able to get health benefits for you
• The first visit should include a thorough medical history and physical examination before any treatment starts
• Your goals should be discussed in detail during the first visit
• Care should include a variety of techniques which may include hands-on techniques, soft tissue techniques, and therapeutic exercises and in some cases ancillary techniques such as cupping, dry needling, heat and cold application.
• They should be conveniently located. Since sitting and driving often aggravates orthopaedic problems, there should be a very good reason for you to drive a long distance for rehabilitation or treatment. However in our experience if you have been recommended to us through family, friends, performing arts association’s people usually find the drive is worth it!

People refer when they are happy and content with the standard of care they receive while not only being treated, but the follow up care that can occur from a clinic or practitioner. At Skeletal Harmonics we are very proud to say 60% of our business comes from referrals.

Maybe you have had a conversation with a friend about how someone helped get rid of his or her back pain, or you might know someone who needed treatment after an injury. You might even have been treated by a MST yourself. Overall we love referrals- to us it’s the best “Thank-you” we could ever receive.

Yourself or others may be referred to a MST because of a movement dysfunction associated with pain. Your difficulty with moving part(s) of your body (like bending at the low back or difficulty sleeping on your shoulder, etc.) very likely results in limitations with your daily activities (e.g., difficulty getting out of a chair, an inability to play your instrument, or trouble with walking or performing, etc.). MST’s treat these movement dysfunctions and their associated pains and restores your body’s ability to move in a normal manner.

You will be evaluated by one of our highly trained Musculoskeletal Therapist and he/she will also treat you during subsequent visits.

Unlike some clinics, where you see someone different each visit, we feel it is very important to develop a one-on-one relationship with you to maintain continuity of care. Since only one MST knows your problems best, he/she is the one that will be working closely with you to speed your recovery.