You've heard of massage therapy, but what is myotherapy and how does it differ from remedial massage?
From a qualification point of view, Myotherapy can be either a 2-year advanced diploma or a 3-year degree. The difference between the two is debated, but the degree option touches more on research. Remedial massage is a 1-year diploma.
Both myotherapy and remedial massage are recognized by private health funds and often are lumped together in one treatment category. But what is the difference between the two treatments? Let’s dive in...
Remedial massage therapy assesses and treats muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the body. Therapists are trained to treat immediate general, non-specific injuries such as muscle tightness, soreness, or stiffness. They tend to utilise exclusively hands-on massage techniques to bring about change to both deeper and superficial layers of muscles and tissues facilitating recovery from injury and fatigue.
The benefits of massage include improved joint mobility, faster pain relief and body recovery, improved heart rate regulation, improved relaxation, and a reduction in depression and anxiety.
Myotherapy is an evidence-based extension of remedial massage, incorporating a deeper understanding of human anatomy and physiology. Due to extended knowledge, myotherapy goes further than remedial massage by treating not just the immediate symptoms but also the underlying cause of the issues, whether behavioural, structural, or muscular.
It could be considered a more holistic treatment than remedial massage. An initial assessment can include an examination of the patient’s medical history, posture, range of motion, gait, and soft tissue condition. They also examine how these elements interact with other key systems in the body, such as the nervous system, or cardiovascular system, therefore able to help in the treatment and management of chronic conditions and pain syndromes.
Where remedial massage therapy relies predominantly on manipulative massage techniques, myotherapy utilises a range of other techniques such as Muscle Energy Technique (MET), myofascial dry needling or cupping, taping, joint mobilization, rehabilitative exercises, or electrotherapy.
Myotherapy treats conditions such as myofascial pain, lower back pain, tension headaches and migraines, sports injuries, tendon pain, degenerative joint pain, and rehabilitation from surgery. Myotherapy also focuses on advanced injury prevention as a myotherapist can potentially identify a problem before any symptoms show.
Finally, a myotherapist can offer more comprehensive health and fitness advice, including exercises that can improve your physical and mental health.
So, what's for me? What do I need? Myotherapy or Remedial Massage Therapy?
While remedial massage and myotherapy might appear to be the same therapies using different names, as you can see, there are vital differences that distinguish each treatment.
Remedial massage is great at identifying and treating immediate muscle and musculoskeletal conditions, but if you want a more holistic treatment that goes further into treating the underlying cause of your pain, or if you have a complex medical condition, myotherapy may be the better way to go!
