FAQ
Q: What is MAT?
Muscle Activation Techniques is bodywork that is designed:
to seek out and correct muscle imbalances that cause joint instabilities by educating and engaging all supporting muscles around a joint motion = creating stability and allowing safe and efficient movement.
view tightness as a symptom secondary to muscular weaknesses and a sign of joint movement instability.
as a process of checks and balances that allow the specialist and the client to see how the treatments progress to results.
Q: How does one “activate the muscles”?
By determining whether a muscle is weak through a muscle test, a MAT Specialist then palpates the attachment sites of that muscle. The palpation stimulates a re-associate or link of communication between the brain and the muscle to reestablish that muscle’s functional role(s).
Q: How does activation of the muscle help muscle movement?
Muscles move the bones. If there is dysfunctional communication between the muscles and the brain, the muscles are not working as they should. This results in tightness and limited range of motion (ROM) to create joint stability. MAT, specifically, cleans up the communication between the brain and the muscles and allows for the following to occur: stability in the joint, tight muscles are able to relax because all muscles are doing what they should be, ROM increases, decreases arthritic pain and wear and tear on joint surfaces, passive structures such as ligaments are at less risk of strain, decreases injuries and healing time.
Q: What do I wear to an appointment for MAT?
Wear comfortable clothing similar to what you would wear during a workout session for more accessible assessment and motion during the treatment.
Q: How is MAT different from Active Release Techniques (A.R.T.) that my Chiropractor uses?
A.R.T. treatments focus on addressing the belly of the muscle that is tight or painful. The chiropractor will apply pressure to the belly of the tight muscle while you move through the range of motion that the muscle offers, which relaxes the tense muscles.
The MAT process works with weak muscles and at the attachment sites where the communication between the central nervous system (CNS) and the muscular system is the greatest. This introduces new input, which re-educates the weaker muscles with the movement role(s), eliminates movement compensations, instills a safe range of motion, and allows tight muscles to relax naturally.
Q: Should I do MAT instead of chiropractic or massage?
Every modality has a place in the ongoing process of caring for and healing our bodies. Additionally, everybody responds differently to all modalities. MAT is an excellent adjunct to any Chiropractic work because a MAT Specialist can assist in re-educating the muscular system, allowing the muscles around the adjusted joint(s) to be more responsive and stable in the new alignment. This increases the longevity of the adjustments and increases the joint and muscles’ threshold for stress. You should find out what your body responds best to: MAT and massage, chiropractic and acupuncture, or any combination of treatments.
Q: Does it hurt?
A palpation or touch at the attachment site of a weak muscle can be tender. At times of dysfunction, our pain receptors, or Nociceptors, are engaged more quickly. These receptors tell us when something is wrong by causing pain sensations, usually felt with joint movements.
An example of heightened Nociceptor activity: during an activity, for instance, if your knees begin to hurt, this pain might cause you to slow down or stop for a while and relax, and allow the joints to ache to subside.
As the weak muscles are addressed and stability and mobility are gained, the pain sensation of the palpations and movement subsides.
Q: How long does it last, or how many sessions does it take?
There is no clear answer that can honestly be given to these questions. It depends on many factors: how long you have been experiencing the imbalances in your body, chronic v. acute, the integrity of your nervous system, the other stress your body is dealing with, and many more.
A chronic issue or reinjury usually results in a longer process of treatments to address all that is affected due to long-term compensations in the body. Acute issues and staying tuned up allow for quicker, optimal muscular system functioning. Think of this as timely maintenance with your car, but more important.
Q: How is MAT different than massage?
Most massages focus on alleviating the symptoms of muscle tightness and deal primarily with the belly of the muscle. Massage also tends to be a broader treatment for the whole body. Different forms of massage, such as Myofascial Release, Shiatsu, deep tissue, Swedish, and even energy work, such as Reiki, are all beneficial in treating muscular ailments.
MAT treatments are based on quickly identifying what you cannot do and engaging the muscles that make the motion easier. For instance, if a client presents with hip pain, I would not necessarily go to the hip; I would check the range of motion (ROM) in the trunk and the hip, as well as the lower leg and feet, to determine the quality of movement everywhere that supports and moves with the hip, identifying the most asymmetrical ROM and most significant need for treatment.