Musculoskeletal Therapy (MST)

Musculoskeletal Therapy (MST) is a form of physical therapy.  It is a branch of manual medicine that is evidence based in the assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and management of musculoskeletal conditions.  It focuses on alleviating pain and discomfort, enhancing movement and mobility and assisting in maintaining functional alignment of the body’s soft tissues and skeletal system.

A clinical approach and knowledge in critical evaluation are applied to assess the presenting dysfunction/condition in identifying its causes and/or contributing factors and utilising an extensive range of treatment options to develop a plan of management.

Your initial consultation involves taking a medical and lifestyle history to better understand you and your presenting signs and symptoms.

From the provided information, an assessment is performed which involves observation (gait and postural analysis) together with a biomechanical analysis that incorporates palpating (touching) and testing the muscles, joints and nerves for indications of irregularities such as soft tissue and joint restriction, reduced mobility and flexibility, tenderness and/or pain.  The manual techniques that are then applied may be preventative, corrective or rehabilitative.

1-2 weeks after your initial consultation and treatment, we schedule a follow-up appointment.  This enables further discussion as to what you have noticed or felt since the treatment as well as having your practitioner perform a re-assessment.

Some conditions that can benefit from MST:

• adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder)
• rotator cuff dysfunction
• postural dysfunction
• facet joint dysfunction
• tendinopathies
• knee pain / dysfunction
• hamstring strains / sprains
• bursitis
• peripheral neuropathy (numbness) in arms and legs
• chronic re-occurring headaches / migraines
• lumber (low back) pain
• sciatic pain

Techniques that may be applied in your treatment, depending on your signs, symptoms and assessment findings:

• passive joint mobilisation
• orthopaedic testing – muscles / joints / nerves – to assist in formulating a diagnosis and treatment plan
• soft tissue manipulation (massage)
• trigger point therapy
• myofascial release therapy (MFR)
• muscle energy techniques (METs)
• stretching – active, passive and PNF
• thermal therapy (heat)
• cryotherapy (cold)
• electrotherapy
• percussion therapy
• dry needling (DN)
• cupping – static, sliding and functional release (introducing movement)
• taping & strapping – postural, fascial chain, regional, oedema, scar
• postural assessment and correction
• core stability
• corrective exercise and pain management programs