By: Sarah Kuindersma MATm, PTS
Do you feel like your daily movement patterns don't feel quite right? Have you caught yourself saying man I feel old, or my body just doesn't do that anymore?
Did you know you can change the way you feel and move? Active Sports Therapy is proud to have a certified Muscle Activation Techniques Master Specialist who specializes in helping patients correct poor movement mechanics.
What is MAT?
Muscle Activation Techniques MAT is an exercise based technique that assess and corrects poor movement patterns and inefficient neural muscle firing within the body that can contribute to poor posture, joint tenderness and muscular pain.
How does it work?
MAT first identifies where there are imbalances in the body, then helps restore proper function through manual palpation and specific exercises. These imbalances are muscle compensations triggered through trauma, exercising with improper form or overall fatigue and stress to the system. Certain body parts compensate for other weaker body parks. Essentially, following an injury or too much stress, muscles can shut down neurologically which forces other muscles to work overtime. This is known as muscle compensation patterns. These patterns can continue after the injury is no longer a problem which can contribute to pain or postural abnormalities post-rehab for the initial injury/stressor.
What’s the goal?
The primary goal of MAT is to reduce pain and tension in overworked muscles, which become damaged and fatigued due to learned compensation patterns. Soft tissue manipulations can help to stretch painful or tight areas and even correct posture, but if the tightness quickly returns it means the body has built this compensatory pattern that needs to be re-taught the proper way to function to have a longer lasting result. Without addressing the underlying cause the pattern will continue.
History
MAT's® corrective movement system was first created by Greg Roskopf in 1999. He created this unique system of precise muscle tests and adjustments to help correct muscle and movement memories that were stored in the brain region that’s responsible for learned motor control.
Book a Free 15 Minute Meet & Greet
If you are interested in finding out more if MAT can help you move better call AST and book a free 15 minute meet and greet with Sarah Kuindersma to learn more. Connect with us via our contact page here.
