At Balanced Life Health Care Ferntree Gully, we perform both modern and traditional Acupuncture, Distal Acupuncture, Dry Needling, and Motor Point Acupuncture. All our needling techniques are performed by qualified Acupuncturist’s.
Motor Point Acupuncture in Ferntree Gully
Motor point Acupuncture is the use of Acupuncture needles to release hypertonic (increased passive stiffness or tightness) or tight muscles and increase strength in weak skeletal muscles. Motor point Acupuncture is a somewhat new technique combined with an already existing network of acupuncture meridians and points; however, some of the motor points are not on acupuncture meridians or are not acupuncture points.
How does Motor Point Acupuncture work?
Basically often pain felt in the muscles is due to muscle inhibition causing changed or dysfunctional movement patterns and compensation. It does not matter how strong a muscle actually is, if it is not firing (when a nerve stimulates particular muscle fibres to contract) properly it creates a dysfunctional movement that is we use other muscles to compensate its lack of contraction.
Keep in mind that all muscles should be working together; some relaxing and some contracting to create movement. A muscle not firing will cause other muscles around it to work harder, putting even more stress over time on the surrounding area, causing even more pain. It is believed that long term these muscle dysfunction will cause inflammation and issues within joints.
Motor points are located at the entry site of the motor nerves into the muscle, where Acupuncture needles can be used to retrain neuromuscular function that has been lost due to an injury, poor posture or age.
Motor Points Vs Trigger Points
Motor Points and Trigger Points are very different. For example trigger points or located on tight bands within muscles. Trigger points are sore and may restricts movement, they are not always the root cause of the pain. Dry needling relieves the pain but does not treat the cause of the pain. Motor Points treat the muscle inhibition, and good news they are often less painful to needle.
Who can use Motor Point Acupuncture?
Your practitioner will guide you on the best treatment, be it Distal (Balance), Trigger points (Dry needling) or Motor Point Acupuncture. For example Motor Point Acupuncture is particularly good for athletes and gym enthusiasts, where are distal is often better for chronic lower back pain.
