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Muscle Energy Technique - Health Web |
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 Muscle energy technique is used in osteopathic medicine to treat somatic dysfunction presenting as loss of range of motion secondary to muscular inhibition. There are several distinct techniques which may be called muscle energy techniques including reciprocal inhibition, and post-isometric relaxation.
Muscle Energy is an Active (requires patient utilization of force) Direct (engages the barrier) technique that promotes muscle relaxation by activating the golgi tendon reflex. It has also been proposed that temporary muscle fatigue blocks reflex-contraction thus allowing for an increase of range of motion to beyond the barrier.
Reciprocal inhibition
Reciprocal inhibition uses the body's antagonist-inhibition reflex to induce relaxation of a "tight" muscle. For example, when the biceps (in this case the agonist) is flexed, a reflexive inhibition of the triceps (here the antagonist) is induced. Thus loss of range of motion in the triceps can be incrementally restored by flexion of the biceps.
Post-isometric relaxation
Immediately after isometric contraction, the neuro-muscular apparatus becomes briefly refractory, or unable to respond to further excitation. Thus, stretching a muscle immediately following its isometric contraction may incrementally restore range of motion.
Osteopathic medicine
Osteopathic medicine is a branch of medicine based on the premise that the primary role of the physician is to facilitate the body's inherent ability to heal itself. Though practiced mainly in the United States, osteopathic medicine shares a common historical origin with a type of complementary medicine practiced worldwide, known as osteopathy. Physicians who graduate from osteopathic medical schools are sometimes known as osteopathic physicians and hold a doctorate in osteopathic medicine (D.O.), while holders of a similar, but far more common M.D. degree are known as allopathic physicians. The existence of this distinction and of D.O.s as licensed physicians is not widely known.
Somatic dysfunction
In osteopathic medicine, somatic dysfunction is the impaired or altered function of the musculo-skeletal system treated by osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM).
Diagnosis - Somatic dysfunction is diagnosed by physical examination. The osteopathic physician looks for symptoms commonly represented by the mnemonic device "TARt" (Tissue texture change, Asymmetry, Restriction, and Tenderness). The physician uses techniques such as layer-by-layer palpation and intersegmental range of motion testing to make the diagnosis.
Significance - The physical manifestation of somatic dysfunction is frequently associated reciprocally with visceral illness. Similarly, the resolution of either can aid in the resolution of the other. For example, an infection may be associated with edema (causing a tissue texture change). Lymphatic drainage aids in clearing the infection while, conversely, resolution of the infection causes clearing of associated edema. Thus the physician attempts to aid the resolution of visceral disease by eliminating its associated manifestation in the musculo-skeletal system.
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Maneuver
