Myotherapy is a treatment option for pain, injuries and chronic health conditions that cause physical pain or mobility issues. It can include treatment techniques like massage, myofascial release, dry needling, cupping, joint mobilisations, stretching, taping, exercises and much more.

Whats the difference between Remedial Massage and Myotherapy?

Remedial massage is traditionally focussed on hands on massage techniques, like deep tissue massage or trigger point release. Myotherapy includes access to more advanced techniques than a typical massage therapist has, which allows us to provide more in depth care for pain and injuries, while still using feel-good hands on treatment skills.

Whats the difference between a Physiotherapist and a Myotherapist?

Physiotherapy is a highly active recovery type of treatment, meaning that a lot of the work is done by the patient completing the program of exercises prescribed by the Physio. Typical Physio appointments are shorter and more costly than Myotherapy appointments, and tend to focus more on what you need to do at home. A Myotherapy appointment generally offers a longer amount of time with the therapist, and includes more time where the therapist provides hands on care to release tight, painful muscles, and aims to provide a great window of opportunity to complete active exercises by reducing the pain first. Myotherapists also have the training to create a customised exercise program, just like a physio does.

Is Myotherapy painful?

Myotherapy is a treatment for issues that are already painful, so it can sometimes be uncomfortable. Generally speaking, it is certainly not necessary to endure a high level of pain to get effective results. In fact, Mel, our CEO and Senior Clinical Myotherapist, has worked for over a decade to develop her gentle approach that is extremely helpful for patients with highly sensitive nervous systems or can't tolerate heavy handed deep tissue pressure. The aim of the treatment is not to create more pain, its to provide a functional improvement in mobility and sensitivity, and this can very often be achieved in a way that actually feels good.

Is Myotherapy covered by Medicare?

No, unfortunately Medicare don't recognise Myotherapy as part of the Enhanced Primary Care plans available through a GP. We do however accept Private Health Insurance.

Is Myotherapy covered by WorkCover?

Yes, it is covered, if its approved by your WorkCover Insurance BUT our clinic has strict requirements around offering WorkCover treatments:

How often should I see a Myotherapist?

It depends what you are seeking treatment for. General aches, pains and tightness may only require a small number of treatments, and if you are getting pain and tightness due to repetitive tasks we might suggest you book on a semi-frequent basis to keep on top of building tension. If you are getting treatment for an injury, for example, a meniscus tear or a disc bulge, you will likely see us often at the start of your treatment so we can manage pain and symptoms and prescribe you exercises that are safe and effective for each stage of your recovery. We aim to extend the time between visits as you recover, until you either no longer need us, or until we set you on a maintenance schedule for preventing re-injury.

Is Myotherapy good for back pain?

Myotherapy is great for back pain - we treat back pain all day, every day! Upper, middle and lower back pain are the most commonly treated conditions our team sees, and we're very good at helping make a plan that is suitable to your back pain.

Is Myotherapy good for arthritis?

Myotherapy can help manage the symptoms of many kinds of arthritis, including Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Psoriatic Arthritis. Myotherapy will not change the structure of your joints, so it will not reverse the bony changes from your arthritic condition, however it can decrease pain, improve mobility and help reduce flare ups.

Can Myotherapy help sciatica?

Myotherapy is a brilliant treatment for sciatica. Sciatic pain can come from a number of causes, including muscle, joint or nerve related conditions, so our Myotherapist will help identify the cause of your nerve pain and then create a strategy that helps you feel better. Our typical approach is to first settle the pain symptoms, then work on building strength and stability through exercises once thats tolerable for you, and making sure you leave with some self care skills to use in between visits.

Can I exercise after Myotherapy?

It depends on what you're being treated for, and what techniques we use, but typically it is safe to exercise after seeing your Myotherapist. We will certainly advise you if theres any specific exercises to avoid immediately after your treatment, but in general we are always happy to see patients excited to return to exercise.

How long does it take to become a Myotherapist?

Myotherapists study for a minimum of 2 years to gain their qualifications. The process is usually to become a Remedial Massage Therapist first, which takes 12 months. Most Myotherapists hold an Advanced Diploma of Myotherapy, which is an extra 12 month course on top of the Remedial Massage foundations. Clinical Myotherapists, like Mel and Peter, then go on to do the Bachelor of Health Science in Myotherapy, which is a 3 year degree. That time can be reduced, if the therapist already holds a Diploma or Advanced Diploma, however the schedules at the Universities often means that upgrading to the Bachelor is a timely pursuit. Both Mel and Peter spent 6 years at Endeavour College of Natural Health to complete their degrees, mostly due to COVID lockdowns and the scheduling conflicts of academia!

Is Myotherapy just a really hard massage?

No! Myotherapy is so much more than "just a really hard massage". Pressure is not the defining factor between a massage and a Myotherapy consultation. Myotherapists study more in depth on specific injuries, and Clinical Myotherapists with a Bachelor degree also study neuroscience, pathology, nutritional factors, biochemistry, and other science-heavy subjects. A Myotherapist comes to your treatment armed with lots of knowledge about anatomy and physiology, healing, working with complicated conditions, and the advanced manual therapy skillsets including dry needling, cupping, TENS, joint mobilisation, MET, and so much more.

Can Myotherapy help Bursitis?

Absolutely Myotherapy can help with Bursitis. We treat this inflammatory condition frequently, and the good news is that you can get Myotherapy for Bursitis, with or without a cortisone injection for it. Shoulders and hips are the most common bursitis sites, and its usually caused by repetitive movements that irritate and inflame the bursa. We provide treatments that reduce the strain on the bursa and the joint, and help decrease pain, allow you to put more load through the joint, and give you safe and effective exercises that are suitable for where you're at, whether thats highly sensitive pain or dull but constant discomfort.

Is Myotherapy better than Physio?

Myotherapy and Physiotherapy work towards the same goals - both treatments are designed to help a person in pain to feel and move better. We believe it comes down to a personal preference. In fact, there is a huge cross over of techniques that are used by Myotherapists and Physiotherapists, so both kinds of practitioner are very well suited to helping if you're in pain. Our patients love that they typically get more hands on time from us than with a Physio, and just more time in general! Our standard appointments are 50 minutes, which is often double (or more!) of the standard appointment time of a Physio. As far as cost effectiveness goes, you can often get more treatment time for less treatment fees with a Myo.

Osteo FAQs

These are the most Frequently Asked Questions we get about Osteo!

What is osteopathy?
Osteopathy is a holistic approach to the body. Throughout the osteopathic degree, practitioners learn how to treat through the muscular, skeletal, vascular, fascial and organ systems. Not only do we look into multiple systems but also in multiple areas, say you come in for knee pain, I will most likely look at your ankle and hip, depending on how those structures are going I may go to your lower back or toes etc.

How does osteopathy differ from chiropractic care or physiotherapy?
Osteopathy is more of a jack of all trades. Although you learn how to manipulate joints in university using HVLA (high velocity, low amplitude technique that elicited ‘popping’ or ‘cracking’ sound), you also learn about the soft tissue, organs, veins arteries, etc. Chiropractors spend 5 years learning primarily to manipulate joints, Physiotherapists spend 4 years primarily learning exercises. So although I can do both of these things, my level of expertise in those treatment modalities may not be equal to those that specialise in them.

What types of conditions can osteopathy treat?
Osteopathy can treat various conditions, including jaw pain, headaches, neck and back pain, tendinopathies, bursitis, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, constipation, help with breathing difficulties, assist with some forms of tinnitus (ringing in the ear), some forms of incontinence etc. If you have an ache or pain or something in your system is a bit odd that you have noticed, let us know, as with our medical knowledge some of those things may trigger our medical brain linking some complaints to one central structure.

How does osteopathy address musculoskeletal pain?
Using soft tissue or manual therapy techniques osteopathy addresses the area of pain and surrounding structures, as we believe in a holistic approach. If you feel like I am being too gentle, never fear, as sometimes clearing surface-level structures can be just as important if not more important than deeper ones. Sometimes you have to deal with the packaging before getting to the item inside and this can be true for the body as well.

Can osteopathy help with sports injuries?
Yes, Osteopathy can help with sports injuries such as tendonitis, bursitis, ‘pulled’ hamstring, rolled ankles, recovery with bone fractures etc.

How does osteopathy support recovery from chronic pain conditions?
Chronic pain is defined as pain that has been felt for more than 3 months. During this time the body will rewire the nervous system, mixing cables around to supervise and monitor the area of pain. Your body will also naturally compensate for this pain structure, so often when a tissue has entered a chronic state, a different approach may be necessary. Osteopaths are trained to peel back the layers of the chronic pain structures to try and get to the starting point, though some areas may take some more peeling than others.

Is osteopathy suitable for children and adolescents?
Yes. Osteopathy can be used on all age groups, though for those under the age of 5, we recommend going to a pediatric osteopath, as they have been more thoroughly trained in the treatment of babies and toddlers.

Can osteopathy help with headaches or migraines?
Yes. A lot of headaches and migraines can be helped by osteopathic manual therapy techniques, which have been further backed by research.

How does osteopathy treat joint pain or arthritis?
The treatment of arthritis primarily involves moving fluid along and helping the joint being pulled or rotated in certain ways to decompress as much as it is able. Unfortunately, once arthritis has reached a certain point we are only able to get to a certain area of comfort level but can help surrounding structures and help by giving exercises and advice.

What is the role of osteopathy in improving posture and alignment?
Poor posture is often a result of the body hugging an area of pain or dysfunction. Pain in the body is a result of its inability to compensate for an injury. One way to think of it is like a Jenga tower removing one block won’t cause the tower to fall, nor will the next, but eventually the tower will wobble with a slight breeze before tumbling down. The tower tumbling down here is when you feel pain, up until that point however your body was adapting and compensating for these little insults. As an osteopath, our goal is to find where this initial insult is located and correct it which can help with posture.

What techniques do osteopaths commonly use during treatment?
Osteopaths have a wide range of techniques that can be used during treatment. Most commonly would be techniques such as soft tissue work (massage, cross fibre kneading), myofascial releases, muscle-energy techniques (MET), joint articulation, counter strain, dry needling, or high-velocity low-amplitude (HVLA, popping or cracking techniques).

Can osteopathy involve spinal adjustments, similar to chiropractic care?
Yes, this is known as a high-velocity low-amplitude (HVLA) technique. Often osteopaths will use other techniques throughout the consult in conjuncture with HVLA.

How does osteopathy use soft tissue techniques to relieve pain?
Using clinical experience and palpation, osteopaths will attempt to find your primary area of dysfunction and release it and its surrounding tissues.

Are there any hands-on manipulations involved in osteopathic treatment?
Hands-on techniques are a must when it comes to osteopathic treatment. Feeling the patient's tissues, its texture and levels of tension is a must and helps to identify the area of dysfunction.

What role does osteopathy play in improving mobility and flexibility?
The body drifts on a scale between two areas; Stability and Mobility. If an area is very stable then it is not very mobile; if it is very mobile it is not very stable. If the body is guarding an area of dysfunction it will attempt to stabilise it and not let it move in order to protect it. By releasing the area of dysfunction we can then achieve a better balance between stability and mobility helping to improve flexibility.

Can osteopathy help with nerve pain, like sciatica?
Yes. Sciatica describes compression of the sciatic nerve causing pain through the lower back radiating down the back of the thigh through the hamstring region. Think of your nerves like a straw. If the straw is free and clear we get a good flow of fluid. If a kink or a blockage occurs, we may still get stuff coming through the straw, just not as much. The same principle applies to nerves. We are still getting signalling going through the nerve, but it has been altered causing pain. So to get rid of the pain we just need to identify and unblock the relevant kink or blockage.

How do osteopaths assess and treat back pain?
Initially, we will gather some history on your back pain, how did it come about? What makes it better? What makes it worse? Etc. After gathering history we will then assess your range of motion in order to see how your body is compensating for this area of pain. We will then get you laying or sitting on the bed depending on what our assessment identifies using a variety of techniques to treat our findings.

Is osteopathy beneficial for neck and shoulder tension?
Yes. Both neck and shoulder tension can be treated osteopathically using a combination of soft tissue techniques and joint articulation.

Can osteopathy help with jaw (TMJ) pain and dysfunction?
Yes. Jaw pain or the inability to open or close you mouth can stem from muscular tension throughout the facial area which can be treated with a combination of soft tissue techniques and joint articulation.

Do you provide exercises or advice for patients to follow at home?
Depending upon your condition exercises will be provided to help with the condition for which you present to the clinic with.