Muscle Activation Techniques® (M.A.T.)

M.A.T. is an innovative treatment process which systematically eliminates pain, joint instability, and muscle tightness or compensation arising from muscle weakness.

M.A.T. reactivates weak and injured muscles with precision manual therapy and corrective isometric exercises, using an extensive system of checks and balances to assess and meet your body's needs.

M.A.T. addresses sources of pain - not just symptoms of pain - utilizing targeted muscle testing, global range of motion (R.O.M.) testing, and specialized musculoskeletal assessments.

Have chronically tight, tense muscles or bad posture?

M.A.T. methodically frees muscle tension linked to compensation by addressing the root source, thereby liberating muscles trapped in protective holding patterns within the body.

Have a recurrent or overuse injury?

M.A.T. eliminates weak links in the muscular system that, if left unchecked, may lead to an ongoing "pin-ball" effect in which muscular compensations result in improper and ineffective body mechanics.

Have poor balance/ movement control or are you feeling muscular weakness in certain areas?

M.A.T. corrects muscular imbalances by restoring appropriate muscle tension, pulling and holding joints in proper alignment while also allowing the joints to become more efficient mechanically (an excellent adjunct to chiropractic work).

Is it taking a long time for an old injury to heal?

M.A.T. M.A.T. re-initiates your body's natural regenerative capabilities, facilitating higher rates of repair in cartilage, fascia, muscle tissue, tendons and ligaments.

Experience achy, creaky joints?

M.A.T. M.A.T. decreases wear and tear on joint surfaces, tendons and ligaments which may already be in a degenerative state, re-establishing balanced muscle- tension relationships and stabilizing joints.

Need to improve circulation?

M.A.T. improves blood flow in muscles and the surrounding tissue; previously weakened muscles lengthen and contract normally again, enabling better circulation.

Have you recently had or will you soon have surgery?

M.A.T. reduces global and regional stress, which results in an increased rate of healing and less strain on the immune system.

M.A.T. complements other modalities such as chiropractic, physical therapy, massage and personal training to return your body to full, pain-free function.

M.A.T. recognizes that if muscles are not correctly connected, exercise may contribute to or worsen muscle compensation. Exercise cannot eliminate compensation on its own.

M.A.T. can help prevent degenerative states in the body by targeting and treating muscle weakness.

M.A.T. reveals protective patterns your body is using instead of aggressively addressing tight or irritated muscles.

M.A.T. sees muscle tightness as a natural protective and compensatory response. These compensations are triggered by any number of stresses that cause weakness or instability -- specifically in muscles and joints.

M.A.T. targets the root cause, viewing pain, tightness, and compensation as primarily symptomatic in muscle weakness. Compensations occur when some muscles can't perform their assigned tasks, causing their work to be performed by other muscles in order to "get the job done." When the source of this compensation is addressed, the body's protective responses are resolved and optimal muscle balance is restored.

Helps create the right state in the body for the breaking up of scar tissue; as muscle compensation is tamed, mechanical efficiency returns and misdirected forces which contribute to the formation of scar tissue are reconciled. The break up of scar tissue is initiated by normalized muscle contractions and appropriate muscle tension, enabling better blood flow and sparking natural healing processes.

M.A.T. Certified Specialists have studied and are highly trained in biomechanics, human anatomy, precision manual therapy, and neurophysiology.

M.A.T. requires critical thinking, progressive philosophy and a life long commitment to continuing education and overall mastery.

WHY M.A.T.?

Are your muscles functioning normally? Do you have a muscular imbalance? How can you tell the difference?

When it comes to muscle function, what exactly is "normal"? "Normal" can only be felt relative to what we are used to feeling. If you were once in excellent health but are now suffering some kind of muscular imbalance, and you don't recall what your former body felt like, how can you truly assess your current state?

In order to reach our greatest potential, we first need to recognize and resolve disruptions in the body that unfairly obstruct our abilities. When we have hidden vulnerabilities, "normal" becomes an abstract concept.

It's somewhat tricky to think about. When it comes to things like muscle imbalance or wear and tear, assessing or gauging our bodies with any accuracy is a challenge. The human body is complicated and simple assumptions and guesswork are not proper ways to diagnose or treat a problem.

The body automatically compensates for weakness or injury. When the brain senses instability in various parts of the body, it takes measures to protect itself. For example, in an attempt to support and protect a joint, the brain sends messages to muscles surrounding that joint to tighten up. This usually results in muscle imbalances and can lead to future injury, recurring pain, tension and overuse.

When a muscle is either weak or not functioning properly, it is unable to contract or lengthen normally. Other muscles will step in to pick up the slack. This is known as muscle compensation, and it's a cycle of stress that may continue for years. When this compensation reaches a critical point, it results in pain -- a signal that something is wrong.

Most familiar forms of pain are actually derived from muscle weakness. And traditionally, the symptoms of pain were treated with modalities which failed to resolve the underlying problem. Recent breakthroughs in biomechanics and the neuromuscular system have resulted in the development of new treatment methods.

"Pain is an indicator of weakness," says Greg Roskopff, founder of M.A.T. This means that when we feel pain during movement, or while holding a muscle against a particular force, our muscles are shut down. Pain is a warning sign. When the body's muscle system cannot adequately control force, stress is too high. We have lost communication with our muscles.

If our muscles fail to handle, assimilate or transmit force, stress occurs in the body's structure and tissues, while also affecting the nervous system. How effectively does your body react to force placed upon it? How well does your body apply its own force? Clearly, stress on our bodies is derived from our distinct muscle weaknesses. It makes sense, then, to locate and treat the origin of weakness. This way, the body avoids stress and can heal itself.

Muscle Activation Techniques (M.A.T.) is a bio-mechanically-based treatment system that can determine with precision the areas of weakness and compensation within a body's muscular imbalance -- and correct them.

M.A.T. recognizes weak and inhibited muscles as the root cause of compensation and pain. It addresses this injury/pain by targeting the weak muscle, thereby releasing the tight muscles. M.A.T. corrects this cycle, restoring muscles to their peak functional capabilities. It resets the neuromuscular pathways, and can dramatically improve the neuromuscular system's functional capabilities for all age groups and increase performance for people at all levels.

How does M.A.T. work? The central nervous system (CNS) directly controls all muscles. Receptors throughout the body send information, called proprioception, to the CNS. The information is sent through the nervous system, processed in a feedback loop through the brain, and returned to the muscles. The body loses proprioceptive input due to trauma and/or stress in various forms.

M.A.T. increases proprioceptive input to the central nervous system. When this input is restored, tension is decreased and pain is reduced or eliminated.

Copyright 2010, Troy Stallman