What Happens During a Myotherapy Session: A Step-by-Step Guide

Before You Arrive

Wear loose, comfortable clothing that allows easy access to the areas you want treated. Many practitioners prefer you to undress to underwear, though some techniques can be performed through light clothing. Bring a list of your symptoms, including when they started and what makes them better or worse.

Avoid heavy meals two hours before your appointment, but don't arrive hungry either. Skip alcohol for 24 hours beforehand, as it can interfere with your body's response to treatment. If you take pain medication regularly, continue as normal—but mention this to your practitioner.

Drink plenty of water in the day leading up to your session. Well-hydrated muscles respond better to treatment and you'll likely feel less sore afterwards.

The Assessment Phase

Your practitioner will begin with a detailed discussion about your pain patterns, daily activities, and medical history. This conversation typically takes 10-15 minutes and helps identify which muscles might be causing problems.

Next comes the physical assessment. Your practitioner will observe how you move, checking your posture and asking you to perform simple movements like reaching overhead or bending forward. They'll palpate the affected areas, feeling for muscle tension, trigger points, and areas of restricted movement.

During this examination, you might feel some tenderness when they press certain spots. This is normal—they're mapping out the areas that need attention. Speak up if anything feels particularly uncomfortable or if you recognise a familiar pain pattern.

The Treatment Itself

The hands-on work begins with broader massage strokes to warm up the tissues, lasting about 5-10 minutes. This helps your muscles relax and prepares them for the more specific trigger point work to follow.

Trigger point release forms the heart of most myotherapy sessions. Your practitioner will apply sustained pressure to specific tight spots in your muscles, often using their thumbs, elbows, or specialised tools. Each trigger point typically requires 30-90 seconds of pressure. You'll feel a deep, sometimes intense sensation—uncomfortable but not unbearable.

Many people describe the sensation as 'hurts so good'—a deep ache that feels like it's addressing exactly the right spot. Your practitioner may ask you to rate the pressure on a scale of 1-10, aiming for around 6-7. The discomfort should ease as the muscle releases.

Between trigger point work, your practitioner might incorporate stretching techniques, asking you to resist gentle pressure or move your limbs in specific directions. The entire hands-on portion usually lasts 30-40 minutes.

During and After Treatment

During treatment, you might experience referred sensations—feeling the work in areas distant from where pressure is being applied. This is completely normal and often indicates that your practitioner has found a significant trigger point.

Some people feel deeply relaxed during treatment, while others find the trigger point work quite stimulating. You might notice your breathing naturally deepens, or that you feel slightly light-headed when you first sit up. Take your time getting up from the treatment table.

Immediately after your session, many people report feeling looser and more mobile, though some areas might feel tender. This post-treatment soreness typically peaks within 24-48 hours and feels similar to the aftermath of a good workout. It's a sign that your muscles are responding to the treatment.

Some people experience emotional releases during or after myotherapy, particularly if they've been holding tension for a long time. This is normal and usually passes quickly.

Post-Session Care

Drink extra water for the rest of the day—aim for an additional 2-3 glasses beyond your usual intake. This helps flush metabolic waste products from the treated muscles and reduces post-session soreness.

Gentle movement is beneficial, but avoid intense exercise for 24 hours. A leisurely walk or gentle stretching works well. Heat can feel soothing if you experience post-treatment stiffness—try a warm bath or heat pack for 15-20 minutes.

Avoid alcohol for the remainder of the day, as it can interfere with the healing process and may exacerbate any post-treatment fatigue you might feel.

Most people notice the full benefits within 2-4 days of treatment. If you experience severe pain, significant swelling, or symptoms that worsen rather than improve, contact your practitioner.

Treatment Course and Frequency

Most myotherapy programmes involve 4-6 sessions scheduled weekly or fortnightly. Chronic conditions that have developed over months or years typically require more sessions than recent injuries.

Your first few sessions focus on releasing the most problematic trigger points and beginning to restore normal muscle function. Later sessions often incorporate more stretching, movement retraining, and preventive strategies.

After the initial course, many people schedule maintenance sessions every 4-8 weeks, particularly if their pain stems from postural issues or repetitive activities that can't be completely avoided.

Your practitioner will likely provide exercises and postural advice to complement the hands-on treatment. Following these recommendations significantly improves outcomes and helps prevent problems from recurring.