Muscle Energy Technique is a neurological reset for muscles. Invited to contract for THREE 8-10 sets, the communication lines between muscle, nerve, and brain are reawakened--warming, educating, then encoding the increased range of motion with practice.
Kendall's Muscle Testing strategy helps ascertain which muscles are functioning at full capacity compared to their counterparts. Often tests of muscles function also act as the reset or restart of that muscle for full contraction capacity.
Waking up with locked necks and shoulders is common. Having a muscle seize in the upper back can also be frustrating. Using the following muscle engagement in conjunction with the Functional Range Conditioning exercises that target joints is a win-win. In just a few minutes, you can engage muscles of the upper back and their agonists, including:
Mid-trapezius--arms outstretched, palms open, facing up.
Pec Major--arms forward at shoulder, hands in soft fist, fingers down.
Pec Minor--arms stay forward at shoulder, soft fist angle targets opposite hip.
Latissimus Dorsi--Palms rotate outside, swing down in line then slightly behind body.
Rhomboids and Levator Scapulae--both elbows point medially slightly behind the body with open palms completing the medial rotation.
Lower Trapezius--hands rise at the same angle above the head.
Take the time to practice these exercises with this very first draft video. Then, you can take them with you. I've found them helpful mid-day at work, on the tennis court, and as a warm-up for or cool-down of the day's activities.
Feeling stuck in your chair without a lot of wiggle room? Introduced during my training with Pursuit PT, you'll find Swiss Neurologist's Alois Brugger, MD's strategy to engage and reset your muscles a great strategy.
