What is Muscle Activation?

Muscles are the support system for our joints. Muscle Activation Techniques (MAT) is a systematic approach for identifying & treating inhibited muscle function that may result in joint and back pain. 

What do we mean by "inhibited muscle function"? 
We tend to think of muscle function in terms of strength, as in the ability to lift or move heavy objects.  In fact, it is much more complex.  Because we are upright creatures, and are constantly under the stress of gravity and other forces of motion, every individual muscle in our body must be able to sense, and respond to these forces, at exactly the appropriate instant, and with the appropriate amount of force, simply to keep us upright and stable.  Proper muscle function relies on these 4 simplified components working together in harmony: 

• Muscles have sensory fibers (groups of cells) called intrafusal fibers.  These sensory fibers must detect the amount of stress that is being placed on a muscle and joint, and send that information to the central nervous system (CNS). 
• The CNS gathers this information from all of the motor units of all of the muscles in the body, and determines appropriate action for each.  
• The information is relayed back down to the individual muscle motor units as electrical signals
• The muscle fibers in the muscle motor unit contract in response to these electrical signals. 

If any of these components are not operating optimally, the muscle is said to be inhibited.  It is these components that are being tested when the doctor taps your knee with the rubber mallet and makes your leg jump.  These are the componetns of reflexive action - the ability of your muscle and related neural systems to respond to stress input.  MAT presents a systematic approach to testing this for your entire body. 

What causes a muscle to become inhibited?