Muscle Energy Technique
I'm Anthony McKergow, a remedial massage therapist based in Hoppers Crossing, holding a Diploma of Remedial Massage (HLT52015) and a professional member of Massage and Myotherapy Australia. I use muscle energy technique (MET) as part of my practice in Hoppers Crossing, with clients travelling from Tarneit, Point Cook, Werribee, and across Melbourne's western suburbs.
Muscle energy technique is a hands-on method that uses gentle, controlled muscle contractions to help improve joint movement and reduce unnecessary muscle tension.
Unlike techniques where the therapist applies sustained pressure, MET is active. You are guided to contract a specific muscle lightly while I provide resistance and positioning. After each contraction, the muscle is allowed to relax, often allowing a small but meaningful improvement in movement or ease.
MET is commonly used when a joint feels restricted, guarded, or stiff rather than tight from knots. It is particularly useful when pain or injury has changed how the body moves or holds itself.
The approach is low-force, deliberate, and guided by assessment rather than intensity.
What Muscle Energy Technique is commonly used for
Muscle Energy Technique is most often used when movement feels restricted or guarded, rather than simply tight or sore.
It is commonly applied in situations where pain, injury, or prolonged tension has changed how a joint is moving or being controlled.
MET is frequently used to support:
- Restricted joint range that improves slightly but then “hits a block”
- Protective muscle tone around a joint after pain or strain
- Side-to-side movement differences that don’t settle with passive work
- Stiffness linked to prolonged posture or repetitive positions
- Early return to movement after pain has settled but confidence has not
Because MET uses gentle, guided effort from the client, it can be useful when stronger techniques feel unnecessary or poorly tolerated.
It is often chosen when the goal is to restore smoother movement and coordination, not to apply deeper pressure.
How Muscle Energy Technique works
Muscle Energy Technique uses gentle muscle contractions to influence movement and muscle tone.
The therapist positions a joint near the edge of its comfortable range. You are then guided to lightly contract a specific muscle against resistance for a few seconds. After the contraction, the muscle relaxes and the joint is reassessed.
This process can help:
- reduce unnecessary muscle guarding
- improve coordination around a joint
- allow small, controlled changes in movement
A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis in Healthcare (Kang et al., 19 randomised controlled trials, 949 participants) found that MET outperformed static stretching for improving flexibility, an effect attributed to MET combining isometric contraction with the stretch response, engaging the nervous system rather than relying on passive tissue lengthening alone. (PMID: 37107922)
MET does not force range or rely on strong pressure. It works with the nervous system, making it useful when restriction is driven by protection rather than stiffness alone.
What a session feels like
Muscle Energy Technique is calm, controlled, and low effort.
You will be positioned comfortably and asked to gently engage a muscle against light resistance. The contraction is brief and never forceful. Breathing stays relaxed, and communication is ongoing.
Most people describe the technique as:
- controlled rather than intense
- active but not tiring
- precise rather than broad
There is no deep pressure and no stretching into pain. Any changes in movement usually feel subtle but clear, especially around joints that previously felt guarded or restricted.
When Muscle Energy Technique is useful
Muscle Energy Technique is most useful when movement feels restricted due to guarding or altered control, rather than structural stiffness.
It is commonly used for:
- joint stiffness that eases slightly but does not fully resolve
- protective muscle tension following pain or strain
- side-to-side movement differences
- stiffness linked to prolonged posture or repetitive load
Because MET is low force and client-active, it is often appropriate when stronger techniques feel unnecessary or poorly tolerated.
MET is not designed for:
- acute injury where movement is not yet comfortable
- situations where pain is increasing with light effort
- restoring large or long-standing range restrictions on its own
In these cases, MET may be delayed or used alongside other approaches rather than as the primary technique.
How Muscle Energy Technique fits within a treatment plan
Muscle Energy Technique is rarely used in isolation.
It is often combined with remedial massage and other hands-on techniques to support smoother movement and better control around a joint.
You can view the full range of techniques I use on the Services page.
Within a session, MET may be used:
- before other techniques, to reduce guarding and improve ease of movement
- between techniques, to reassess and refine joint motion
- after hands-on work, to help reinforce more comfortable movement patterns
MET works well alongside pressure-based or tissue-focused approaches because it adds an active component. This can help the nervous system feel more confident about allowing movement rather than protecting against it.
The choice to use MET is guided by assessment and response, not by routine.
Last reviewed: June 2026
Next steps
Book online at pcrmt.splose.com/online-booking/0a1e4760-b674-487c-9cd5-b0f2617e15a9
Common questions
Is Muscle Energy Technique the same as stretching?
No. MET is an active technique rather than a passive one. Instead of being stretched by the therapist, you gently contract a specific muscle against light resistance for a few seconds, then relax. That process is repeated, and small improvements in movement or ease often follow each cycle. The contraction engages the nervous system rather than forcing range, which is why MET can produce change in movement without requiring the therapist to apply sustained force.
Do I need to be flexible or physically fit to benefit from MET?
No. The contractions used in MET are gentle and guided, and the technique stays well within a comfortable range. It is often most useful for people whose movement feels limited or guarded rather than those who are already moving freely. Flexibility and fitness are not requirements. What matters is the ability to make a small, controlled effort against resistance, which most people can do regardless of their current condition or fitness level.
What does a Muscle Energy Technique session feel like?
MET is calm, precise, and low effort. You will be positioned comfortably and asked to gently engage a specific muscle against light resistance. The contraction is brief, never forceful, and is followed by a period of relaxation. Most people describe it as controlled rather than intense, active but not tiring. Changes in movement tend to feel subtle but clear, particularly around joints that have felt blocked or guarded before the session.
When is MET more appropriate than hands-on pressure techniques?
MET tends to be more useful when restriction feels like guarding or altered joint control rather than tight muscle tissue. If a joint feels like it hits a block at a certain point in its range, or if one side moves differently from the other without a clear reason, MET is often a better fit than sustained pressure work. It is also commonly used when deeper techniques are not well tolerated, or when the aim is to restore coordination around a joint rather than reduce overall muscle tension.
Can MET be used once pain has settled but movement still feels restricted?
Yes, and this is often when it is most effective. After a period of pain, the body sometimes continues to limit movement even once the original cause has resolved. That restriction is often driven by the nervous system's protective response rather than ongoing tissue damage. MET works well in this phase because it uses gentle, guided effort to help the body feel safer about allowing movement again, rather than trying to force range that the system is still guarding against.
How long do the improvements from MET tend to last?
This depends on what is driving the restriction and how the area is being used between sessions. When movement improves during a session, that change can persist if the underlying load or pattern contributing to the restriction is also addressed. For some people, a few sessions produce lasting change. For others, particularly where ongoing work or training demands keep the same areas under load, periodic maintenance is more realistic. The aim is always to help change carry over into daily movement rather than rely on repeated sessions indefinitely.