EMTT is an exciting new treatment that has recently been made available to physiotherapists to help elevate our practice and enhance our treatment outcomes. At Physio on the Green we are one of the first clinics in the area to offer this exciting new therapy.
What is EMTT?
Extracorporeal Magnetotransduction Therapy (EMTT®) is a new form of magnetic therapy, and is based on previous technologies such as PEMF which have over 20 years of research. It is a non-invasive, evidence-based treatment which is used to help patients suffering from a variety of ailments such as degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis, chronic (back, foot, shoulder, elbow, knee) pain, and acute overuse injuries.
How does EMTT work?
During treatment, the painful areas of the body are targeted using high energy magnetic pulses to penetrate the tissues and have a cellular effect. It is an entirely non-invasive procedure, with the pulses being delivered via a unit with a magnetic coil, such as the one pictured below. The delivery of magnetic energy causes increased cellular signalling and movement, leading to faster healing times. It also can have an anti-inflammatory effect at the cellular level, minimising tissue inflammation. Further, it is shown to reduce pain by minimising the transmission of pain signals at a cellular level.
How is EMTT Used?
Our specially trained physiotherapists will first assess your condition thoroughly. They will then discuss your treatment options with you. If they feel EMTT is appropriate and will be beneficial in your case, they can recommend a course of this alongside your physiotherapy treatment of exercise and other therapies. We also accept referrals from other healthcare professionals.
It is important to understand that this adjunct can help to reduce your pain and enhance recovery, however the evidence advises us that this is alongside a structured and well evidenced rehabilitation program laid out by a skilled physiotherapist. This means that the combination of a physiotherapy program and EMTT treatments can improve patient outcomes greater than either treatment alone in many cases.
For example, imagine you are a young, healthy individual who is consistently in the gym. You decide to really push yourself and quickly build up the number of days you are training your shoulders and the weight you are using to train. You gradually start to get more and more pain in your left shoulder, so you go to a physiotherapist and are told you have a rotator cuff tendinopathy. By the time you see them it is extremely painful, you are feeling weak and unable to do your gym routine. Manual therapy is too painful and doesn’t give you much relief.
This is where EMTT can be an invaluable resource in your recovery. Your physiotherapist will assess your suitability in your initial appointment, and they can then set you up on the EMTT machine. You may feel some tingling, but otherwise there is no sensation during use. After your treatment you may find a slight reduction in your pain or an increase in your function, due to the anti-inflammatory effect it can have. It is recommended to have 4-6 sessions of EMTT, the frequency of which can be discussed with your physiotherapist.
What conditions can benefit from EMTT?
EMTT can be used for more than just shoulders. It can treat a broad range of conditions. It can be used to benefit the following;
- Post operative healing
- Lower back pain (acute and chronic)
- Tendon injuries
- Acute injuries (such as sport injuries, traumas, etc)
- Joint conditions (such as osteoarthritis)
- Bone injuries (such as stress fractures, shin splints, etc)
- Chronic pain conditions (such as CRPS)
- Muscular injuries
Due to its ability to reduce pain and inflammation in both acute and chronic conditions, this is an effective treatment adjunct for a large variety of conditions.
How safe is EMTT?
There are no reported side effects of EMTT. If you are receiving treatment, you may feel slight tingling or irritation at the site of treatment. It is also normal to experience some redness in the area, which will fade quickly after the treatment ends.
Although this is a new technology being used, the evidence is very positive in favour of this being a safe and effective treatment. Further research on this is continuing to be obtained. The technology used in this treatment is derived from the energy used in an MRI, which allows us to have a deeper understanding of its safety over the years.
It is important to understand that this adjunct can help to reduce your pain and enhance recovery, however the evidence advises us that this is alongside a structured and well evidenced rehabilitation program laid out by a skilled physiotherapist. This means that the combination of a physiotherapy program and EMTT treatments can improve patient outcomes greater than either treatment alone in many cases.
For more information on EMTT, please see our dedicated sevice page available here. To book an appointment, call us on the number below or email info@physioonthegreen.com.