What is muscle energy technique (MET) and its purpose in chiropractic care?

• A. MET involves using electrical stimulation to relax muscles.
• B. MET is a technique where the patient performs targeted voluntary contractions against the practitioner’s counterforce to improve joint mobility and reduce muscle hypertonicity.
• C. MET is a passive stretching method with no patient effort.
• D. MET relies on heat and cold therapy to alter muscle tone.

Answer: (B)

MET relies on the patient actively contracting targeted muscles against a gentle counterforce provided by the clinician. This short isometric effort, followed by a relaxation phase, lets the practitioner guide the joint a bit farther than before. The idea is to reset the muscle length and reduce muscle guard or hypertonicity, using neuromuscular reflexes like post‑isometric relaxation and reciprocal inhibition to improve joint mobility and restore balance in muscle function. It’s an active technique, not a passive stretch, and it doesn’t involve electrical stimulation or heat/cold therapy. Through repeated brief contractions and releases, MET aims to improve range of motion and reduce abnormal muscle tone in the affected area.