Bodywork is any physical work done to or for your body to help it feel better, usually done by a licensed professional.  Bodywork for fitness is a common practice, but can bodywork fix muscle imbalance? I’ll go through the various forms of bodywork and the two that made the biggest impact for me.

5 Bodywork Therapies That Fix Muscle Imbalance

Physical therapy

In my first year of CrossFit, I went to a PT for quite a few months when I was at my wits end.  That was the time I almost blew my knee out after running hill sprints and even some yoga moves felt uncomfortable/off.  Physical therapy did help and I was able to semi get back into my CrossFit workouts (no barbell work) but running was hit or miss.  

The PT focused on helping strengthen the weaker muscles, which was necessary but didn’t address the underlying cause of why the imbalance occurred in the first place.   

Rating 3 out of 5

Active Release Technique (ART)

This is a very hands-on form of soft-tissue therapy used to treat athletic and overuse injuries to help people with chronic pain.  ART was the priciest of the bodywork methods.

My ART professional at Kinetic Performance was extremely knowledgeable. I did enjoy going there but unfortunately couldn’t maintain regular visits due to the cost.  

ART included spinal work and stretching (different than chiropractic), hands-on functional movement stretching, and gave me exercise homework similar to how a physical therapist gives exercises.

Due to not seeing quick enough results, as well as the price, I ultimately decided I wouldn’t be able to sustain this form of bodywork remedy. Although, I do believe this would have helped if I could have afforded it.

Rating 2 out of 5, mainly due to price.

Acupuncture 

While this won’t fix your muscle imbalance, this form of bodywork is excellent for pain management and chronic issues.  You can even use it to help period cramps or regulating your period!

For severe pain, go to the doctor.  For aggravating consistent pain, there is one remedy I love more than anything… Acupuncture.  When I had a muscle spasm for two months in my back (possibly due to a bulging disc), I tried everything, but the only thing that worked was acupuncture.  

This beautiful holistic healing remedy was my saving grace when I could barely stand or sit for more than an hour.  The overactive side of my back was in a constant state of strain. My right lumbar was hard as a rock, with pain radiating continuously.  No massage, chiropractic work, or rolling would get it to relax.  

Acupuncture works differently.  The extra thin needles are placed in acupoints along the meridians in your body to send messages to activate the body’s natural healing process.  I know it sounds “woo-woo” but trust me, it works. 

I’ll take acupuncture over opioids any day.

Rating 4 out of 5

Related: Does Cupping Really Work and How Does it Aid in Muscle Recovery?

Neuromuscular Structural Massage Therapy

When I found Michael Gonzalez, I knew right away he was different than any other massage therapist I’d been to.  He describes what he does as neuromuscular structural massage.  It’s a fancy way of saying he knows his shit on how your body is moving and the causes of why your body isn’t firing properly in some places.  

Michael will activate muscles that are not firing while turning off others that are over-firing.  Hmm, some muscles working, while others not working? That sounds like a recipe for muscle imbalance!  And sure enough, it is.  

When out of alignment (I’ll get to chiropractic in a sec), our bodies will naturally compensate in other areas.  In my case, my neuromuscular massage helped to activate the muscles I couldn’t get to fire on my own during training or even just walking normally every day.  

The more often I received this type of massage the better I felt.  The massages built on one another, meaning, as I’d go once a week, I’d see improvement in my movement patterns.  Therefore, this would lead me to being able to train the way I wanted to, run, or simply do my day-to-day movements without pain or discomfort

I truly felt like this was the holy grail of massage and perfectly compliments my Functional Neurology Chiropractor.

Rating 4 out of 5

Functional Neurology Chiropractic

I’ve been to a dozen or more chiropractors in my life, all a little different, but generally the same.  This was the most comprehensive chiropractic visit I’ve ever had. My chiropractor Dr. Kaitlyn Davis has been working her magic on me for a couple months now. 

I told her my main concern, to fix my muscle imbalance, specifically to balance the right and left sides of my back and core. 

When I worked out after one visit I could tell my body felt different. I noticed my left obliques and left erectors were sore from my workout. 

Okay, that’s new, but the best was yet to come.  

As I continued to get regular weekly visits and do the “homework” she gave me, I could tell my body was changing. 

The big thing I noticed was my left and right erectors started to become more balanced in muscle tone versus the right being dominant.  I was able to use muscles that previously wouldn’t fire. My left hip and knee would function properly instead of giving me pain while working out or running.  

Did this fix my muscle imbalance?

All I could think was, eureka. I haven’t felt this way in years.

Overall, this form of bodywork has been by far the best and oddly enough, the most affordable.  I continue to get regular treatments every two weeks and look forward to living with more of a balance in my body.

Does traditional chiropractic work for muscle imbalances? 

It didn’t for me, it might for others. But Functional Neurology Chiropractic was a game changer.

Rating 5 out of 5

Summary

Muscle imbalances are common among fitness enthusiasts and athletes and can get out of control quickly if not put in check.  Bodywork is a great fitness recovery strategy and especially helpful to fix muscle imbalance in the body. If your outside the San Diego area and can’t go see Dr. Davis, I’d recommend looking up a Functional Neurology Chiropractor in your area.

Let me know if you’ve tried any of these in the comments below. I’d love to hear what worked for you (or didn’t).

Related: 13 Muscle Recovery Strategies to Optimize Your Workouts