When we take a look at rehabilitation and recovery as a whole, there are many methodologies which can come into play towards restoring healthy function to the body. Flexibility exercises and bouts of self-myofascial release can only accomplish so much. Sometimes, you need to seek professional help in order to treat your problematic area. I’m going to provide a brief overview on why Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) should be the new tool in your rehab toolbox!
In regards to mechanical injuries of the body, soft tissue related injuries are the most common to occur during activity. Soft tissue refers to basically any tissue other than bone within our bodies: muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, nerves, etc. Most of the time when we suffer from an injury or need to devote time towards recovery, we either ignore the problem entirely or begin to take action. Trying to “muscle through the pain” is never a good idea and will just lead to more complications down the road. Here is where IASTM can help you out!
*Before I go on, of course this should go without saying, but if you are in serious pain or have any major injuries, stop reading this article and go seek medical attention. Ok, moving on.
History
Gua Sha, a treatment method used in traditional Chinese Medicine, can be seen as the ancient ancestor to the modern IASTM method used today. Gua Sha is said to have healing properties and helps remove unhealthy elements from the body while stimulating clean blood flow. Traditionally, people would seek Gua Sha treatments for body aches, colds, stress, and energy healing. This treatment is accomplished through the process of using a smooth-edged tool and introducing scrape-like repetitive motions to the skin under moderate pressure. Although the application is similar, IASTM is geared towards providing more physiological benefits to the musculoskeletal system.
What Is It?
How Does It Work?
Much like its Chinese predecessor, IASTM also uses the process of scraping the skin under moderate pressure with various tools to facilitate soft-tissue recovery. An emollient or lubricant of some kind is used to decrease friction from the tool and skin. When IASTM is being applied, a mild localized inflammatory response occurs due to the micro trauma brought on with the scraping. While this may seem counterintuitive to perform, the body actually responds to this newly produced inflammation with removal of excessive scar tissue and a kick-start back into the healing process. The response from IASTM includes: decreased pain, increased range of motion, increased muscle strength, soft-tissue remodeling. IASTM practitioners are typically chiropractors, physical therapists, athletic trainers, massage therapists, and some personal trainers.
Listed below are some of the many conditions IASTM can benefit.
- Medial Epicondylitis (Golfer’s Elbow)
- Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow)
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Neck Pain
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
Patellar Tendonitis
- Tibialis Posterior Tendonitis
- Heel Pain /Achilles Tendonitis
- Post-Surgical and Traumatic Scars
- Myofascial Pain and Restrictions
- Musculoskeletal Imbalances
- Chronic Joint Swelling
- Ligament Sprains
- Muscle Strains
- Non-Acute Bursitis
- Back Pain
- Trigger Finger
- Hip Pain
- IT Band Syndrome
- Shin Splints
- Scars (Surgical, Traumatic)
What To Expect?
Now that you’re intrigued, you should know what to expect during your first treatment. As an IASTM practitioner myself, I have treated and been treated many times. IASTM can be uncomfortable for some and is all dependent on your individual pain tolerance and practitioner’s skill level. The number one thing I can recommend is to communicate with your practitioner. This is not the time to refer back to the “no pain, no gain” mentality. Likewise, your practitioner should be well aware of how to assess and treat you as a new patient properly.
You’ll begin by describing your pain or areas of concern and the practitioner should run some tests to evaluate your movement patterns. I usually use the test-treat-retest method to evaluate changes being made.
From there, he or she will begin to work on your specific areas or movements based on your issue. Treatment for each body part typically lasts about 5-15 minutes. Skin flushing/redness will occur for most individuals, but some people experience an increased physical response and darker shades of red will show. This is completely normal, will disappear within 2-4 days, and should not worry you! If you develop bruises however, this means that your practitioner went too hard and the inflammatory response was too large.
Graston, Hawkgrips, and Rocktape are the three largest companies around today using IASTM tools and certifying IASTM practitioners. You can find a practitioner through each company’s webpage or hit me up! Hopefully this article has provided some insight to this modern recovery process and why you should find a certified professional to give IASTM a try!
*To schedule an IASTM session, contact me at jon@rawathleticspt.com!
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