Do you have an injury that’s causing pain and preventing you from doing the activities you love? If so, then the Graston Technique may be right for you. Your body creates scar tissue as it repairs damage from accidents, injuries, muscle pulls, tendinitis, and surgeries. Breaking up that scar tissue will allow for the proper restoration of function and range of motion.
Normal, healthy muscle tissue is striated, where each strand lays parallel with the next. This allow for smooth, efficient function and range of motion. However, scar tissue is different. You see, your body is in a rush to get you back to your activities and it does this by stitching the closest ends of a microscopic muscle tear together, then pivoting to stitch the next closest ends, pivoting again, and so on, layer by layer, until the tear has been completely patched. The end result looks similar to taking a pile of toothpicks, throwing them up in the air and watching them land haphazardly. That disordered pattern disrupts the normal contraction-relaxation function of your muscle because muscles rely on the striated, side-by-side pattern (the toothpicks on the picture on the left) for the best function and range of motion.
Fortunately, there is a way to break down scar tissue and promote proper healing.
The Graston Technique® is a type of manual therapy developed by athletes and based on the work of Dr. James Cyriax, who is considered the Father of Orthopedic Medicine.
Here’s how it works:
- Graston® handheld instruments are used to detect the precise location of your scar tissue
- Friction massage breaks down the scar tissue for absorption back into your body
- Your body responds by flooding the area with white blood cells and nutrients
- Special cells called fibroblasts start building new connective tissue
- The histamine response initiates the creation of collagen, “the glue that holds the body together"
- New muscle tissue is laid down in a more striated fashion
- After just a three or four treatments, most patients see positive results
Over 22,000 clinicians around the world have used this technique to help thousands of people, including runners, rock climbers, professional athletes, and Olympians, recover faster and more completely. The Graston® Technique is also used by our own Minnesota Wild, Timberwolves, Twins and Vikings.
Dr. Smith has been professionally trained and is an official Graston® Technique Provider. Contact Advanced Wellness & Sports Rehab TODAY to learn more about this special form of manual therapy and how it could help you!