In the past, the potential of an injured person developing complications, such as the buildup of scar tissue, was a matter of chance. Fortunately, patients currently have a variety of options to treat such difficulties. One such option is the Graston Technique.
The Graston Chiropractic Technique is a widely used treatment technique used for treating soft tissue, muscle, ligament, and tendon injuries. The Graston Technique gets high marks for speeding up the healing and recovery process for both chronic and acute injuries.
The Graston Technique is an evidence-based treatment for soft-tissue injuries of the skin, muscles, and connective tissues (tendons and ligaments). Clinical research strongly supports this treatment’s effectiveness in aiding recovery; therefore, this technique is extremely popular in sports medicine- including Olympic athletes and professional and university sports teams.
The Graston Technique is used by chiropractors to manually treat scar tissue (otherwise known as fascial adhesions) which can cause pain, inflammation, stiffness, loss of range of motion, and soreness.
Some professional athletes prefer to use this technique as a preventative treatment, treating the soft tissues before they even have the opportunity to form scar tissue.
How Scar Tissue Forms
Scar tissue forms when soft tissue does not heal properly after trauma to muscles, tendons, ligaments, or fascia. It also forms due to repetitive stress.
Sometimes after the tissue is damaged whether through traumatic injury, repetitive stress injury, or regular wear and tear, instead of replacing the damaged tissue with healthy collagen, the body replaces it with scar tissue. The scar tissue is less flexible than healthy tissue, resulting in stiffness and a loss in range of motion. Further damage to the area can cause even more scar tissue to build up, which is why it is so important to treat it as soon as possible.
Tools or Instruments Utilized with the Graston Technique
The tools used with the Graston Chiropractic Technique are designed specifically for use in this treatment regimen. They are stainless steel instruments with rounded, concave, and convex edges.
Graston tools are classified as Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization or IASTM. These tools are used to detect and treat soft tissue fibrosis as well as chronic inflammation. These tools allow our Coral Springs chiropractors the ability to scan and detect areas of fibrotic tissue.
What to Expect from Treatment
During treatment using the Graston Technique, the practitioner uses six stainless steel tools to manually break up the scar tissue fibers. The tools are not sharp—instead, they are used to scan the injured area and identify and treat scarred and inflamed tissue. The chiropractor then uses the tools to break up the scar tissue, which triggers the healing process.
Treatment with the Graston method is not painful. The vast majority of patients describe the Graston Chiropractic Technique as being comfortable and highly tolerable.
Treatment only takes about a few minutes and is commonly followed by redness and swelling, which can subsequently be treated with ice. Most injuries require several treatments, although after the initial treatment patients normally report a drastic improvement in pain and flexibility in the affected area.
Benefits of The Graston Technique
Benefits of treatment with the Graston Technique include improvement in severe cases of back pain, neck pain, shoulder tendinitis, carpal tunnel, knee pain, Achilles tendonitis, and plantar fasciitis.
The Graston Technique works because it both breaks up existing scar tissue and increases blood flow, which promotes the growth of healthy tissue and helps reduce inflammation. As a result, patients experience a greater range of motion as well as greater flexibility and strength potential in the muscles.
There are a number of specific ways in which the Graston Chiropractic Technique enhances overall treatment including:
- reduced stress and strain associated with injured area
- lessening of inflammation
- increased flexibility
- increased strength
- increased blood flow
- breaking up of scar tissue
- promotes overall tissue repair
- enhances functionality
- increased fibroblast activity
Schedule Your Appointment with The Spine & Wellness Centers of Coral Springs
If you are recovering from an injury and want to know if the Graston Technique is right for you, call or contact Spine and Wellness Chiropractic Centers online to request your consultation. Our chiropractors are skilled in the latest therapeutic techniques and can help you on your road to recovery.
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What Our Patients Are Saying
Emilio C.
Dr. Cohen (“Jared”) is phenomenal. My son injured his knee playing basketball and is back on the field less than 6 weeks later. Dr. Cohen and Evan provided various therapies including laser therapy that was extremely beneficial. Also, the physical therapy and (read more…)
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AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING!!…..That’s all I can say about this place. As soon as you walk in, Rachel, the receptionist greets you with a warm welcome. Dr. Cohen is just awesome, he explains everything thoroughly and (read more…)
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Dr. Cohen, Evan, and Rachel are awesome. I’m so happy I was recommended here! Dr. Cohen and Evan really make you feel comfortable with them. Dr. Cohen is extremely thorough in the way he explains your treatment plan and (read more…)
