At Active Care Chiropractic & Rehabilitation in Lafayette Hill, the Main Line, East Falls, Elkins Park, Manayunk and Hatfield, Pennsylvania, we use a wide range of therapies to augment our core chiropractic practice. The Graston technique, a form of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), is an evidence-based practice using stainless steel instruments to detect and treat soft tissue conditions at a deep level.
Comparisons to massage abound, and in fact, the Graston technique does share plenty of the same outcomes. However, with the addition of these smooth-edged tools, targeted stimulation of soft tissue becomes the focus of your care, going beyond what you can expect from therapeutic massage.
Like massage, the Graston technique is a manual therapy. However, those tools set the technique apart, becoming both probe and treatment device for your practitioner.
The Graston tools come in a wide range of shapes designed for different areas of your body. These tools are meant to glide over your body, allowing for detection of problem areas.
Issues with adhesions, restricted fascia, and scar tissue in your body can cause the tightness and lack of mobility at the root of many pain conditions. Once detected, the Graston practitioner uses these same tools to break up and mobilize these tissue dysfunctions, allowing your body to work more efficiently and heal more completely.
Some of the conditions the Graston technique is used for include:
As well as chiropractors, the Graston technique is often used by physical therapists and sports medicine practitioners as well.
The strong points of massage are circulation and relaxation. Manual massage stimulates blood flow, a crucial part of healing, while also reducing muscle tension and alleviating stress and promoting relaxation. Some level of deep tissue work may also be involved.
The Graston technique focuses on scar tissue and musculoskeletal dysfunction. It’s more of a direct clinical approach to soft tissue optimization. The instruments used reveal more about tissue restrictions than the hands can on their own.
Then, your practitioner uses these tools to break up adhesions, which in turn promotes local blood flow, improves joint mobility, and restores function to your musculoskeletal system.
You’ll feel the tools gliding and then pressing as target treatment areas are pinpointed. There can be discomfort or pain associated with treatment when injured or tight areas are treated. Redness and light bruising can be side effects of your session.
It’s safe to combine a Graston technique treatment with other modalities, like physical and occupational therapy, stretching, and other corrective exercises.
The Graston technique is a great treatment option for:
Contact Active Care Chiropractic & Rehabilitation to find out more about the Graston technique and if it’s right for you. Request an appointment online or call 215-836-8888 to book with the nearest of our six offices today.
