Also known as Scraping Technique or Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM), this technique is performed with stainless-steel instruments that are tailored to find and treat musculoskeletal injuries that cause scarring of tissues in the body. It is influenced by Gua Sha, which is a similar technique that is part of traditional Chinese medicine.
Graston Technique® is utilized to break down scar tissue, reduce muscle tightness or spasms, and improve blood flow, which brings oxygen into the tissue helping it heal faster.
When a muscle, ligament, or tendon becomes damaged, restricted, tight, and/or fibrotic, it can cause pain, discomfort, swelling, and loss of function. It is often the case that an injury or dysfunction in one area of the body can cause pain or discomfort in another area due to compensation, which leads to a cascade of other issues. The doctors at Impact Injury Center use Graston Technique® with many of their patients, as it is a very effective method way to treat most musculoskeletal injuries, including but not limited to carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff issues, tendinitis, and tight muscle adhesions.