Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (FAKTR, Graston, scraping, etc) and Active Release Treatment (A.R.T.) aimed at maintaining proper length of muscles, tendons, and ligaments, along with decreasing pain, improving performance, and optimizing recovery.
Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)
Enable clinicians to effectively break down fascial restrictions.
There are many different techniques that fall into this category with the most common being Graston and Faktr. IASTM uses a tool, typically made of stainless steel, to detect and effectively treat areas exhibiting soft tissue fibrosis or chronic inflammation.
Who needs IASTM
This can be used for acute or chronic soft tissue injuries.
Soft tissue injuries can lead to fibrotic adhesions forming between the tissue layers. These adhesions can lead to limited motion and pain. IASTM efectively introduces microtrauma into the affected tisue to induce an inflammatory response to promote healing and break up those adhesions.
IASTM offers many advantages and benefits.
For the Provider
- improves diagnostic skills
- allows us to detect fibrotic changes to tissue
- Reduces stress on our hands
- Increases pateint satisfaction by producing better outcomes
For the Pateint
- Decreases overall treatment time
- Allows patient to recover faster
- reduces need for anti-inflammatory medication
- Helps with chronic conditions that were thought to be permanent
Myth of IASTM
You should not be left black and blue following treatment for it to be effective. Small red dots or reddening of the skin is normal, but bruising indicates that the treatment was more aggressive than designed
