"Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) is a manual physical therapy technique, performed by physical therapists using special plastic or metal tools to gently move and scrape against the skin.
There are a number of different speeds and pressures that an IASTM-trained physical therapist may use while conducting this specific technique, and it will be based on the nature of your condition and your specific needs. These different speeds and pressures help relieve pain, decrease inflammation, and promote the healing process. They also work to facilitate a contraction (also known as turning a muscle on) or inhibit a muscle (also known as turning a muscle off).You may be wondering, "why is it necessary to use instruments in physical therapy?" Most manual physical therapy treatments are done with the hands, but there are many benefits that instruments can bring. For example, these special instruments can effectively break down fascial (connective tissue) restrictions and scar tissue across the body. These instruments are also designed to act as an aid for physical therapists, so they can find and treat affected areas with more accuracy.When using certain levels of pressure through IASM on the affected muscles, tendons, or ligaments, a mild inflammatory response is initiated. While this may seem counterintuitive, inflammation helps promote the body"s natural healing process, so you can recover and get back to your life faster. This also helps break down adhesions or scars that may have occurred, due to a surgical operation, repetitive use injury, or immobilization. By breaking these down, IASTM allows functional restoration to occur.Limited motion,Pain with movement,Motor control issues,Muscle recruitment issues."
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