What is IASTM Therapy?

Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) is a skilled myofascial intervention used for soft-tissue treatment. IASTM tools are usually operated by a therapist because it is not possible to use the tools that are normally associated with IASTM on yourself easily. There are approaches that do allow you to do IASTM therapy yourself.

IASTM TOOLS

IASTM tools effectively break down fascial restrictions and scar tissue. The introduction of sustained pressure to affected soft tissue causes the stimulation of local inflammatory response. The microtrauma that pressure causes starts a reabsorption process of fibrotic tissue or excessive scar tissue and promotes a chain of healing activities resulting in normalising the affected soft tissue. Adhesions within the soft tissue which may have developed because of surgery, immobilization, repeated strain, or other mechanisms, are broken down allowing full functional restoration to occur.                 

Physical therapists use their hands to loosen tight, painful tissues because they can feel the irregularities in the tissue. Most therapists believe that nothing can enhance the manual palpation skills, and, indeed, there are some qualities like tension, bums and texture that cannot be done with a tool. However, a growing number of therapists are using these IASTM tools in conjunction with their manual techniques for many reasons.

Reasons to use IASTM Tools

Therapists use their fingers and thumbs to manipulate soft tissues. The amount of force that can be delivered by their hands is limited and when you are using your hands all day, every day, those forces have a detrimental effect on their hands.

An occupational hazard in Physical Therapy are repetitive injuries to their hands and fingers over time. Most clinicians report that the use of IASTM instruments reduces manual stress in their hands and upper extremities.

IASTMs assist the therapist to press harder for longer than they could with their hands. The different shapes of these tools produce different pressure profiles that have different applications depending on what part of the body you are working on and on what you are wanting to achieve.

IASTM is particularly valuable in treatments which rely on palpation (feeling) and treating deep fascial fibrotic changes, contracted fascial bands and adhesions. It is found to be especially useful in determining the direction of these fascial problems.

These tight fascial sheets that cause so many problems cannot be stretched by normal stretching methods like pulling on the limb to lengthen the muscle. Fascia is as strong as steel, it transmits all the forces your body experiences and is just as hard to stretch. You need to use a IASTM tool to leverage the therapists force and to be able to penetrate between the fascia layers and this has added a new dimension to the treatment of dysfunction.