You may have come across Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilisation (IASTM) in your appointments, or through online research, but you’re not quite sure what it is or how it works.
IASTM is a revolutionary technique that allows manipulation of the soft tissues within your body. Its popularity grew due to its effectiveness in treating a large range of musculoskeletal conditions including ligament sprains, tendon strains and muscle injuries.
What is IASTM?
IASTM is a massage technique that uses specialised instruments to apply controlled pressure on targeted areas of the body. This may include muscles, tendons and ligaments. This type of massage is used to treat soft tissue injuries such as strains and sprains.
Its main function is to decrease pain in the targeted area, help you move with more freedom and increase function – sounds great right?!
Some other key benefits of this treatment include:
- Improved Tissue Function – IASTM promotes the breakdown of any scar tissue, damaged tissue cells, adhesions and fascial restrictions, allowing for improved mobility and function.
- Pain Reduction – IASTM helps address the underlying tissue restrictions, helping with inflammation, pain and discomfort
- Better Quality Healing – the controlled pressure of this treatment allows stimulation of blood circulation. This delivers a good supply of oxygen and nutrients to the damaged tissue, therefore accelerating the healing process.
- Increased Range of Motion – IASTM techniques help to restore normal soft tissue extension. This results in an increase in your range of motion and improved flexibility.
- Rehabilitation and Performance Enhancement – this treatment can be used as a part of your rehabilitation program to help you recover effectively
How does IASTM work?
Let’s get into a bit of science. The instruments used help break down fascial restrictions. What are fascial restrictions? Fascial restrictions are tensions and tightness in your body’s fascia. Fascia is a thin casing of connective tissue that surrounds organs, blood vessels, bone, nerve fibres and muscles. When fascia gets stress, it tightens up. Still with us?
The shape of the instrument is specially designed to locate these restrictions and apply pressure to break them down – literally breaking your stress! The pressure applied creates microtrauma on the affected area, which causes an inflammation response. This is the red patches you see once starting. Microtrauma initiates reabsorption of fibrosis (thickening or scarring of the tissue) and starts healing activities by remodelling affected soft tissue structures.
At Moore Performance, we specialise in providing cutting-edge therapies and techniques that promote optimal physical health and recovery. Not sure if this is something you may benefit from? Ask one of our therapists for more advice and information about whether this is the right treatment for you.
Get in touch via our telephone (01480 775912) or email us (info@mooreperformance.uk) to find out more!
