What is IASTM?
IASTM stands for Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Manipulation or is also known by the term Graston. IASTM is performed using specialized stainless steel instruments to manipulate the muscles, tendons, and fascia in order to break down scar tissue and adhesions developed from injuries as well as alleviate muscular tension and soreness.
Benefits of IASTM
- Increased range of motion
- Decreased pain
- Decreased muscle tension and tightness
- Decreased scar tissue and adhesions which promotes faster healing and recovery
What to Expect After an Appointment/Aftercare?
Make sure that you are stretching after your appointment and between appointments to ensure the best success with IASTM.
You may experience muscle soreness or tenderness which is completely normal.
You may experience skin discolouration (bruising) or redness due to the increase of new blood flow and breaking of capillaries (tiny blood vessels) that occurs during IASTM.
During treatment it might feel slightly uncomfortable, if you find at any point that the pressure applied with the IASTM tools to be too much or too painful, please inform your practitioner and they can adjust accordingly.
Indications
- Tight muscles
- Excessive scar tissue from surgery, repetitive injury, long periods of immobilization
- Muscle, ligament, and tendon strains or sprains
- Tendinitis
- Tendinopathy
- Plantar fasciitis
- Iliotibial (IT) band syndrome
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Shin splints
Contraindications
- Fracture
- Contusion or hematoma
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
- Open wound or unhealed incision site (sutures or glue)
- Myositis ossificans
- Thrombophlebitis
- Hemophilia
- Those on anticoagulants
- Pregnancy