Graston is a technique used to treat pain and dysfunction of muscle, tendon, and ligament. When using this technique the doctor will glide stainless steel instruments, specially designed for individual areas of the body, over the surface of the skin. If a patient has pain in a specific muscle or has had an injury in the past the doctor will first search the area of pain looking for the root cause. Often times this pain is caused by a build up of scar tissue inside the muscle itself. Scar tissue or "adhesions" can cause a loss of full range of motion, pain, or a feeling of tightness. The process of pinpointing exactly where the scar tissue is located allows the doctor to specifically tailor the treatment to your condition. A series of treatments using the instruments will then begin, designed to break up these scar tissue adhesions and promote pain-free movement.
Since the insturments allow the doctor to be more specific then they could be with their hands, less pressure is used which usually means less pain. The treatments are occasionally painful but allow the patient to experience greater range of motion with less pain overall. In some cases the breaking down of scar tissue may cause some bruising or inflammation, managed with ice following the treatment. An important note is that mild pain and occasional bruising do not indicate harm.
Above: Dr. Kyle utilized Graston Technique to work on a patient with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
The combination of low force chiropractic and acupuncture, plus soft tissue treatment with Graston technique, is an increadilby powerful combination in the management of pain and dysfunction in the human body.
Some conditions commonly treated with Graston include:
Since the insturments allow the doctor to be more specific then they could be with their hands, less pressure is used which usually means less pain. The treatments are occasionally painful but allow the patient to experience greater range of motion with less pain overall. In some cases the breaking down of scar tissue may cause some bruising or inflammation, managed with ice following the treatment. An important note is that mild pain and occasional bruising do not indicate harm.
