Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Therapy

Some people may have heard of this technique as Graston, others with a background in Chinese medicine may know it as gua sha. Either way, this method has a long history of effectively treating areas that are not moving well. This technique uses a tool with a beveled edge against the skin overlying dysfunctional soft tissue. Its purpose is to help break down collagen that builds up when area is not moving as much as it should. It also increases blood flow to bring nutrients and to flush any waste products away from the affected tissue.

Dr. Shandi, Dr. Jess, and Dr. Alanna use instrument assisted soft tissue to treat problems like tendinitis (e.g. tennis elbow), plantar fasciitis, and carpal tunnel. Patients sometimes experience bruise-like symptoms; they rarely feel like a bruise but the increased blood flow will produce redness and is sometimes mistaken for a bruise. The redness rarely lasts longer than a few days but the relief of pain and increase in range of motion can be quite long lasting!