What is Graston Technique?
Graston Technique is an innovative and proven approach to the diagnosis and treatment of soft-tissue injuries. It utilizes specially designed stainless steel instruments, which are intended to detect and treat adhesions within soft tissues in order to reduce pain and restore function. Just as a stethoscope amplifies what the human ear can hear, the Graston instruments amplify what the human hand can feel. Certified providers of the Graston Technique are trained to scan the tissue for areas of scar tissue build-up, allowing previously undetected areas of fibrosis to be treated effectively. Once the dysfunctional tissue has been identified, the provider will use the appropriate tool to focus on the area of adhesion and break down the scar tissue for the body to absorb.
What is a Graston Treatment Like?
The practitioner will use one of the Graston tools to scan the desired area of treatment. When the instrument contacts the adhesions, the patient and the clinician will notice a distinct feeling of going over a speed bump, or a gravel-like grittiness. This is indicative of scar tissue formation/adhesions. Over time, Graston Technique will reduce or eliminate the adhered fibers, restoring function and eliminating the pain associated with it. When scar tissue is contacted, the stainless steel instrument will reverberate that feeling through the examiners hand much like a tuning fork. Each instrument is shaped and contoured to work on a specific body part. Thus, there is an instrument that is small enough to be used on the Achilles tendon, fingers, and carpal tunnel, and there are instruments specifically designed to treat larger body regions such as the back, upper shoulder and neck. Because Graston Technique allows the practitioner to quickly and accurately identify regions of scar tissue build-up, treatments typically last between 3-6 minutes and result in immediate relief of many symptoms. Some discomfort may be experienced as the adhesions are broken apart but any discomfort is generally very mild and quickly disappears one the treatment is finished.
What Conditions Can Be Treated Using Graston Technique?
What is the History of Graston Technique?
Graston Technique was originally developed by athletes and is currently used by more than 13,000 clinicians worldwide including physical and occupational therapists, hand therapists, chiropractors, and athletic trainers.
