Created by an amateur athlete frustrated by a slow recovery from a knee injury, the Graston Technique® may be the therapy you need to overcome joint pain and other soft tissue conditions. In the Graston Technique, therapists use special tools and focused massage to help soft tissues heal and get you moving again.
The Graston Technique is available at our Twin Cities locations and can be incorporated into an existing treatment plan. Our team of expert physical therapists can evaluate your pain and determine if it’s right for you.
What Is the Graston Technique?
Created by water skier David Graston to aid healing after a knee injury, the Graston Technique and the tools Graston created have been demonstrated to be effective through medical trials.
Also known as instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, the Graston Technique is a safe and evidence-based form of manual therapy. It’s one of many manual therapies that use specialized instruments to provide a form of cross-friction massage and gentle scraping of the skin against the grain of scarring in the soft tissue. The process can temporarily cause inflammation, increasing blood flow to the area. This process may help the affected soft tissues begin to heal.
The technique enables clinicians to identify areas of restriction, break up scar tissue and connective tissue restrictions, and promote optimal range of motion. Providers may use the Graston Technique in massage, occupational and physical therapy.
Instrument-Assisted Therapy
When you strain a muscle or pull a ligament or tendon, the soft-tissue trauma can lead to fascia restrictions and scar tissue in the muscle or connective tissue. The Graston Technique breaks up the scar tissue and initiates muscle mobilization. Six tools are used in the Graston Technique, each one concave and convex with rounded, non-sharp edges.
A practitioner uses these stainless steel Graston Technique instruments in a two-step process:
- The therapist moves the instruments over the skin to locate knots in the soft tissue. These knots, or trigger points, can be caused by muscle tension or scar tissue.
- After identifying trigger points, the therapist uses specialized tools and Graston Technique massage to stretch and relax the muscle fibers and break up the scar tissue. This process, over time, may reduce pain, restore range of motion and improve rehabilitation.
The speed of your results will depend on what condition you have and how severe your symptoms are. The frequency of Graston treatments can vary based on your specific injury and goals. Typically, you receive treatment one to two times per week with a minimum of 48 hours in between sessions. It’s usually one part of a larger treatment plan that includes therapeutic exercise.
Who Benefits From the Graston Technique?
Graston Technique can benefit a wide range of patients, including those with surgical and nonsurgical orthopedic conditions. Many people find the Graston Technique can lead to reduced pain, faster recovery times, improved mobility and flexibility, and less need for anti-inflammatory medications.
The Graston Technique can help treat acute or chronic conditions, including:
- Achilles tendinitis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Cesarean section or post-mastectomy scarring
- Fibromyalgia
- Hamstring injuries
- Knee pain
- Neck and back pain
- Plantar fasciitis
- Shoulder injuries including rotator cuff tendinitis
- Tennis and golfer’s elbow
Is the Graston Technique Right for You?
The Graston Technique is an innovative way to treat pain and improve quality of life without medications or invasive procedures. It is generally safe. However, there are certain health conditions that will be precautions or contraindications to treatment, and this will be determined by your evaluating therapist.
Summit Orthopedics’ physical therapists have official Graston Technique training, making them uniquely qualified to offer this treatment. If you have soft-tissue pain or restrictions that haven’t improved with traditional orthopedic treatments, the Graston Technique may be a good option.
