What is the Graston Technique?
The Graston Technique is a patented form of instrument-assisted soft tissue therapy that breaks down scar tissue and fascial restrictions to relieve pain and restore range of motion. The technique uses specially designed stainless steel instruments to identify trigger points – the “knots” in your muscles that can cause soft tissue restrictions and chronic inflammation.
At The Physicaltherapy Centre in North Sydney, we use the Graston Technique specifically for the diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue concerns. The tools are used as an extension to manual therapy, as they are more precise and accurate in amplifying any fibrotic changes in your soft tissue. This allows the practitioner to accurately localise and treat your areas of discomfort.
Similar to Active Release Technique (ACT), your therapist will sometimes guide you in active movements to achieve greater tissue repair.
What are the Benefits of Graston Technique Therapy?
The Graston Technique is designed to reduce areas of muscular scar tissue, ease fascial restrictions, and reduce chronic inflammation in your body. Using Graston Technique to break down myofascial lesions stimulates the inflammatory process – leading to health benefits such as pain relief, an increase in healing and mobility, and less time in rehabilitation.
What Injuries Can Be Treated with Graston Technique?
The Graston Technique can be used to treat problem areas including but not limited to:
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Shoulder pain
- Trigger finger
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Plantar fasciitis
- Shin splints
- Tennis elbow
- Osteoarthritis
What does being treated by The Graston Technique feel like?
At first glance, it would appear as if it would be quite a painful experience. Like many therapies, the degree of discomfort you feel can vary, and depends on the amount of pressure the treating practitioner applies.
Depending on the degree of injury, it may require more force to assist in breaking down the lesions in question. Our therapists aim to make the experience as comfortable as possible for you – we start out gently, and graduate to firmer pressure once you become used to the sensation.
Most of our patients report that being treated using the Graston Technique is a pleasant experience, similar to getting a massage.
Are There Any Side Effects?
It’s common, after a session of the Graston Technique in North Sydney, to be left with some red marking over your skin which may lead to some minor bruising. At the conclusion of your soft tissue treatment, you may notice red marks on the treatment areas. This is a good sign because it points to increased blood flow within the region, which initiates and accelerates the healing process.
The Graston Technique instruments break down the scar adhesions and facilitate healing within the injured muscle or ligament, increasing the absorption rate of the tissue that’s broken down to rehabilitate injured regions faster. Due to this rapid breaking up of scar tissue, you can expect side effects of local soreness for around 48-72 hours after the treatment.
Tools Used in the Graston Technique
The Graston instruments are specifically shaped to maximise the benefits of certain anatomical areas, such as a small hook-shaped instrument for use at the ankle or a longer bow-shaped instrument for the neck and shoulder region. There are many similar tools such as Gua Sha, Smittar, and IAM instruments, but Graston currently has the largest following of practitioners.
While there are a range of Graston instruments, essentially all that’s needed is a blunt metallic object with a straight edge.
Is this treatment right for me?
The Graston Technique is a popular physical therapy technique among sports medicine practitioners who treat competitive athletes.
But you don’t need to be a sports champion to benefit from Graston – the technique is also beneficial for everyday gym goers, desk workers, manual labourers, and anyone else experiencing muscular discomfort or looking to address the root cause of a limited range of motion.
Why Choose Us for Graston Technique Therapy?
Tom Cartwright, our senior North Sydney chiropractor at The Physicaltherapy Centre, has many years of experience using the Gratson Technique. In Tom’s own words:
I began my Graston experience under the tutelage of a previous senior practitioner. Studying the Graston Technique is currently only possible through courses offered in the US. As this form of treatment has seen been so successful in the management of soft tissue injuries and complaints, my tutor travelled to the US for a weekend to participate in the course. Fortunately for me, upon his return to where I was practicing, I was privy to all of his learnings about the technique. After weeks of advice from him and practicing on each other, I began treating my own patients with impressive results.
This technique is fantastic for those of you that have previously had an injury, whether it be a sprained ankle from a running injury or shoulder issue. It is also used in post surgery rehabilitation.
Some years back, I was treated using the Graston Technique for a hamstring injury. Both the comfort and effectiveness of the treatment saw me return quickly to activity. The benefits of this technique has prompted me to use it in practice on my patients who have also seen many positive results.
I found it was also fantastic on previous ‘corkies’, as although they aren’t giving you grief at the time, they are more susceptible to re-injury. Interestingly, Michael Phelps, American swimming champion, has spoken about using the Graston Technique as a means of recovery post training.
Make an Appointment Today
Break free from the clutches of pain and discomfort with Graston Technique treatments in North Sydney. Allow us to assist you in your journey towards better health. Give our team a call today or book an appointment online.
