The human skin is the soft outer covering of the body and is considered to be our largest organ. It is a waterproof barrier that provides protection, regulation and sensation. Yet, how often do we stop to consider the wonder of our skin – perhaps not that often, unless it creates some form of discomfort. We graze a knee, get a paper cut, get stung by a bee, a wasp or worse a jellyfish; however, we recover from the incident and more often than not, we move on and forget the incident happened. Then there are more traumatic injuries which leave reminders on, and some below (blunt-force trauma), the skin surface. Every scar represents some kind of trauma to the body and the event that created it.
Scars can potentially effect:
- neural pathways – creating hypo or hyper- sensitivity in and around the area
- range of movement – the contracture of the scar can inhibit or limit movement
- blood and lymph flow – scar tissue does not have the same level of vascularity as normal tissue so can add to/create ischemia (a restriction in blood supply to tissues, causing a shortage of oxygen that is needed for cellular metabolism)
- energy flow – scars can create blockages along meridians and scars can have an impact on one’s emotions.
For a big percentage of the population, scars are left untreated. According to researchers Karel Lewit MD and Sarka Olsanka, 2002: “If the scar is untreated, it may be the cause of therapeutic failure and recurrence.†In other words, no matter what physical therapy intervention is used, untreated scars may thwart our best efforts to remedy related pain and restrictions in mobility.
Scar tissue release is a very gentle technique that breaks down the adhesions of the scar, creating space for improved blood and lymph flow, increased range of movement and in situations where nerves are not damaged, increased sensation.
Scar tissue release can also be used for:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Laparoscopic surgical scars
- Restricted/frozen shoulder
- Small areas such as epidural sites and vaccination scars
- Sports injuries such as hamstring, quadriceps and pectoral tears
- ANY fibrous tissue that may have been subject to injury without visible scarring
- Any joints that seem restricted in their ROM