Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-11-2020
Abstract
The Graston Technique® of Soft-Tissue Therapy (GT), also known as instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), is used by chiropractors, physicians, and therapists to manage pain and range-of-motion limitations caused by scar tissue and musculoskeletal injuries. The GT treats tissue injuries and pain by separating scar tissue and producing heat, which increases blood flow to the areas affected by pain or trauma. This paper provides a systematic review of the research published on the GT, focusing on its efficacy and patient outcomes. It introduces and explains the GT and provides a detailed description of the therapeutic procedures used to alleviate pain and improve range of motion. It then provides a comparative meta-analysis of over 15 empirical studies that have examined the GT’s effectiveness for a wide variety of tissue injuries. The GT is becoming increasingly popular, as patients do not need any medication and can fully recover with physical therapy after only a few weeks of treatment. The results from this meta-analysis suggest that patients show clinically significant improvement when the GT is combined with physical exercises, thus providing an important basis for holistic yet non-invasive treatment plans that can help patients recovering from traumatic injuries, muscle strain, or spinal and back pain.
Recommended Citation
McKivigan, J. M., & Tulimero, G. (2020). An Analysis of Graston Technique® for Soft-Tissue Therapy. Rehabilitation Science, 5 (4), 31-37. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.rs.20200504.11
Publisher's Statement
The original work can be found here: https://doi.org/10.11648/j.rs.20200504.11
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
