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.
Highlights
Graston soft-tissue therapy, or the Graston Technique (GT), has been recently used with considerable success to manage range of motion (ROM) limitations and pain in patients
Layers and adjoining restrictive fascia were treated with instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, Treatment with GT resulted in improved fascial functional testing and reduction of pain symptoms
Graston Technique® and placebo for non-specific thoracic spine pain: a allocated to the three groups (SMT = 36, GT = 63 and Placebo = 44)
Summary
Graston soft-tissue therapy, or the Graston Technique (GT), has been recently used with considerable success to manage range of motion (ROM) limitations and pain in patients. The GT is an instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) technique that enables clinicians to detect and treat scar tissues and motion restrictions that cause pain and adversely affect normal bodily function [1]. The technique helps mobilize certain parts of the body that have been affected by injury and help improve range of motion [2]. The GT is a manual therapeutic technique known as instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM). It is a specialized form of massage therapy, and massage therapists use instruments to massage and gently scrape the skin to reduce pain [4]. The tools assist the practitioner in guiding their treatment by identifying specific areas of tissue restriction in the affected muscle that may result in dysfunction
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