Graston Technique (IASTM) Treatment For Fast Hip Pain Relief

Graston technique, a form of instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) is a fantastic way to increase the flexibility and glide of tissues. Fascia, or myofascia, is the covering over the top of all the muscles in your body. The human body has 650 muscles. All of these muscles need to be able to glide and slide past each other.

Chiropractors adjust bones and joints. Chiropractic adjustments can create immediate improvement in flexibility, range of motion, and decreases in pain. But what if those results don't feel like they last?

The soft tissues (fascia, tendons, ligaments) around the joints are what stabilize the joints. When there are myofascial adhesions it can cause chiropractic adjustments to only be of temporary benefit. The "scar tissue" binding up the fascial tissues can cause the joint to have restricted motion over and over again. Requiring visit after visit to the chiropractor. There is a better way.

When we have postural stresses, repetitive motion injuries, or trauma fascial structures get stuck to each other. This scar tissue type substance are called myofascial adhesions. Myofascial adhesions can make you feel tight, stiff, and many times are painful.

Graston therapy is used by chiropractic and physical therapists to help remove myofascial adhesions. It should be painless and leave the patient feeling more flexibility and less pain. Graston technique is especially helpful in chronic pain cases where many other techniques have failed. And with Graston being a non-drug and non-surgical treatment it is safe and well tolerated.

Graston technique is usually performed over a few visits by a chiropractor. It is not unusual to see some discoloration or redness in the skin in the area where Graston or an IASTM method is performed. The discoloration goes away in a few days, but the benefits continue.

In this video I demonstrate Graston therapy on a female athlete with chronic hip pain. We work through the piriformis muscle, the gluteus medius, IT band, glutes, and surrounding structures. Many times if someone has myofascial adhesions at their piriformis muscle it can lead to pressure on the sciatic nerve and cause sciatica. We talk through sciatic nerve symptoms down the leg as well.

If you have never tried Graston technique, look for a provider and see if this myofascial therapy option is appropriate to help you feel your best. As a form of manual therapy it can be used to treat acute injuries or during rehabilitation. That is why it is used in physical therapy (PT and DPT) as well as chiropractic clinics.