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Myths of Manual Therapy Part 1: Soft Tissue Mobilization

How does massage work? Can it break up scar tissue or adhesions?
Take a look at the slide below, that's how much force you need to lightly deform the very first superficial layer of fascia just 1%.
Think about it for a moment... surgeons have difficulty breaking up scar tissue with a scalpel! It is a lengthy surgery and this is after they actually locate it, INSIDE the patient.
Is your hand or whatever tool you're using this sharp?

From Increasing Muscle Extensibility: A Matter of Increasing Length or Modifying Sensation?

In the aforementioned article, the researcher goes over various myths of muscle extensibility. The conclusion: increases in muscle extensibility in the short term (less than 3-8 weeks) is due to alterations in the perception of stretch, not actual physical changes in the muscle
Too many clinicians using soft tissue techniques think they are breaking up fascial adhesions, scar tissue or lengthening muscle. Getting results does not need excessive force and should not cause discomfort.
Next up, pain free variations of popular and often painful techniques!