Why Smart tools are great news for Chiropractic care
Musculoskeletal problems are one of the most pervasive medical problems in the health care system. At any given time, up to 30% of people are suffering from either acute or long term joint pain, swelling or limitation of movement. In recent years a form of treatment referred to as IASTM (Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilisation) has had a renaissance in addressing some of these issues. But let’s take it back a step. What is soft tissue mobilization, and why do it?
For healthy, pain free movement body tissue should be able to “glide & slide”. When tissue is injured, the body sends white blood cells to the wounded area to repair the injury. This repair causes a ‘patch’ in the injured tissue – commonly known as scar tissue. The cellular makeup of scar tissue is unlike uninjured tissue. It is less pliable and elastic, and therefore restricts movement – in other words, the tissue can no longer ‘glide & slide’.
There are many methods of treatment for soft tissue injuries, including massage, dry needling, active release technique, heat, ice and therapeutic ultrasound. Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilisation is another.
Instruments are recorded as being used as far back as 220BC and was known as Gua Sha. Spoons, coins, jars, wood, bone and jade were used to intentionally create petechiae of ecchymosis, or light, speckled bruising. This was thought to remove blood stagnation and promote normal circulation in the scar tissue.
In the mid-1990s David Graston designed a set of instruments for treating soft tissue injuries, and since then many similar instruments have been designed.
Having evaluated all the tools and systems available, we at Precision Health Spine & Sports Clinic believe that the most comprehensive and high quality of these systems is SMART Tools. The ergonomically designed tools are made from the highest quality medical grade stainless steel and we believe provide the best comfort for patients, while breaking down scar tissue and beginning the healing process.
The practitioners at Precision Health Spine & Sports Clinic are amongst a very few practitioners in Australia trained to use the SMART Tools system, and use them as part of the broad range of modalities they utilise in treating patients. If you would like to find out more about SMART Tools, check out www.smarttoolsplus.com. If you think treatment with SMART Tools can benefit you, or you would like to ask about suitability, call Precision Health Spine & Sports Clinic on 9339 7337 to make an appointment. And always feel free to talk to your practitioner about any modality you feel will help you. We love to talk about your treatment!
