Soft tissue injuries like sprains and strains are common for folks living active, busy lives. Unfortunately, post-injury scar tissue that continues to interrupt pain-free movement is also a pervasive problem we see here at Endurance Rehabilitation. Our Scottsdale and Phoenix physical therapists can help patients overcome painful knots of scar tissue through Augmented Soft Tissue Mobilization (ASTYM).

The Scar Tissue Problem

Healthy muscles look like bundles of long, straight threads that move smoothly against each other when you move. After an injury, sometimes those threads get thick and tangled, which impedes natural muscle movement.

ASTYM Smooths Out the Tangles

During Augmented Soft Tissue Mobilization, our physical therapists glide hard plastic tools parallel to the direction of healthy muscle tissue. This movement triggers the body to reabsorb and clean out disorganized scar tissue while stimulating the production of collagen that reboots muscle regeneration in the right direction. Because of the parallel movement of the tools, healthy tissue remains, and only scar tissue is encouraged to reorganize itself.

What Conditions Can ASTYM Help?

ASTYM therapy can treat many different soft tissue injuries, and can resolve long-standing muscle pain and poor range of motion for patients with conditions such as sprains, strains, and soft-tissue injuries, including:

• Ankle pain
• Arm pain
• Shoulder pain
• Tennis and golf elbow
• Achilles tendonitis
• Hand pain
• Joint stiffness
• Knee pain
• Plantar fasciitis
• Shin splints
• Neck pain
• Wrist pain
• And many more soft tissue conditions

After ASTYM, you may notice soreness and redness in the treated area, but this is a normal part of the process. The redness indicates increased blood circulation working in the area. After this initial phase, most patients notice reduced pain and improved range of motion.

Post-ASTYM Activities

After ASTYM therapy, our physical therapists in Scottsdale and Phoenix will coach you on stretches that you should do at home over the next few days to encourage healthy muscle regeneration. Make sure to drink plenty of water and eat nourishing food to support your body’s efforts to flush out toxins, reabsorb scar tissue, and support healthy muscle regrowth. Otherwise, you should be able to continue your daily activities without interruption.

See the Physical Therapists Phoenix and Scottsdale Trust for ASTYM Therapy

If you’ve been struggling with recovery from any injury or pain, schedule an appointment with us at Endurance Rehabilitation so we can help you get the right therapies to help you get back to pain-free movement.