Discussing pain relief and fixing tightness in the body, there’s no shortage of products making all sorts of claims. For some, acupuncture works wonders. For others, it’s cupping. There are some who’ve tried creams, balms, and similar oils to various degrees of success. Another option’s instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, also known as IASTM.
What is IASTM, you may ask? IASTM is sort of like a re-purposing of gua sha tools, making it easier to detect and treat fascia dysfunction. How we do this is by gently scraping against the skin using gua sha tools to do the work. What this does is trigger an inflammatory healing response in the body. In essence, this treatment’s using the body’s natural mechanisms to induce faster healing time, less pain, and lesser amounts of inflammation.
IASTM therapy was originally developed after many years of detailed research, examining the effects of gua sha and other therapies relating to traditional Chinese medicine. IASTM tools provide a practitioner the power to dig deeper into the body in a way that the hands, knuckles, and elbows cannot. The instruments themselves allow a practitioner to identify and treat dysfunctions, magnifying restrictions and adhesions on the body. In essence, you’re putting a force through the body with less friction and in an area smaller than your finger, which amounts to less pain and ideally a more efficient treatment.
There are 5 main benefits to IASTM that have been scientifically confirmed. They are a decrease in overall treatment time, faster rehabilitation or recovery from injury, a reduced need for anti-inflammatory medications, a resolution of chronic conditions one may have once thought permanent, and the allowance for clients to return to normal day-to-day activities with quality of life.
The most popular issues treated with IASTM include neck pain, lumbar and back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, rotator cuff tendinitis or general shoulder pain, knee pain, ankle pain or Achilles tendinitis, scar tissue, trigger finger, and shin splints. These injuries are mainly associated with athletes and sports performance however Canadians with chronic conditions have also seen a lot of success with this innovative treatment.
From the perspective of the practitioner, IASTM is another weapon in their hands that can help provide pain relief and help a client get back to their day-to-day without the experience of limitation. Where to buy IASTM tools in Canada is Lierre.ca. High quality IASTM tools are ready, available, and affordable to all consumers and practitioners. Be sure to drop in any time and choose your favourites. Lierre.ca is proud to be your go-to for alternative therapy equipment, accessories, and massage supplies.