How the Graston Technique Can Provide Lasting Pain Relief

The Graston Technique (GT) is rapidly becoming well-known as an effective way to relieve pain. With chronic pain becoming one of the most common reasons adults see a doctor, this is good news for you.

This technique has been used for more than 30 years. It involves a therapist using a curved stainless steel instrument to assess and treat soft tissue dysfunction. Why and how does it work exactly? This article will answer those questions.

Here are 6 reasons you should try Graston Technique to help rehab your injury.

1.) Relieves pain

Graston technique is popular among Chiropractors, physiotherapists, and osteopathic physicians to relieve pain and discomfort.

They use the Graston technique by applying pressure to a painful or tight area using a stainless steel instrument. This pressure can stimulate the local nervous system to help reduce pain and improve muscle flexibility. The Graston technique can also influence and loosen muscle adhesions. These are bands of scar tissue that develop in an injured muscle.

What is Graston tool courtesy of Peak Health & Performance (Read the caption)

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2.) Influences fascia restrictions to improve mobility and reduce pain

You can think of your body as a kinetic chain where all the areas of the muscular system are connected through a fascia network. Fascia is a very strong and thick tissue that holds everything together. If you have back pain your therapist may use the Graston technique to treat the abdomen, hamstrings, shoulders, hip muscles, and other regions of the body. The reason they choose to do this is since your fascia connects everything together, a restriction in another part of the body could actually be causing your back pain. Once the restrictions are loosened, your back pain will significantly improve.

3.) Enhances healing

Graston technique accelerates healing by driving more blood flow to the injured area. When this happens nutrients and oxygen are transported to stimulate the injured tissues to heal.

Also, this technique activates nerve fibres and sensory receptors like mechanoreceptors which helps reduce your pain. This can make the recovery period much more comfortable.

This is a big reason professional basketball, baseball, and football teams use it for their athletes.

4.) Works quickly

If this technique works for your condition you should see results fast whether you have acute or chronic pain. However, like all techniques, it doesn’t work for everyone. If you don’t start to see results after 3-4 treatments then it’s not likely to work for you.

5.) Effective with chronic conditions

Graston technique has shown to be effective in treating a wide variety of conditions like:

Tendonitis
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Trigger finger
Plantar fasciitis
Achilles tendinopathy
IT band syndrome
Scars from surgery or injury
Tennis and Golfer’s elbow
Neck, back, shoulder, and knee pain
DeQuervain’s syndrome
Hip flexor strain

6.) Relieves muscle knots

A muscle knot develops when a small part of muscle tenses up and stays contracted even when not moving. It can occur with overuse or when you employ poor posture habits, such as spending the majority of your day in a seated position.

Graston Technique is an effective way to break up these muscle knots. It does this by relaxing the muscle knot and bringing blood flow to the area to allow for healing.

If you’re interested to see if Graston Technique could work for you, schedule an appointment with one of our Chiropractors by clicking the find a clinic near you button on this page.

Graston Technique benefits courtesy of Full Function Rehab & Wellness (Read the caption)

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Book Your BACK NECK SHOULDER KNEE ELBOW HIP WRIST FOOT Pain Consult

This appointment is your opportunity to tell us what hurts and discover whether physiotherapy or chiropractic care is a good fit for you! During this session, you will talk with a physiotherapist or chiropractor on a phone call (or online) and create the right care plan specifically for your pain. There is no obligation on this session is to find out whether physiotherapy or chiropractic care can help you getting back to doing the things you love in life.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for Graston technique to work?

GT can help within 3-4 sessions for most patients. If you have not experienced any improvement within that time, then you may be appropriate for a different treatment technique.

Does Graston Technique hurt?

Some practitioners like to use deep pressure when using GT. For many it gives that hurts so good feeling. You can also improve with more gentle pressure, however.

Can I exercise after Graston Technique?

Yes, it can be used together with exercising, stretching, and a workout program.

About Taylor Sipos

Taylor is a physiotherapist at The Orthopaedic Therapy Clinic located in Toronto, Ontario. He treats patients with various musculoskeletal conditions using patient education, exercise therapy, manual therapy and acupuncture. His treatment philosophy involves giving his patient’s the means to self-manage their injuries. He does this through reassurance, education and health promotion. Taylor uses the same principles as a patient educator at Pain Hero. He aims to provide you with high-quality, easy to understand information to teach you about your condition and how to improve it.

Medical Disclaimer:

The information presented in this blog post is for educational purposes and should not be interpreted as medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, treatment or a diagnosis, consult with a medical professional such as one suggested on this website. The Clinic Accelerator Inc. and the author of this page are not liable for the associated risks of using or acting upon the information contained in this article.

How the Graston Technique Can Provide Lasting Pain Relief