Soft tissue mobilization is a common manual physical therapy technique typically prescribed for a range of soft tissue conditions. Some of the common soft tissue mobilization techniques that physical therapists apply include sustained pressure, parallel mobilization, angles parallel mobilization, trigger point, cross friction, and restricted tissue perpendicular mobilization.
The main goals of STM therapy are to relieve pain, improve muscle function, and increase range of motion.
How Does It Work?
A licensed physical therapist with extensive knowledge of human anatomy uses their hands to skillfully manipulate and stretch the muscles in the problem area to break down scar tissue adhesions, increase blood flow, and stimulate connective tissue regeneration to speed up healing.
Here are some of the conditions that soft tissue mobilization can help treat:
Soft Tissue Injury
Excessive pressure or sudden twists can cause soft tissue injuries such as muscle strains and sprains which often impact physical function. A soft tissue treatment like strain-counterstrain helps to relax the soft tissues to provide pain relief, improve blood flow, and muscle regeneration for faster healing, and improve the function of the muscles and ligaments.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Physical therapists can apply soft tissue mobilization techniques like muscle friction massage and other manual exercises to release tense muscles, relieve pain, and improve hand, wrist, and finger flexibility.
Back and Neck Pain
Soft tissue mobilization can also benefit patients with upper body issues like back and neck pain. STM can help detect trigger points and break knots or muscle tensions to provide pain relief and improve function.
Where patients may be dealing with severe pain, a physical therapist may recommend instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization like augmented soft tissue mobilization (ASTYM) for deeper penetration to break scar tissue, activate natural healing, and provide superior pain relief.
Knee Pain
Knee pain is often accompanied by swelling and stiffness leading to instability and limited mobility. Soft tissue mobilization can break collagenous scar tissue and rehydrate connective tissues, reducing pain, improving joint range, and promoting better physical function.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the connective tissues that support the foot arch, can be debilitating if not addressed quickly. A physical therapist can include soft tissue mobilization techniques like plantar fascia massage and sustained pressure to relieve pain and the flexibility of your plantar fascia.
Arthritis
Soft tissue mobilization has been shown to benefit individuals suffering from acute inflammatory conditions like arthritis. Specific techniques like massage therapy, for instance, relax the body and loosen stiff joints leading to instant pain relief and improved flexibility and mobility.
Pre and Post-Surgery Management
You can consider soft tissue mobilization therapy as an integral part of your pre-op treatment protocol to help minimize pain and the amount of care you’ll need after surgery. For people with movement function disorders and circulatory disorders, post-op STM proves highly beneficial in further reducing pain, promoting recovery, and expediting healing.
Other conditions that can benefit from soft tissue mobilization include whiplash, frozen shoulder, contractures, fibromyalgia, sciatica, De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, Achilles tendinopathy, calf pain, and hamstring tendinopathy.
Contact Custom Rehab PT for Effective Soft Tissue Mobilization Services
Are you searching for the best soft tissue mobilization services in Chubbuck? Custom Rehab PT is here to help. Our licensed physical therapists assess your condition and create a treatment plan that matches you with the right soft tissue mobilization techniques to achieve optimal results. Schedule an appointment with us to get started.