While surgical interventions around the world continue to rise, the resulting scars often never go away. They remain as an ever-present reminder of the day of that surgery. Scars may also arise from accidents, wounds from wars and conflicts, personal attacks and many other traumas.
For a big percentage of the population, however, scars are left untreated. This means it is probably the most neglected of bodywork skills for the manual therapist.
So why should the physical therapist be interested in scar tissue treatment?
The effects of post-surgical scars on the human body cannot be underestimated.
According to researchers Karel Lewit MD and Sarka Olsanka: ‘If the scar is…untreated, it may be the cause of therapeutic failure and recurrence.’¹
¹ Source: “Clinical Importance of Active Scars: Abnormal Scars as a Cause of Myofascial Pain.” Lewit & Olanska – 2002
In other words, no matter what physical therapy intervention is used, untreated scars may thwart our best efforts to remedy related pain and restrictions in mobility.
When the skin is lacerated or punctured either by accident or purposefully ie. during surgery, the body forms scar tissue as a natural response to the trauma.
Collagen being laid down during the repair process results in a thickened, fibrous mass which can impede proper circulation of blood, congests lymph flow, and can even impact on the range of motion.
Additionally, the severing of delicate nerve tissue often results in dysthesia of not only the scar but the adjacent, surrounding tissue. As the scar is fibrous and non-elastic it will have a dragging and pulling effect on bio-mechanical function of all physiological systems particularly the fascial membrane covering muscles, organs and glands.
The effect of scar tissue in the physical body is just the beginning. There are also the emotional and psychological effects of scar tissue to consider. Every scar represents an event that created the scar. Many of these are traumatic events, such as surgery, personal attacks or accidents.
By altering the physical attributes of the scar, the emotional and psychological effects can also improve.
MSTR® is used for:
- Caesarian section scars
- Hysterectomy scars
- Spinal surgery scars
- Trauma scars such as those typically found on the knee
- Head wound scars
- Mastectomy scars etc…
- Amputation scars
- Underlying scar tissue from laparoscopic surgery
Success has also been reported with burns scars in some instances!
Book an appointment to reduce your scar tissue
Call Anita on 07960 452343 or 01284 810328 to book an appointment or to find our more about scar tissue removal.