Musculoskeletal Therapies

The goal of soft tissue work is to restore appropriate muscle tone. We combine multiple soft tissue and massage techniques to allow for restored motion. However, in order to achieve long-lasting results it is often necessary to use the right strengthening exercises and techniques. These Musculoskeletal Therapy exercises can be completed in or out of the office.

Soft tissue work is a critical part of the work we perform. Soft tissue therapy is aimed at restoring appropriate muscle tone. Stiff or tense muscles can cause localized pain anywhere in the body. The locations we most commonly see are the back, neck, head, shoulders, and knee. The focus of chiropractic is adjustment, but bones are controlled by muscles. This is why we evaluate Musculoskeletal Therapy tone and strength to identify imbalances. Any imbalance can create a number of issues ranging from trigger points to muscle spasms. If these are not taken care of it can lead to pain or injuries. Muscle imbalance predisposes you to muscle strains or joint sprains.

Ways We Do Soft Tissue Work:

• Graston– uses a tool to decrease adhesions and scar tissue preventing muscles from functioning appropriately.
• Passive stretching– performed by the provider to relax the muscle.
• Active stretching– performed by the patient or together with the provider to improve range of motion and decrease muscle tone.
• Vibration– used to decrease muscle spasms and increase muscle function.
• Electrical Stimulation– stimulation to decrease pain and spasms.
• Massage and Lymphatic Drainage – Promotes removal of wastes and toxins for tissue to allow for healing.
• Cupping– promotes scar tissue and triggers point relief by recruiting blood, lymph, and immune cells.

In Musculoskeletal Therapy, we are proud to offer two options for laser treatments.  Low level lasers stimulate the body’s light-sensitive components to produce an effect similar to photosynthesis in plants.  The laser stimulates the cells’ mitochondria to produce more energy naturally, thereby promoting healing.

The Erchonia EVRL is a combination of violet and red cold low-level lasers.  The EVRL can safely and effectively treat a broader range of conditions than many other cold lasers available today. The violet and red lasers have different wavelengths, which allows the provider to stimulate different types of healing and greater versatility and a more personalized treatment plan from Musculoskeletal Therapy.

The red laser operates at a 635 nm wavelength, which has been proven effective in relieving chronic pain.  Some conditions which may benefit form red laser therapy include: neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, joint pain, plantar fasciitis, headaches, neuropathy, trauma and injury recovery, surgical recovery, concussion, and brain injury.

The violet laser operates at a 405 nm wavelength, which allows the provider to target dermatological conditions and pathogens.  The combination of lasers offers unique anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties and can treat an extensive range of conditions.  Conditions which could potentially benefit from EVRL treatment include: acne, eczema, SIBO, Lyme infected joints, fungal rashes, strep throat, skin infections, scars, bites and stings, yeast and fungal infections, toenail fungus or athlete’s foot, ringworm, and shingles.

The Erchonia red light cold low-level laser targets muscles and tissues and promote natural healing.  The PL5 allows us to offer patients safer treatment option that effectively targets problem areas for noticeable pain management.  The laser can be programmed to target a range of conditions, including chronic neck and shoulder pain.  The red light cold low-level laser is used to target bone and soft tissue injuries to speed post-surgical healing, sprains, strains, scars, tears, and fractures.  The laser can penetrate clothing, bandages, and casts to promote healing, decrease pain, and speed recovery.

Unlike drugs or therapeutic surgery, the PL5 laser is completely painless with no downtime or adverse side effects. The device’s cold lasers use extremely low levels of light to promote natural body healing and it doesn’t burn or scar the skin like traditional lasers.  In fact, most patients don’t feel any discomfort during laser treatments. Patients remain awake through the laser treatment while comfortably sitting or lying on a table, which allows them to enjoy the Musculoskeletal Therapy for the rest of their day without interruption.

,Luckily in Musculoskeletal Therapy. we offer the Graston Technique® allows us to detect and treat patients for areas of scar tissue or adhesions in muscles, tendons, and ligaments that can lead to pain and dysfunction.
In the healing process our body attempts to repair muscles, tendons, and ligaments with scar tissue, much like the scar that forms on the skin when you have scraped or banged your knee. As you can imagine, that scar tissue is not as strong and flexible as normal, healthy, undamaged tissue. Over time we can have a build up of this fibrous scar tissue, particularly in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that get a lot of use. This can lead to pain and dysfunction because this replacement tissue lacks the strength and flexibility of healthy tissue (in some areas it may even mat down and entrap a nerve).

Scar Tissue Improvement

The Graston Technique® allows us to better detect and treat these areas because it uses a stainless steel instrument that glides along a patient’s muscle, tendons, or ligaments and acts like a scar tissue stethoscope. When knots or bands of scar tissue are encountered, both the doctor and the patient sense a restriction or a granular feeling. The instrument can then be used to “break up” this restriction or adhesion. Stretching exercises are then used to promote re-alignment of the fibers so that they behave more like normal, healthy tissue.

The benefit of the Graston Technique® is not only in detection of restrictions or adhesions, but also in the amount of improvement that takes place in a short amount of time. Unfortunately, the unaided hand is hard pressed to detect and break up as much scar tissue as the stainless steel instruments can.

When the Graston Technique® is coupled with the necessary Musculoskeletal Therapy, it usually strengthening and stretching exercises, it provides a great aid to the chiropractic adjustment, and the patient gets better much quicker and more completely. Overall effectiveness is related to the conditions in this chart.