Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) is an effective manual therapy treatment to help relieve pain from soft-tissue injuries. Physical therapists use specially designed tools to help remodel scar tissue, increase range of motion and decrease pain. IASTM have a neurophysiological effect as it stimulates mechanosensitive neurons through skin deformation by the instrument. Mechanosensitive neurons include mechanoreceptors which are responsible for two-point discrimination and mechano-nociceptors which are responsible for pain perception.
Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization boasts the following benefits:
