Scar tissue can develop
on the surface or skin level, like a post surgical scar or general cut or
scrap. It can also develop deep in our bodies on our muscles and organs. The
deeper the scar tissue, the more difficult it is to work with.
Immediate response to an
injury with Rest,
Ice, Compression and Elevation will help. But
if you are past that point, what
do you do?
How to get
rid of scar tissue
If you wait to take care
of scar tissue, it can develop into serious problems and pain, including
numbness in the nerves, decreased flexibility and ultimately compensation of
body mechanics and prevailing body pain. This is not the type of injury that
will go away over time. You need to work with scar tissue to heal effectively.
One bodywork technique
for scar tissue is called cross-fiber. The work will be uncomfortable, but
should not be painful. You CAN DO THIS YOURSELF, but if you do not know the
technique, it’s best to work with an experienced therapist for a few sessions
first.
Technique
Start with a cream or
lotion. Anything will do, but sports specific or massage creams do not absorb
into the body as fast as household body lotions. If the skin starts pulling or
your fingers are not gliding across the skin, add more lotion.
You always want to work
across the muscle fibers. So, if a muscle like your quadriceps is injured (the
long muscles in your leg that run from your hip down to your knee), you’ll want
to work from right to left across the muscle. You rub the scar tissue across
the muscle, deep enough to be uncomfortable, but not causing pain. You will
have to decide what that feels like to you and your specific muscle. The pain
will decrease over time so don’t worry too much at first that you can’t apply
the pressure. And, do not start with the “no pain, no gain” mentality or you
will end up with a worse injury!
You can use your fingers,
knuckles, rolling ball or foam roller. Actually, even a can of soup works,
anything that creates pressure; but remember you want to pinpoint the exact
area, not just a general muscle pressure, so fingers, the back of a spoon or
something small works best. Whatever you use, the technique is to go across the
muscle and it takes time.
You will actually cause
minor trauma to the muscle and tissues when you use cross fiber that promote
healing, but you do not want to create so much trauma that you re-injure the
area.
Use of Hot
and Cold
Cold therapy makes the
blood leave an area by constricting the blood vessels and reduces sensations by
numbing the nerves. Heat makes blood flow more to an area by opening up the
blood vessels.
Use ice or cold therapy
before cross fiber so that you can work the area with less discomfort. You can
work the deeper tissues when the area is numb and you will be able to reach
more scar tissue. When you are finished, apply heat so that blood flows back
into the area. You do not want too much blood to flow in or you will have
increased swelling, so 15-20 minutes should be sufficient.
How often
should I do this?
In general, work with the
tissue as often as you think about the scar or injury. It is possible to
overwork an area, but it is unlikely unless you are working with it for hours
each day. Try it for 10 minutes every day. Or 15 minutes twice a day. Or 5
minutes every hour. Whatever works into your schedule – just try it! Again, if
you are not familiar with the technique, ask an experienced therapist to work
with you a few times AND show you what to do.
Sometimes it just feels
better to have someone else work on you, or perhaps your scar is in an area you
can not comfortably reach like your back or shoulder. Then you will need to
have someone else help you but a friend or partner can do this as well. Just
make sure you communicate how much pressure to use and try to be nice to your
helper – they are learning along with you!
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