Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization

Athletes live for their competitive events. Two of the ingredients that athletes need to be in their best shape on the day of competition are to push themselves in practice and to be consistent with their training. Pushing themselves to the limit exposes athletes to the risk of injury and fatigue, and consistency in training requires avoidance of injuries severe enough to interfere with training or performance.

For these reasons, recovery is a critical component of an athlete’s training program.

Recovery is not just about rest, although enough rest is an essential part of an effective and sustainable training and competing schedule. Recovery is also about factors such as the daily restoration of muscle strength, repair of any microtears induced during practice or competition, and maintaining psychological health and relaxation during training and the competitive season.

Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, or IASTM, is a modality that uses specialized tools. These can be made of metal, such as stainless steel, and are shaped to allow for effective therapy over various parts of the body, including arms, legs, and back.

When applied properly, IATSM can be used at specific trigger points that are abnormally tight. Myofascial release can allow athletes to recover from these setbacks and continue with their regular activities at a high level.

Dr. Gibson is highly trained with IATSM and utilizes the graston technique, which requires additional training outside of the normal course work while in chiropractic college. He utilizes this technique on multiple collegiate athletes but also any patient that requires additional soft tissue work.