Has anyone had ASTYM treatment for an injury? My physical therapist - who has helped me through numerous shoulder problems - recommended it yesterday for some lower calf/Achilles tendon pain (apparently I am also very tight in this lower leg area). I had one session (not the most fun I have had!) and I am scheduled for 3 more. I think it has begun to help - but am interested in others' experiences with this modality. Thanks for any info anyone might have......
ASTYM: A form of augmented soft tissue mobilization, applied manually (with implements) by therapist, designed to break down soft tissue adhesions:
www.gosportstherapy.com/astym.htm
I know nothing about it but am wondering, do you have a diagnosis? Some of the symptoms you describe can be addressed through, say, bouncing lightly at edge of stair or curb to stretch calf and Achilles tendon.
How does therapist know what is being broken down? What if your "normal" tissues are being significantly stressed instead? There would seem to be some questions.
Regards, VB
Has anyone had ASTYM treatment for an injury? My physical therapist - who has helped me through numerous shoulder problems - recommended it yesterday for some lower calf/Achilles tendon pain (apparently I am also very tight in this lower leg area). I had one session (not the most fun I have had!) and I am scheduled for 3 more. I think it has begun to help - but am interested in others' experiences with this modality. Thanks for any info anyone might have......
I had 2 treatments like that this week on my left shoulder. It is working wonderfully. Now I will just swim easy until Nationals to let the muscles recover more. It is like deep tissue acupressure while you are moving the particular area (ie:shoulder for me). Most of my problem was from the sub scapular muscles which are hard to reach without help or a tennis ball.
I highly recommend it and it may take several sessions before all of the adhesions are released completely. The advantage I have is that I have a tens unit similar to what he used so I can use that on my own when I need it. He used both EMS/Tens and ART on me.
My therapist calls it ART (Active Release Techniques) but it sounds very much like what you describe as ASTYM. Good luck.
I've never heard of ASTYM. I am an ART devotee. But, in ART, the docs don't use any instruments or implements. ART also treats muscle imbalance, impingements, and tendonitis, not just adhesion.
Hmmm.... the website makes claims similar to prolotherapy (microtrauma), but I don't see how that would work. I'm also a bit skeptical of the claim that it will "remodel" and "influence" collagen. I don't see that without internal work. Maybe they're just glorifying the claim of fixing adhesions by saying there won't be further adverse effect on the existing collagen?
I'm not sure about the efficacy of TENS units, especially smaller ones. I know they stimulate circulation that can speed healing, but if the trauma is deep enough or chronic enough, I don't know if they're very useful. At least I haven't had good experience with them. Perhaps others have.
In my case it was adhesions that needed to be worked out. Swam great tonight, felt much stronger than normal. Tomorrow morning should be much better since I managed to pop my lower back at church tonight. I can move again.
Yes I do my own adjustments at church with a pew and 2 tennis balls. Don't ask but it works and saves me money especially when a few flip turns will put it out of place again.
Thanks for your comments! My PT wanted me to do this as my stretching was limited in that area (despite the fact that I do stretch a great deal) and he felt that there was an underlying cause for this - adhesions and scar tissue (I used to run quite a bit until chronic Achilles tendonitis forced me to stop).
I just got home from treatment #2 - it does hurt in places while he does the ASTYM but my stretching has actually improved a bit. And, Donna, you are right. It apparently does take some time for the adhesions and scar tissue to break down and re-model.
Thanks again!!
It is much better but now we are too close to Nationals so I paid attention to where he placed the pads on me for the EMS treatment and I will dupicate that if needed, but after the second treatment the muscles are not hurting as bad now. I know my body pretty well and it will be by Saturday that I will feel 100%. Usually a deep tissue massage works that way for me too and yesterday was the last day I could go for one of those without taking a chance on not recovering fully.
Also Drink lots of Water!
Thanks for the follow-up info. Interesting about the laser stuff!
And ASTYM does leave bruises - numerous (multi-colored) ones!!
However, it does seem to be working (3rd treatment yesterday) and I notice definitely increased range of motion (as does my PT!). They told me I would see results likely after the 3rd treatment - I do - and the treatments are becoming less painful.
I asked my ART doc about ASTYM. He said it was a spin off from ART and that the tools essentially replace and save wear and tear on the chiro's hands. The tools can apparently leave bruises. He also mentioned ASTYM is especially effective on achilles issues.
More interestingly, he said the next line of chiro treatment is lasers. Right now, there is a third generation laser out. Lance's private chiro has one. The laser can be used to treat adhesions, impingements and the like. But it can also be used to enhance performance. Lance (and others) have the doc run the laser up and down their spine to promote increased nerve frequencies. The idea is to wake up all the nerves, including those that are impinged. It's like turning on a light bulb. Once you've got all nerves firing and firing on a higher frequency, there is a huge increase in ballistic strength. Interesting.
