The top 3 things you need to know about soft tissue mobilization

Soft Tissue Mobilization

Physical therapists use soft tissue mobilization to break up fibrous muscle tissue around the spine and in other parts of the body. Muscles tense? This physical therapy method can help with that, too. It involves physical therapists using their hands to perform rhythmic stretching and apply deep pressure. 

If you are currently suffering from a soft tissue injury, you should ask a physical therapist if soft tissue mobilization can help you. Even before you do that, there are three things you should know about this PT technique.

  1. What happens before it’s applied to your injury.

Your physical therapist won’t jump right into using any PT technique on you. They will first do a physical evaluation in order to pinpoint your problem area(s). This may involve measuring a joint’s range of motion. It could also involve testing your muscle strength and flexibility and evaluating your posture when you’re sitting or standing. After this evaluation, your physical therapist can build you targeted treatment plan that may include soft tissue mobilization.

Your therapist may also combine this technique with others like therapeutic exercises or joint mobilization. 

  1. How it is used to treat soft tissue injuries.

Soft tissue mobilization is what is known as a hands-on technique. That means your physical therapist will use their hands to perform it. For instance, they may use their hands to apply pressure along the length of a strained muscle. Pressure might also be applied across the grain of the muscle. These types of movements can help relieve tension triggered by an injury. They can also improve blood flow to the area, ease pain and help supercharge your natural healing processes.

  1. Some soft tissue injuries it can treat.

This category of injury is a broad one since we’re talking about injuries that can develop in any soft tissue. Luckily, soft tissue mobilization can be used for a wide range of soft tissue injuries. Some examples of injuries it can treat include:

  • Sprains.
  • Strains.
  • Tendinitis.
  • Bursitis.

This technique can also help people who have developed scar tissue in their muscles or fascia. Your fascia is a type of soft tissue that surrounds, connects, and supports your:

  • Muscles.
  • Blood vessels.
  • Organs.
  • Nerves.
  • Bones.

You don’t have to try to heal a soft tissue injury on your own. Seek out a licensed physical therapist who can properly assess you and develop a personalized treatment plan for your injury.

Recovering from a soft tissue injury begins with SSOR

Specialists in Sports and Orthopedic Rehabilitation is ready to target your soft tissue injury with soft tissue mobilization and other treatments. Before we do that, though, we can do a free consultation on you. This can help our clinicians determine what type of injury you have and its severity. From there, they can create an individualized treatment plan for you. 

Contact us to set up an appointment with one of our credentialed and knowledgeable physical therapists and start addressing your soft tissue injury.