What Is Astym Therapy?

Astym treatment, or therapy, is a physical therapy treatment that eliminates and reduces scar tissue that may

be causing discomfort or pain. It regenerates healthy soft tissues like muscles, tendons.
This treatment is used for restoring movement and reducing pain from soft tissue injuries or dysfunction and is sometimes used when all other treatment options have failed. Astym therapy was designed to target the underlying causes of soft tissue problems, rather than just treat the symptoms.
Astym therapy has proven effective in many cases of plantar fasciitis. In diagnosis trials, 1,131 patients with plantar fasciitis were studied using the Astym therapy. 92% of patients showed marked improvement after the treatment, while 7.6% showed no improvement at all. .4% patients exhibited worse symptoms
The treatment is non-invasive, with no injections or incisions. The instruments used in the therapies are applied topically to locate unhealthy or diseased tissues and to transfer mild to moderate pressure to the underlying soft tissue structures. This treatment encourages tissue turnover, scar tissue resorption, and the regeneration of tendons, muscles, and other soft tissue structures.
Astym treatment is done twice weekly for four to five weeks, depending on the severity of your plantar fasciitis (roughly nine treatments), and is done in conjunction with physical therapy exercises like eccentric loading, stretching, and functional exercises. This option encourages patients to remain active, continue working, and athletes to continue training and playing while they receive treatment. The Astym treatment claims to make the tissues affected stronger and allows a patient's body to become used to greater stress without injury.
Astym therapy is used in physical therapy clinics, hospitals, and industrial rehabilitation centers. It is not a treatment option we provide for our patients in our six offices, however.
Reference: Astym.Com
If you have heel pain, call our Newington, Kensington, or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Craig M. Kaufman, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Heel Pain Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Newington
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