The technique of “scraping the skin” is a common sight in many chiropractic and physical therapy offices, where practitioners use specialized tools to glide across the body’s soft tissues. This targeted form of manual therapy addresses pain and mobility issues stemming from underlying tissue dysfunction. The controlled application of pressure and friction promotes localized healing and restores normal movement patterns. This process is based on a structured scientific rationale for treating musculoskeletal problems, not simply surface-level rubbing.
What Is Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)?
The professional term for scraping the skin is Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization, or IASTM. This technique utilizes handheld tools, often made of stainless steel, plastic, or jade, featuring smooth, beveled edges. These instruments allow the practitioner to apply highly specific pressure to the skin and underlying soft tissue layers. The tools offer a mechanical advantage over hands, enabling deeper penetration and more precise detection of tissue abnormalities.
Well-known proprietary systems, such as the Graston Technique, are examples of IASTM, which all share the common goal of soft tissue manipulation. During the procedure, the practitioner applies a lubricant to the skin and then uses the instrument to stroke the affected area. The instruments are designed to conform to different body contours, allowing for effective treatment across various muscle groups, tendons, and ligaments.
Targeting Soft Tissue Restrictions
The primary physical goal of this scraping procedure is to locate and manually resolve restrictions within the body’s soft tissues. These restrictions often form in the connective tissues, such as fascia, which can become stiff and adhered due to injury, overuse, or poor posture. When tissue is damaged, the natural healing process can sometimes lead to the formation of disorganized, dense scar tissue or adhesions.
This fibrotic tissue is less flexible and can significantly limit the normal glide between adjacent muscle fibers, tendons, and ligaments. The IASTM tools are drawn across the skin to mechanically break down these cross-links and adhesions within the soft tissue structure. The controlled force works to separate the restricted fibers, which helps to restore the tissue’s ability to move and slide properly.
The practitioner uses the instrument to detect areas of resistance or palpable roughness, often described as feeling like “sand” beneath the skin, which indicates tissue dysfunction. By applying systematic pressure and scraping, the technique aims to realign collagen fibers and improve the function of restricted connective tissue. This mechanical action restores normal tissue mobility and reduces associated pain.
The Physiological Healing Response
The mechanical action of IASTM is intended to trigger a specific biological response beneath the skin’s surface. The controlled friction and pressure create a localized, therapeutic microtrauma to the targeted soft tissue. This microtrauma initiates the body’s natural inflammatory cascade, which is the first phase of tissue healing.
The inflammatory response signals the body to increase blood flow, or vascularity, to the treated area. This surge of blood brings with it essential nutrients and cells necessary for tissue repair, including specialized cells called fibroblasts. Fibroblasts are responsible for synthesizing new collagen, the structural protein that gives soft tissues their strength and flexibility.
The goal of this process is to replace old, dysfunctional scar tissue with new, properly organized collagen fibers. After a session, small red or purple dots, known as petechiae, may appear on the skin, representing minor bleeding from broken capillaries. These spots are an expected result of the microtrauma, indicating the biological cascade has been initiated. This physiological response accelerates the regeneration of healthy tissue, leading to long-term improvements in pain and mobility.