Breaking down scar tissue

[atatu]

So I started going to a physical trainer to work on strengthening my legs. My knees are pretty shot and I'm resigned to having them replaced in the next couple of years, I've had meniscus surgery on both knees in the past 5 years. Anyway, the first thing this trainer worked on was breaking down scar tissue in my legs - this was ridiculously painful, which I did not expect. However, afterwards I have been amazed at how much my movement has improved. I am also surprised that the physical trainers I saw after my surgeries never mentioned anything about this, because it makes a big difference.

 

[yossarian]

You can’t break down scar tissue with your hands

 

[WildVolley]

You can’t break down scar tissue with your hands

Do you have citations on this? When I ask a search AI it says that it is an area of controversy with conflicting studies.

Scar tissue remodeling can take considerable time and it is often claimed that deep tissue massage can influence the type of healing that takes place. I'd think the best studies would use animal models so that the injured tissues can be biopsied after the various treatments.

 

[yossarian]

Do you have citations on this? When I ask a search AI it says that it is an area of controversy with conflicting studies.

Scar tissue remodeling can take considerable time and it is often claimed that deep tissue massage can influence the type of healing that takes place. I'd think the best studies would use animal models so that the injured tissues can be biopsied after the various treatments.

Considering that surgeons have to cut through it using a scalpel, I’m going to assume that my hands have no effect on it

 

[Roforot]

I would imagine that a massage could help to release a muscle that has created a knot over scar tissue. Rather than doing anything to the scar directly.

If you have a scar on your skin, you can massage it all day but it wont go away. Why would you expect a deeper scar to behave differently?

 

[esgee48]

IMO deep tissue massage breaks down the adhesions that form around injured areas. The scars most likely are still there. Its just that once the adhesions are broken, that area can now move more normally instead of being 'glue' together, which restricts movement.

 

[yossarian]

IMO deep tissue massage breaks down the adhesions that form around injured areas. The scars most likely are still there. Its just that once the adhesions are broken, that area can now move more normally instead of being 'glue' together, which restricts movement.

This is pseudoscience

 

[ey039524]

Is scarred the wrong word? Could it be that the fascia causes the pain from past injuries like TE? Fascial manipulation could then relieve the pain.