Question - Rehab / Treatment (what is soft tissue mobilization)

by Vic
(AZ)

What exactly is soft tissue mobilization? Is it just a more medical sounding term for massage? In soft tissue mobilization, what is a transverse glide?

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Question - Rehab / Treatment (what is soft tissue mobilization)

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Aug 26, 2008
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It is a broad term...
by: Bart - SII

Soft tissue mobilization is a fancy term we clinicians use to refer to lots of different types of manual therapy.

In essence, it is moving the soft tissue of the body - so massage is a form of soft tissue mobilization, usually focused on the muscles in traditional massage.

We also use soft tissue mobilization for other tissues - often to mobilize scar tissue to reduce adhesions or restrictions within the tissue. Friction massage is a common soft tissue mobilization technique for scar tissue.

Transverse glides would refer to the direction of the treatment in relation to the fibers of the tissue. To a transverse glide would be going across the fibers - perpendicular to the direction the fibers run.

There are several specialized soft tissue mobilization techniques out there - one very common one is A-STM or assisted soft tissue mobilization - it utilizes special tools and specific treatment protocols to treat soft tissue injuries - the Graston technique utilizes this.

Bart