Tool Assisted massage such as FAKTR and the Graston Technique are readily used by many manual therapists such as Osteopaths, Chiropractors and Physiotherapists. Just last year in 2012 Australia was lucky enough to have Tom Hyde, the creator of the FAKTR technique conduct courses on its application and introduce its concepts to the Australian manual therapy community. Osteopath Heath Williams of Principle Four Osteopathy was lucky enough to attend and has been using it ever since within his treatments of many musculoskeletal conditions.
I have included a couple of images sourced from the internet as to the many different varieties of instruments.
The tools allow the user to address tightness in the soft tissues and fascia of almost any muscle within the body. The FAKTR concepts as taught by Tom Hyde are more than just using the tools to scrape soft tissues. The idea being that it can be applied in many different methods, such as long strokes, short strokes, friction rubs over a static soft tissue. It can also be applied whilst the client is moving the muscle or performing a active resisted movement or a functional movement pattern.
Some of the musculoskeletal conditions that Instrument Assisted Massage can be applied to are:
- Plantarfasciitis
- Achilles Tendinitis
- Patellar Tendinitis
- Shin splints
- Soft tissue tightness to calfs, quadriceps, ITB, hamstrings, glutes, back, neck and shoulder muscles, forearm muscles
- Golfers and Tennis Elbow
- Back & Neck Pain
To find out more about whether you might benefit from trialling Tool Assisted Massage as taught by FAKTR for your injury, please contact us on 03 9670 9290 to speak to an Osteopath. Principle Four Osteopathy is located in the heart of the Melbourne City CBD 3000 @ 29 Somerset Place, Melbourne City CBD (just near the corner of Little Bourke & Elizabeth St). To book an appointment, please call 03 9670 9290 or book online @ www.principlefourosteopathy.com.