Precision Muscle Balancing (Non-Force Chiropractic) 840 Apollo Street, Suite 211 El Segundo, CA 90245 Call (310) 414-1410 or E-Mail "Try Me Before You Try Surgery!"

What is Scar Tissue?

Scar tissue is what your body uses to repair torn muscle fibers. This is to help prevent further tearing to the muscle. However, this protection mechanism prevents the muscle fibers from properly sliding back and forth during contraction. Therefore, the muscle remains shorter than it should be when not being used.

Please note that when I refer to a torn muscle, I don’t mean it is a major tear that is torn off the bone or recognized on a MRI. I’m referring to micro-tears that would most likely not be diagnosed on a MRI because they are so small.

The bad news about scar tissue is that it continues to build upon itself with repeated use of the effected muscle. This is how and why the muscle gets tighter and tighter over time. Most practitioners do not relate the scar tissue build-up with tight muscles. This is why I don’t believe traditional therapies have been very successful at treating these types of injuries.

Stretching is very similar to using heat. Stretching may give you temporary relief, but is does not remove the scar tissue. I do not recommend heat for any injury. Ice is the best thing you can do until you visit me. Strengthening a muscle that is already injured will develop a bigger/stronger knot (adding scar tissue upon scar tissue). Electrical stimulation, ultra-sound and other modalities again appear to only provide temporary relief at best. None of these potential therapies remove the cause of the tight muscle (scar tissue). I base this on my experience with my patients and treating my own injuries. The majority of my patients have already tried these traditional therapies with no success. They come to me seeking a solution to their pain.