Astym Treatment
Astym treatment is a revolutionary technique that promotes tissue regeneration and healing in muscle tissue. It can also be used on certain tendons and ligaments. Astym tools provide muscle regenerations and healing to muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Astym treatment is a non-invasive procedure with over a 90 percent success rate to heal damaged muscle tissue. It is known to work when other approaches have failed.
This is just one of our many PT tools we have to offer our patients at Peake Physical Therapy, Baltimore, MD. If you’d like to explore if Astym treatment is right for you, schedule an appointment for a free consultation:
What is Astym treament?
Astym treatment promotes muscle healing by breaking down damaged muscle tissue and jumpstarting the healing process to create healthy muscle. Astym is an abbreviation for “a stimulation.” This is because its purpose is to stimulate your body’s healing ability. It is the outcome of a collaboration between leading healthcare professionals at major hospitals and investigative scientists at top research institutions.
Clinicians that offer Astym treatment go through a highly advanced educational program to become Astym certified. There are currently more than 10,000 cases where Astym treatment has seen success. Astym treatment is generally only one element of a comprehensive physical therapy plan. It is administered along with a treatment plan that consists of stretching, targeted exercises, and one-on-one work with a physical therapist.
How does Astym treatment work?
Astym treatment regenerates the damaged tissue and muscle fibers to promote healing and the development of healthy muscle tissue and tendons by eliminating scar tissue. It applies moderate pressure to stimulate the creation of healthy tissue. The Astym tool will glide back and forth over the affected muscle area and break down the damaged muscle and scar tissue under your skin.
Your muscles are made up of fibers that should normally run parallel to each other for optimal function. However, if your muscle is injured, damaged, or simply disfunction in a variety of ways, those fibers stop running parallel. Astym treatment basically works to straighten your muscle fibers out. The result is rapid healing of your muscles. This healing can give you a stronger muscle with more normal movement. In fact, a controlled study found that Astym treatment can have immediate positive results in muscle performance. It is a relatively simple, non-invasive process that can help you avoid injections. It takes just about 10 to 15 minutes. It is typically administered twice weekly. A treatment plan will typically run about 4 to 5 weeks depending on the issue you are addressing. Astym is also often one portion of a holistic physical therapy treatment plan.
When do I need Astym treatment?
Astym treatment is a good option if you have soft tissue that is damaged, contains scarring, is limited in mobility, or is injured in a variety of ways. It is known for working to promote the healing and regeneration of damaged muscle tissue even when other approaches have failed. It can also help you avoid surgery, injections, disability, activity limitations. You may turn to Astym treatment when you and your physical therapist are working to target and actively treat underlying symptoms of soft muscle tissue problems, rather than just relieving the symptoms. This may include:
- Multiple hamstring sprains
- Issues of muscle overuse
- Chronic shin splints
- Sprains and strains
- Joint stiffness
- Surgical scarring
- Tennis elbow
- Sports-related muscle issues
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Limited muscle mobility
- Loss of muscle function after surgery
- Tendon issues
- Scar tissue buildup
What does Astym treatment cost?
Astym treatment should come at no cost to you if your insurance plan includes physical and occupational therapy as long as you have met your deductible. However, if you are looking to pay out of pocket, the cost will vary depending on the specific issue you are looking to treat as well as the number of sessions your physical therapist recommends. When it comes to out-of-pocket costs, it is best to consult your physical therapist for a consultation to determine the price.
Is it covered by insurance?
If your insurance covers physical therapy, Astym treatment should be covered. It is a subform of physical therapy and if it is recommended as part of your medical treatment by your healthcare provider it will likely be covered. You should consult with your healthcare provider as well as your physical therapist after your initial assessment to see if it’s recommended as part of your treatment plan. If your insurance doesn’t cover Astym treatment therapy, there are always options to pay out of pocket.