Scraping Basics

(Shot Before Lockdown)
Whether you call it scraping, gua sha, or IASTM, this is a technique that should be in every human’s toolkit for providing relief to affected tissues.
Rules are simple:
1️⃣Keep the tool at around 45 degrees
2️⃣Keep it comfortable
There’s no need to leave your legs black and blue. A gentler touch will do. This is about addressing a sensitized area to change the environment, change how your brain is perceiving the tissue, and restore how the tissue is articulating with the tissues around it.
A spoon, butter knife or similar will get it done. If you’re interested in a slightly more refined and designated tool for this task, you can check out the Leopard Claw in our store (Link in bio). Let’s hear from you scrapers. What’s your tool of choice?
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[@ascendptrva]

Love the shoutout to The Brookbush Institue! They have fabulous writeups on myofascial systems!

[@citytrees1752]

This was perfect. Exactly the explanation I was looking for.

[@goulartaf66]

Thanks for the input. I just I'm recovering from Achilles tendon surgery, destroying the taller my ankle area and that really mess with the Achilles tendon right now just the rest of the leg.

[@OldHatIdeas]

Haha, I pulled out my plain zippo lighter and did some scraping on top of my thumb cause I noticed pain in ulnar deviation this morning and it pretty much vanished. Fan of your work, thanks again for immediate usability!

[@LukeJonesMOVE]

Great overview Kelly, cheers for sharing! I've found scraping really helpful in the past for junky elbows and wrists. The quad ligament stuff is great too!

[@TheReadyState]

so good!

[@newbranday]

You're the best, Kelly

[@jordanheath3172]

Beautiful... From a serious anatomy nerd and MMA Combatant. Well explained.

[@Yorkieshack]

Oh my gosh i have suffered for years went to physical therapy and wow it’s WORKS!

[@benchmarkworkout]

Thanks Coach!

[@sugarsipwoodlouse]

My friend told me about this channel and it's amazing! Thank you very much! Would you recommend a very gentle version of scraping on someone dealing with extremely tight and painful muscle knots around the clavicle? It's really restricting my ribs, etc. but I don't want to risk any further damage.

[@SidekickTool]

Great explanation, Thank you.

[@TheReadyState]

Glad it was helpful!

[@gavmegs]

I do this with a a piece of dowel glued into a T handle and it works a treat . It hurts but the results are incredible.

[@Advcrazy]

I’ve had some great results using iastm over painful surgical scars.m even years after the surgery. Often it’s literally one to three treatments and they say the pain disappears. The scar made haven’t disappeared though if that’s what you were wondering. But then again I haven’t tried it over “fresher” scars or for aesthetic reasons, only for pain/discomfort.

[@zepols86]

great video, I have been doing this on my ankles to help break up scare tissue and restore range of motion.

[@TheReadyState]

it's the tonic

[@cloudypac]

Hi, has it helped?

[@bescanocft]

have you done a video on cupping? If it's in the plans to do one, can it briefly touch on the differences and/or synergies of these two techniques? (scraping/cupping)

[@aaronkaplan6441]

Looks like a great modality to try for plantar fasciitis ...

[@emaciel]

Scraping, voodoo flossing, and a lacrosse ball are great tools to desensitize the bottom of the foot.

[@LarsRyeJeppesen]

4 years golfers elbow here.. definitely trying this

[@nallanw4329]

Lars Rye Jeppesen same here, caused by drumming hours a day.

[@emaciel]

Voodoo flossing would help as well. There are some videos out on voodoo flossing. If you have been having golfer's elbow for a while now, I would recommend checking out the golfer's elbow protocol on the TRS site to finally get rid of it. *Copy and paste from a reply I did on another comment on this video

[@reginaldbeard2492]

Look up smashwerx tennis elbow Travis beckmeyer... clear you right up the problem is usually in your shoulder....

[@Peshur]

This totally works...no bullshit well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/phys-ed-an-easy-fix-for-tennis-elbow/

[@triciaf5348]

My brother in law did acupuncture for his tennis elbow. took a year to heal but it has helped him tremendously.

[@goulartaf66]

What do you recommend for a recent Achilles tendon surgery and recovery at what point can you start scraping that area?

[@triciaf5348]

what about the hip flexor or the side of the hip where the tendons get knotted and create inflammation (that "on fire" feeling)?

[@michaelherron4306]

Would you recommend this for Dupuytrens syndrome?

[@emaddarawsheh7420]

Doc...please post something about how to fix nasty puplituos muscle ...thanks in advance

[@renshiw.schreiner6900]

Was considering trying this on my "golfers elbow". Having no luck with getting rid of the issue in it's entirety. Hoping this might improve it locally. Any thoughts? Thx

[@emaciel]

Yes, this would definitely help you with your golfer's elbow to improve blood flow. Voodoo flossing would help as well. There are some videos out on voodoo flossing. If you been having golfer's elbow for a while now, I would recommend checking out the golfer's elbow protocol on the TRS site to finally get rid of it.

[@jordanbourque5829]

@@emaciel I had a wrecked elbow for 2 years and when I used voodoo floss it fixed the issue, and now I also use gua sha on the area around it if it gets sore and that helps extra alongside the voodoo band

[@lonerider68]

Gua sha and voodoo flossing help... you should also consider acupuncture cups. You can by a kit on Amazon for $30-40 (no way the Leopard Claw at $150 is worth it compared to $30-60 gua sha equivalents btw). Again, it's the same idea... mechanically pulling/moving the tissue to get it to slide better. You'll need to use the smaller cups in the set for less "meaty" parts of the body. You can put some lotion/massage cream on and move the suction cup around and then you are using the edge of the cup as a scraping device ... search for "dynamic cupping therapy" on KZbin to see how other people are doing it.

[@Peshur]

Mate get the Thera-Band flexbar...it’s worked 100%. For me and two mates....a week to 10 days all elbow pain gone . Zero bullshit this worked...just have to be consistent well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/phys-ed-an-easy-fix-for-tennis-elbow/

[@hereagain8344]

I hope your fixed by now. I would add dry needling also. Stimulates recovery. I have been doing this for my achellis tendonosis and it definitely feels stronger. Also scraping helped my forearm, pronators free up. All tools to aid you. 🙏

[@jmtholmbo]

You should using the right word. You know it, use it.

[@rachelkennedy9427]

Crackly sounding knee caps when squatting and lunging or walking up and down stairs. No pain. My kids hate the sound of it. Is there anything you recommend that can reverse this development, my knees didnt make these noises pre crossfit 5 years ago...( I'm a 42yrs young crossfitter) Appreciate all your content :)

[@maydanlex]

My knees used to be like this... one of my three kids presents the exact same way. I was told if there's no pain don't worry about it. Through the years the noise has gone down (about 60%) but my knees are still good...turned 60 this past week.

[@triciaf5348]

it will hurt if you had arthritis, my PT told me this too (not to worry if no pain.) I don't like to exacerbate the loud crunching by thinking it's okay especially if it is bone on bone grinding (I have crepitus). Red light therapy helps after a workout or walking, I use the torch each night (5 min on each knee) and seems to help. Red light brings in blood flow. Building quad strength too helps protect the knees.

[@ShellySummers]

If you use ulnar deviation when you work on your thumb. It makes it much easier to avoid hitting bony land Mark's