When Should I Work on Scar Tissue?
If you have had any kind of medical procedure where an incision was made on your body, this blog is for you!
It doesn’t matter if you had a laparoscopic procedure (small incisions for scopes and other instruments to be inserted through) or a full open procedure where a larger incision was made. The commonality between these procedures is that scar tissue WILL form after your procedure.
Of course, scar tissue is necessary to heal the sides of the opening back together. However, it is important that while we allow the tissue to heal together, we are also aware and actively work to avoid letting that scar tissue adhere multiple layers down together (imagine the scar becoming stuck to the muscles, fascia, or bones below it). It is also common for scar tissue to become hypersensitive, or to feel increased or decreased sensations around the incision for a period of time after surgery. So, it can be helpful to start some desensitization techniques early on to normalize touch to that area.
In the first 3 weeks after your procedure it is a good idea to start gently brushing AROUND the incision (not directly on it) and using different items such as clean cotton balls, Q-tips, or a soft, dry washcloth to gently touch the area around the incision. Between 3-6 weeks after the procedure, you can start to use those same items around and over the incision area (assuming that it has closed and is no longer draining). You can also start to gently move the tissue AROUND the incision in all different directions, taking care to not pull the edges of the incision apart while it continues to heal together. Beyond the first 6 weeks, you can start to mobilize the incision area and everything around it. Each person’s healing journey is different, so be sure that you have been evaluated by a profession before you start moving the incision around!
Maybe you had your surgery 20 years ago and you never did any of these things before. Should I start now? YES! Maybe your scar tissue healed really well and you don’t need to, but you certainly can do scar mobilization even years after your procedure. Start by moving your well healed scar in all different directions. Does it glide well? Or, does part of the scar seem to “stick” and “pucker up” when you move the rest of the tissue? If you notice that part of it, or all of it, is not moving well - it’s time to consider some scar mobilization!
Why do we do scar mobilization? Imagine that part of your shirt gets bound up in the front, you might notice that it causes some tugging or pulling in your back or even your shoulder from the tension in the area that is wound up tightly. This is a good illustration of how scar tissue in one area, can start to cause dysfunction or lack of mobility in a seemingly unrelated part of your body!! So, imagine that after a major abdominal incision, you might because to notice lower back symptoms, or a shoulder problem. We need to look at the whole body and how it moves TOGETHER, and sometimes limited mobility from scars can be causing dysfunction in other areas of the body.
Whether you have an upcoming surgery planned, just had a procedure, or had a procedure 20+ years ago, let’s consider your scar mobility. Give us a call at SHIFT Physical Therapy and Wellness to help you get started on moving freely!
Written by: Renee Hancock, Physical Therapist
