Jornal de novas fisioterapias

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Instrument-assisted Soft Tissue Manipulation: Evidence for its Emerging Efficacy

Terry Loghmani M and Sammie Bane

Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) is a form of mechanotherapy used frequently by clinicians in the treatment of common musculoskeletal disorders. The purpose of this short review was to provide an overview of the literature related to modern day IASTM practice approaches. Thirty-seven articles were included which, although difficult to compare due to differences in techniques and study designs, indicate the beneficial effects of IASTM. Various levels of emerging evidence suggest the efficacy of IASTM as a mechano-therapeutic intervention, however, more well-designed studies with larger samples sizes, including randomized controlled clinical trials, are needed to further substantiate its efficacy and establish its effectiveness.