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Used Graston Tools for Sale: Are There Better Choices for Clinical Practice in 2021?

Wed, 05 May 2021 00:09:23 GMT

T he Graston Tool Profiles were created in 1996. At the time they were the best available option for integrating IASTM (instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization) with other myofascial therapies. Today, many manufactures offer the same basic shapes from two decades ago... are there better choices today ?

Yes , there are 5 benefits to new designs

that make treatment more effective.

W ho better to come up with improved Graston tool designs than a 20 year soft tissue veteran? I've noticed that many of the myofascial edge tools on the market today are just copies of the same old shapes. I designed better profiles for my own practice back in 2001, that skyrocketed my success with soft tissue injuries. But, before I share with you the five benefits of new designs- I should probably tell you what's wrong the the old ones .

T he old GT profiles are inefficient. Sorry if that seems harsh. But, you'll see that not all of the instrument profile has been utilized for treatment edges. On the "tongue depressor" shaped GT tool only the end is finished, leaving 80% of the perimeter profile unusable for treatment . Other Graston tools for sale only have half of the instrument profile finished with a treatment edge.

T his means more expense (needing more individual tools to cover the basic treatment profiles) and it means more tool switching and cleaning. If your profile had three or more common geometries it would make for much more efficient use of your time performing myofascial therapy.

A lso, if that weren't a deal breaker, the profiles also suffer from serious lack of ergonomic foresight. Unfortunately, an uncomfortable "pinching" hold is required to manipulate the tools, and without finger grip features they are prone to sliding out of the hand (especially when emollient is used). If you have seen Graston Technique demonstrated you will often notice clinicians using blue or purple nitrile gloves to help with grip. Its pretty obvious that this would be an inconvenience to glove up for each IASTM therapy.

I noticed these issues way back in 2001 when I was first trained in the Graston Technique. After much trial and error, much professional feedback, and heaps of prototypes in the scrap bin I was able to improve the tools with five design benefits .

Just a small sample of the many profiles I tested to improve legacy Graston Tools.

Benefits That Clearly Offer Better Designs

than Legacy Graston Instruments:

1. Integral Ergonomics - finger rests, notches, and hollows designed into the profile prevent slipping and act as a natural fulcrum for easy tissue strokes. Also, because the finger features are not machined with the sharper treatment bevels, they can be held securely without discomfort.

2. Dynamic Profiles Geometrie s - There is no reason a myofascial tool should be limited to one profile. Why not pack as many treatment features as you can into a single tool? When you are in the midst of treatment that last thing you want to do is set down and pick up a bunch of different tools. The more you can do with the tool you have in your hand, the better.

3. Expanded Range of Treatment Targets - how about a myofascial bar with an "elbow" like profile for locking into the deep layers of large muscle groups like the quads or hamstrings? How about a very small profile with scalpel like focus able to get into small capsules and along nerve channels?

4. The Large Radius Edge (LRE) - The traditional edges are able to penetrate about 3/4" into the tissues. If you have to work deeper, or you are working on sensitive or inflamed tissue you become limited as the treatment can become painful. Not so with a Large Radius Edge. Having this feature gives you so much more flexibility not to mention makes your patients much more comfortable.

5. Scaled for Anatomy - Most regional soft tissue injuries are best treated with a tool sized correctly for both the target tissue and for the depth and amplitude of stroke. Instead of "one-sized-fits-all" profiles, a dynamic geometry includes all necessary profiles in (S) small, (M) medium, & (L) large tools. As an example, when I select a small tool for treating the wrist extensors I know I have every contact necessary.

Better Than Used Graston Tools for Sale in 2020

C onsider that instead of looking for used Graston tools for sale, there are better options available. If you are doing research about tool assisted myofascial therapies, please don't hesitate to contact me with an questions. Soft tissue work is my passion and is still underutilized in our medical system (in the United States). The more practitioners that integrate myofascial therapies the better we can serve the patient population.

I 'll admit that the MyoBar brand is not the only quality alternative to Graston. What I will say is that nobody in the world offers the level of quality and features at our prices. Sadly, there are many American manufactures that have come and gone mainly due to the cheap Chinese imports. You'll see these sets re-branded over and over with different logos and vendors, but they are they all come from the same place. If you are really strapped for cash they can get the job done, but for a small percentage more you can have comfort, functionality, and efficiency that will serve you and your patients for the life of your practice.

The Ultimate Alternative to Used Graston Tools for Sale:

MyoBar Advanced Practice Healing Edge 3 Set

A picture is worth a thousand words. All 5 design improvements that benefit your clinical practice can be found in the Advanced Practice Healing Edge 3 Set. Although you have many options for alternative Graston tools for sale, its worth checking out this set. Even if you already have some myofascial tools you can upgrade for less than you think.

B esides other informative blog posts, you may also want to check out the Technique Page and watch the 4 basic IASTM tissue stroke videos and download our 45 Page IASTM Technique Primer PDF on the Must Read/Technique Page .

Best IASTM Tools for Sale - Top 10 Key Considerations for Better Myofascial Results

Wed, 05 May 2021 00:09:21 GMT

T here are many different kinds of IASTM Tools that have evolved from the amalgam of David Graston profiles with Gua Sha tools introduced in the mid 1990's. Understanding these key considerations will assure the best choice for your practice.

B efore I list the top 10 considerations, let me dispel the myth that all IASTM tools for sale function the same. If you are the kind of person that shops the cheap import bin at the local hardware store... then you might not be convinced there is any difference. However, anyone that appreciates quality tools, be it in the kitchen or the garage, you know that frustration and sub par results can be avoided by using the right tool for the job. Its true, it's hard to tell the difference just by looking at pictures of IASTM tools. So what are the considerations that can help you make the right choice to get better clinical results?

Top 10 Key IASTM Tool Considerations

for Improved Clinical Results

1. Material - aluminum, jade, plastic, and stainless steel have all be used, but experienced professionals prefer stainless steel... here's why:

A luminum has a dull resonance making it difficult to determine restrictions in the myofascial tissues and also reacts with oils in the skin (and can cause allergic reactions). Jade was the go-to for historical Gua Sha but cannot be sanitized and is easily broken. Plastic can be used clinically, but ultimately stainless steel offers better durability, diagnostic resonance, and is easily sanitized. The "stiffness" of stainless steel is thought to facilitate the phenomenon called "diagnostic resonance" where fibrous tissue in the fascia can be felt by both the patient and practitioner.

2. Set Configuration - the right combination of IASTM tools makes all the difference.

O ne tool cannot do everything, but then again... you don't need 10 Instruments either. Generally, IASTM tools are configured by edge geometry, various sizes of convexity or concavities to fit the tissues of the body. The best fit for clinical practice will be getting the most amount of features in the least amount of instruments.

3. Finish Quality - abrasions, pock marks, nicks, sharp corners, or pitting can be easily be felt (even painfully) by the patient.

M any IASTM Tools or Graston Tool analog types are made in high-volume production facilities in China. The problem with this is lack of quality control. It takes a human being to hand finish a quality myofascial tool and remove sharp machining characteristics. Ultimatlly, the surface contact is the most important aspect of your clinical treatment- if it is not comfortable for the patient it will be ineffective.

4. Ergonomics - consider that you have to hold your IASTM tools, sometimes for several or more patient visits per day.

T he main appeal for the use of IASTM tools in physical therapy, massage, chiropractic, practice is not only better results for sports & myofascial injuries... it is easing the stress on the practitioners body. Awkward thin and sharp metal tools are hard to hold, especially if emollient is being used. Always consider the comfort, hold, & ergonomic features of your myofascial tools.

5. Treatment Room Logistics - cleaning, organizing, and efficiency should all be considered.

W here do you set your tools after use on a client? Not on the table or in your pocket! It is important to have a sanitary tray for setting and sanitizing your instruments. A fancy travel case with foam inserts is useless in the treatment room, because foam is a breeding ground for infectious bacteria. Efficiency is best achieved by using the least amount of instruments possible for a treatment. This requires having as many features as possible on different sized tools.

These tools come standard with FDA approved organizational tray to place tools during treatment. You'll never have to wonder where to set your instrument and you can sanitize them right in the tray.

6. Integration with other Therapies - Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization is an adjunct therapy.

A n "adjunct" complements something else. IASTM is not a stand alone myofascial therapy, because it is nothing more than an extension of the hands. Cyriax Cross Friction, Trigger Point Therapy, Gua Sha, and Fascial Manipulation are all comprehensive therapies performed by hand that can be integrated and potentiated with the use of tools. Many people think there is some difficult technique when you use a tool... but think about it, you still have to incorporate the same pressure, stroke direction, amplitude, and stroke frequency that you would with any hands-on technique.

7. Patient Education - educating your patients can help them support their recovery by becoming more compliant.

I ASTM is exciting to the patient. They can feel when you glide the instrument over a problem area of fibrous tissue, trigger point, or scar. This direct feedback is often lacking in other therapy approaches. Patients will be more motivated to make their therapy appointments and tell others about your clinic that provides this niche therapy

8. Range of Anatomical Targets - having instruments sized correctly for anatomy makes all the difference.

A nice small tool, easy to manipulate in the hand is a joy to use for small strokes on small anatomical targets in the wrist, hand, elbow, a/c joint, sacral ligaments, etc. For small fibrous lesions, using a large bulky tool would be uncomfortable. The same is true for big muscle groups in the back or lower extremity that would be inefficient to treat with a small scaled tool, and would be best managed with a larger myofasical bar.

9. What Conditions will you Treat? - This is the fun part- myofascial tools make treating certain dreaded conditions much more fun.

P lantar Fasciitis, Tennis Elbow, Illiotibial Band syndrome are all notoriously difficult and time consuming to treat. No so with instruments. Now you will actually look forward to these cases. Not only will the patients get better quicker, but your body will be much less fatigued not having to do exert so much energy with all hands on techniques.

10. Price - nobody wants to pay too much, but if you go too cheap it could affect the success of your therapy.

L et's be honest, there are some brands that cost way too much. And, there are also some really cheap nock-off's mass produced in China. But, there are several quality tools made in America that don't have the sticker shock of the legacy brands and will serve your patients much better than inferior quality instruments.

The Best IASTM tools for sale Will Serve Your Practice Without Fail for a Lifetime.

I t used to be that you had to pay an arm and a leg to add instrumented technique to your practice. Today, there are many instruments to choose from and many resources for learning. Check out other resources on this website and feel free to contact me anytime to answer your questions. The world's best IASTM tools for sale are within reach!

Graston Technique Seminars: Using IASTM tools- What are the Rules?

Wed, 05 May 2021 00:09:20 GMT

A lthough Graston Technique seminar tools are no longer under patent and the profiles are freely available to the public, the term "Graston Technique" is trademarked and can only be used in advertising by practitioners trained by the GT company. Before discussing 5 important rules regarding using IASTM (instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization) instruments you might be interested in a little history of the GT company.

The Physiofit IASTM technique company is "open" to using all brands of instruments.

History , that only a few people

know about Graston Technique

I got the inside scoop on the genesis of Graston Technique by David Graston himself in a personal meeting at his gym in Indiana the day he was "locked out" of the company that he founded and told he could not use his own name in any marketing of IASTM tools. David was an excellent promoter and attracted the physical therapy department at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana along with a millionaire venture capitalist.

In all fairness, David did sell his interest (including his patents and the rights to his name) to the venture capitalist. So, it's not like his work was "stolen" from him. If anyone was truly upset, it was the PT Department at Ball State who funded original research and created the scientific rationale that would be used to sell the technique to professionals. Soon after David left, the lead physician at Ball State also left to create his own company- ASTYM (augmented soft tissue mobilization).

In the early years, the GT company (now totally owned by the venture capitalist) attracted some top names in soft tissue therapy and sports medicine like Drs. Warren Hammer, and Tom Hyde. By 2014 Dr. Hammer had become closely involved with bringing Fascial Manipulation to the US from Italy (and translating the medical texts to English); Dr. Hyde founded his own IASTM company called FAKTR (functional kinetic treatment & rehab); and the venture capitalist sold GT to a physical therapist.

5 Important Rules - IASTM Tools

at Graston Technique Seminars

1. Alternative Brands are not Allowed - Unlike newer IASTM seminar companies that allow you to use your IASTM tool of choice, the GT company requires use of their exact profiles. The essence of their product is the legacy of the six geometries/ six tools. This approach has served the company well for over two decades and many professionals have been trained this way.

2. GT Teaches Proprietary Technique - While many soft tissue techniques openly site common historical literature and have evolved with new developments, GT still relies on the few studies where their instruments were exclusively used. The essence of the teaching is that you fit various profiles to body and perform sweeping, fanning, cross friction, and or "J" strokes. Rather than basing technique on the direction of tissue strokes, newer approaches see IASTM instruments merely as extension of the hand to potentiate any and all manual therapies.

3. You Cannot Advertise Graston Technique with IASTM tools - Unless you have both taken the Graston Technique Seminar and purchased GT instruments you may not advertise that you perform the trademarked technique. You would need to describe your therapy as Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization, or instrumented myofascial therapy, or gua sha. Most clinicians prefer the freedom to evolve their technique practice under the expansive umbrella of IASTM.

4. Graston Technique Seminars do not Teach New Approaches - By virtue of the restricted protocols, GT cannot add to the knowledge base of soft tissue therapy without needing to acknowledge approaches not under the purview of proprietary control.

5. You are not R equired to Purchase GT Tools - At Graston Technique Seminars you are not required to buy their instruments. Many clinicians see GT seminars as a basic introductory course and know they have both more versatile and less expensive options. Back in 2001, the 6 piece set cost $4,000. Now, its about $2,800... but other quality sets (with better ergonomics and profile features) can be purchased for under $500US.

It's Your Choice - alternatives to

Graston Technique Seminars

C onsider that instead of looking for Graston Technique Seminars as your introduction to IASTM you might be better off with a seminar company like FAKTR that integrates many more advanced therapies and allows you to use the IASTM instrument of your choice. On this website you will find a 45 Technique Primer PDF for free download on the Technique page .

A s a recommendation for the most advanced learning in manual soft tissue therapy I cannot more highly suggest the Fascial Manipulation Seminars. Luigi Stecco, MD and Carla Stecco, MD have finally accurately described what soft tissue "lesions" actually are. As if that wasn't great enough they have created the most advanced diagnostic approach based on newly discovered fascial anatomy and kinetic movement chains.

An Alternative brand will give you new advances in IASTM

tool geometry & you are free to practice how you please.

A picture is worth a thousand words. The MyoBar G+ Series gives you all 6 GT profiles in only three (small, medium, & large) scaled to anatomy tools. We also solved the ergonomic problem of the legacy profiles by adding integral grip features like finger scallops and hollows. More treatment contacts per tool is a win for efficiency as is the inclusion of a classic Trigger Point Tool milled from 304 surgical stainless steel

N ow that you know the rules regarding Graston Technique Seminars and the use of IASTM tools you are free to make more educated decisions as to how to proceed in learning a very effective niche soft tissue therapy for myofascial conditions and sports injuries. Please, contact me any time with any questions regarding instrumented technique. This work is my passion and the more clinicians that practice it in an unobstructed way, the better!

Stainless Steel Gua Sha Tool Sets / Guasha Tools Essential to TCM Massage Practice

Wed, 05 May 2021 00:09:19 GMT

T here are still adherents of traditional folk technique that recommend coin edges, jade, horn, and the lid of your Vicks Vapo-Rub jar as Gua Sha tool sets. For home care this is perfectly acceptable. However when performing as a modern health care practitioner, polished stainless steel edges are worth the investment for better “feel” of the tissues, durability, and obviously sanitization.

Medical Grade 304 Stainless – “Whale” Gua Sha Tool

Yes , stainless steel is better for TCM massage or Gua Sha .

T he stainless steel gua sha tool above was inspired by a timeless design seen perennially in ancient tool artifacts. Modern improvements in the design include finger hollows/scallops for ergonomic handling and ultra polished edges. It has the right sized edge radius for following Folk Medicine protocols, but can also be used for Western soft tissue approaches.

N o matter what your particular philosophy, your patients will benefit from treatment of fibrous tissue, trigger points, & fascial densification. With ease and accuracy- you can actually “feel resonance” as the edges ride along the skin and give valuable information about the tissue topography and possible myofascial dysfunction in the layers below. From an energy medicine point of view you can “feel” chi blockage/stagnation in the meridians.

E astern & Western Rationales for Gua Sha Tool use are becoming integrated. Listen to what these authors say about dry needling & acupuncture points.

W ith the research of Helen Langavin, and Luigi Stecco the sharp lines between Eastern energy medicine and Western science are being blurred. Fascia may be the missing structure involved in the success of diagnosis and treatment with meridians. Dr. Langavin has created landmark studies showing that dry needling signals healing changes to the both the visceral and myofascial systems via microtubule force transmission in the fascia.

D r. Stecco takes a different approach- his theories involve explaining acupuncture points as intersections of fascial layers central to movement in one or more planes of motion. Painful or blocked “energy” in the points may be thickening of hyaluronic acid (HA) within the ground substance. Reducing the viscosity of HA in the system can be achieved with acupuncture, but (maybe even more so) with focused manual therapy like guasha or trigger point therapy.

I f you are a practitioner apt to integrate many approaches like use of Gua Sha Tools or trigger point work consider that IASTM profiles may serve your purposes better.

The MyoBar GS Tool working out the wrist flexors

Fusion That Clearly Offers Better Clinical

than Legacy Gua Sha Tools

I f your interest has been piqued in upgrading to a stainless steel gua sha tool set / guasha tool set there is a TON more info/video on instruments, choosing tools, and myofascial IASTM technique to find on the MyoBar website. Although leaning more toward the Western approach with tools (instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization), the reality is techniques are very similar to Eastern approaches- its just the language that is different. Here are some jumping off points for you:

Research Articles - We have PDF copies available of Dr. Langavin's and Dr. Steccos key articles. A must read for all hands-on practitioners.

IASTM Primer - get to know the state of the art in application of edge tools from the Western point of view.

The Ultimate : in Gua Sha Tools for Clincial TCM Practice

MyoBar: Master GS Fusion Set (Special Order)

A picture is worth a thousand words. Many design improvements that benefit your clinical practice can be found in the Master GS Fusion Set. Although you have many options for less expensive cheaper quality Gua Sha tools, its worth checking out this set. Even if you already have some myofascial tools you can upgrade for less than you think.

SPECIAL NOTE: This GS set is custom made and is special order. It is not available for immediate purchase in the web store. If you would like this set made for you, please contact Dr. Matt Hajzl on the Contact page.