Scraping / Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Massage (IASTM).
Scraping, ‘Gua Sha’ or IASTM are terms used to describe deep tissue massage with an instrument of some kind. This form of manual therapy has origins to ancient China.
The idea of IASTM is much the same as deep tissue massage as the technique is very similar, with the main difference being the use of an instrument rather than the human body.
The instruments can be large, blunt or sharp, each creating a different sensation and effect on the tissue. Using an instrument allows for greater surface area to be covered, and allows for more pressure to be applied via the therapist creating a great deep tissue response. At RBP, we use Thysol and Fasciq IASTM tools.
To find out what these treatments actually do to the body, please read the sections under our Treatment Benefits page.