Scare Tissue in the Ankles

Subdermal scar tissue is one of the most common conditions I treat during my time with clients. Subdermal scar tissue is internal scarring that has occurred as a result of injury to the muscle, bones, organs, from external or internal sources. A common external source of internal scar tissue is that caused by cuts scrapes or muscle injury. Common internal sources of internal scar tissue would include severe organ dysfunction such as a heart attack or compensation after a severe injury around a bony structure like vehicles or elbow.

For purposes of this discussion today we're going to narrowly focus on the ankles for several reasons: one, the ankles are a common area of high mobility for those who enjoy extreme physical activities or for those that have had other problems in the past in the lower extremities such as the hips or knees. Two, the ankles because of their internal structure our extremely complex and have areas a very high mobility and areas a very low mobility this contrast protects us in many ways but modern activities will often test these extremes on a regular basis far more than the human being was designed to withstand an entire lifetime. Scare tissue in the ankles also has an extremely visible affect not only on performance but in the way that they look and other conditions can aggravate the angles to an extreme such as scout or four lymphatic drainage to do a merited of medical conditions. 

Let's talk for a moment about what internal scar tissue is meant to do in the body and white is created. Internal scarring as a result of the inflammation response very typical to what we see on our skin and that is when the body is injured body automatically respond to the demand of the injury. This includes things like clotting of blood and scabbing to allow the external skin layers to heal. On the inside of the body many of the same things occur however these things occur in a different rate of speed typically and is well they preserve function rather than aesthetics. Scar tissue feels under the fingers like a crystal material almost as if it was small grains of connected sand pliable yet hard to move and this is in sharp contrast to the texture of bone and connective tissue and and even fluid buildup. I've been asked many times how I can tell the difference so well and the first most basic rule of diagnostic palpation is that if it feels like it's not supposed to be there it's probably not supposed to be there. 

There are several different methods to alleviate scared tissue some of which include massage which in this particular area can be highly effective with other therapies. Most often I'll see people come in with lack of mobility within the ankle some cells and after a thorough examination using diagnostic palpation I will oftentimes find large amounts of scar tissue in and around major joints that make up the upper ankle all the way down into the toes which can all have an impact on mobility.

One of my proudest moments as a young massage therapist I worked with a man who was now in his mid 60’s but who for his age at the time was very tall and had spoken to me many times while playing basketball in high school. During his youth playing basketball he got many injuries as young people do a number of them or ankle sprains and brakes which were treated with the technology of the time. However like many young man he also thought he was indestructible which meant that returning to play ahead of schedule was commonplace. After many years of adulthood he started to feel the severe side effects of those decisions made many years before and had requested during the therapy session if I wouldn't mind taking a look at both of his feet. Immediately I did notice a difference between his right and left ankle one being far stiffer and much cooler to the touch than the other. It was pretty clear that his left ankle had sustained a great deal of damage as a youth and that there was a large amount of scar tissue around the many major joints of the foot that were causing him mobility problems in the present.

After explaining my basic findings he chose to proceed with a particular course of treatment which consisted of two 30 minute sessions of strictly scare remediation on the right foot this would allow me to gauge progress as well as to decide based on the release of the right foot how to deal with the compensation and tight muscles on the left foot. In other words the injury suffered as a teenager cause the area around the damaged tissue surrounding the angle to become harder and less flexible to prevent the bones from moving out of alignment. This in turn causes the opposing for it to become more ridged to act more like a walking cane rather than a flexible athletic component.

After the success of the first two treatments I turn my focus towards correcting the tight muscles in the opposing foot in order to better match each foot to each other to make walking and other activities more “normal”. Sadly the client came to me before we could start that portion of the treatment plan and said that he would no longer be able to come to see me as a loved one had felt terribly ill and will be needing his assistance constantly for the foreseeable future. But you might ask why would I find the situation so gratifying? The gratification came much later approximately a year later when the same person found me on the street and had mentioned how good they felt however had indicated that they were mad that they could not complete the treatment plan with me. And not only approved my diagnostic skills as a young therapist to a degree which I had not been accustomed to at that time but also proved that if you can help someone they will remember you. I have carried those moments of confidence with me for some time but I also try to remind myself that for every victory there must be some failures and therefore I cannot choose to let anyone think that I know everything about what I am doing. The human body is an amazing machine with wonderful abilities to heal itself under the right conditions I am only a very small part of a very big puzzle and among many medical professionals I play but a very small part.