ScarWork

What happens to the fascia after an injury or surgery?

The trauma of opening the body for surgery or from an injury leads to stiff and adhered scar tissue when the body begins to repair. This is a natural response to protect the injured area. Unfortunately, it restricts movement, blood flow, nerves, and causes pain. In the past, therapists believed they had to be aggressive with breaking it down. It proved to have the reverse effects, making the fascia even more thick and dense as the body continues to protect.

The good thing is, we now know we can reduce and ease these issues by gently softening the fascia and blend it into our natural fascia web.

Introducing ScarWork

In 1973, Sharon Wheeler, a student of Ida Rolf’s discovered ScarWork. In 2007, she began to teach others when she realized there was a strong need for it.

Robert Schleip, world renowned top fascia researcher, recommends these techniques as the most effective and efficient way to release fascia from scars.

With Sharon’s gentle techniques, scars with bumps, ridges, gaps, strings, knots, and holes become smoother and the tissue softens. This gives back some movement, sensation, and circulation.

The touch is not aggressive, light, and not painful. The tact down fascia from scarring responds quickly and easily. The ScarWork techniques is remarkably different from Structural Integration techniques.

What ScarWork can and cannot address:

Treatment is performed on fully healed scars. It cannot be open, weeping, infected, inflamed, or very painful. Tenderness is ok. If your scar is less than 12 weeks old, your surgeon should be advising when it is safe to work on it.
Cancer patients should have their surgeon’s approval for ScarWork.
ScarWork is contraindicated to tissue that are red or swollen from radiation.
Pregnancy is contraindicated for this work.
We cannot work on or near the abdominal areas having mesh. Mesh for breast reconstruction is safe.
ScarWork is for old scars too. It is never too late to work on old scars.
ScarWork addresses burns with different protocols and varying results than typical scars.
With ScarWork, plastic surgery scars can soften without losing the lift.
We accept scars of all sizes, from small finger cuts to full-length body scars.

What to expect after your session

For the first 7-10 days: take it easy. Do not test your ability to move the injured area or lift heavy. Your body needs to recalibrate with walking as the basic movement. No yoga, weight training, running, strenuous hiking, etc as this can undo the work we have done. Go for light walks. Your body will be forming new tissue, so you may find yourself being extra hungry. Support and nourish the new tissue with healthy choices.

For the second week: you may begin to engage in your regular activity. You may find yourself a bit fatigued. Recognize it and respond accordingly.

After the second week, it’s proper to follow up on your treatment with added work or to integrate the work into a 3 series of Structural Bodywork or a 12 series of Structural Integration. It depends on the nature and age of the scar. Discuss with the therapist to find out what’s right for your scar.

For weeks after your session, the healing speeds up and then it is more gradual for months after the sessions.

To learn more about Sharon Wheeler and ScarWork, go to https://sharonwheeler.com

60 minute

$135 (incl. GST)

Best for small to medium sized scars

90 minute

$185 (incl. GST)

Best for medium to large or multiple scars

Call Jenny at: 403-860-2843
or Book Online anytime