Fascial scraping, or Gua Sha, is one of the oldest techniques in Chinese medicine.
It utilizes a metal or hard plastic tool with beveled edges to break down fascial adhesions.
What Is Fascia?
Fascia is a thin casing of connective tissue that surrounds and holds every organ, blood vessel, bone, nerve fiber, and muscle in place. The tissue does more than provide internal structure; fascia has nerves that make it almost as sensitive as skin. When stressed, it tightens up.
What Are Fascial Adhesions?
Adhesions, more commonly known as scar tissue, are tiny strands of collagen that form during the healing process.

Fascial adhesions can restrict blood supply and damage nerves, leaving you with chronic pain and dysfunction. One of the most common conditions caused by fascial adhesions is carpal tunnel syndrome. Caused by repetitive strain, nerve pain develops in many people who spend long periods at the computer.

Adhesions restrict movement and cause damage to the surrounding area, triggering more inflammation. The increase in inflammation tells the body to send in more collagen links, resulting in even more adhesion development. Over time as the movement of the area becomes more restricted, the adhesions harden and solidify. This can be easily witnessed in conditions like a frozen shoulder where the shoulder is literally stuck in place due to scar tissue and adhesions restricting its mobility.

Causes Of Fascial Adhesions

  • A lifestyle of limited physical activity (too little movement day after day)

  • Repetitive movement that overworks one part of the body

  • Trauma such as surgery or injury