Incision scar adhesion?
Hello fellow victims,
I’ve just noticed that there is one point just under my incision scar that seems to be stuck to the tendon. I think this is somewhat normal (and bad). I think I need some massage to free it. Can anyone recommend a massage method I can do on myself to free the skin? I suppose I could go to a massage therapist, but I figured it should be something I can do easily enough to myself. Does it take lots of time to slowly loosen, or is it sort of a “pop” thing where you break the adhesion forcefully?
Thanks,
Peter
nick Said,
April 9, 2012 @ 12:04 am
I do not have an answer but would like to add to your comment.
Two years ago I fully ruptured my Achilles tendon. Within 3 days I had surgery to repair and was put in a cast for 8 weeks post-surgery (my leg was in an immobile, hard cast).
After removal of the cast, several of internal stitches that were meant to dissolve, had not, and were visibly poking through my skin. After a few weeks, one of them was naturally discharged and a small, blue, knotted stitch “popped out.” (It literally came out of my skin and I was holding the small stitch in my hand)
One of the stitches was never discharged. It caused discomfort for several more weeks, but I presume that it eventually “dissolved” as it was designed to do.
However, at the site of that stitch, I now have a skin to tendon adhesion. It is sometimes painful and causes my skin to “pucker up” during plantar flexion of the calf muscle system.
I went through post-operative physical therapy, which included techniques to break up adhesions. These included Graston technique, massage, ASTYM, Active Release therapy, and self massage (in addition to general strengthening and flexibility exercises)
The skin to tendon adhesion causes some pain and discomfort and also restricts my range of motion and flexibility. I believe that it is also inhibiting a full recovery of muscle strength in the calf.
My question: What options do I have to break up skin to tendon adhesion in Achilles?