What Is Gua Sha and Can You Use It for Muscle Soreness?

You might need seen Instagram influencers scraping their our bodies or faces with clean stones or metallic instruments to assist (as they declare) promote blood move and vary of movement, and even relieve minor ache or soreness. The normal Chinese language medication observe, known as gua sha, is touted as a type of lymphatic drainage therapeutic massage.

However earlier than you attempt gua sha for your self, there are some belongings you would possibly wish to know. Does it actually work? What does the analysis present? Are you able to DIY at dwelling? (And do you have to?)

Right here’s what it is advisable know for those who’re considering of attempting gua sha for the primary time or making it part of your restoration routine.

What Is Gua Sha?

Gua sha is a observe in conventional Chinese language medication that dates again roughly 1,800 years. It’s primarily a therapeutic massage: A practitioner rubs your physique (or an space) with heat oil then makes use of a worn coin or spoon to briskly rub your pores and skin in lengthy traces. Different fashionable supplies for these therapeutic massage instruments embrace rose quartz, jade, and metallic.

Gua sha can also be known as “coining” or “scraping” within the US, says Theresa Marko, PT, DPT, MS, a physician of bodily remedy and proprietor of Marko Bodily Remedy in New York Metropolis.

To get conventional gua sha, you’ll want to go to a conventional Chinese language medication practitioner or acupuncturist. Nonetheless, there are a few related practices utilized by different health-care professionals, explains Marko.

Chiropractors use the Graston method, which mixes gua sha and fashionable myofascial launch. Bodily therapists use “instrument-assisted delicate tissue mobilization” (IASTM). Each therapies use stainless-steel instruments. Whereas all three scrape the pores and skin utilizing instruments, the intention is totally different. The Graston method and IASTM deal with myofascial launch, or breaking apart scar tissue and muscle adhesions.

Gua sha “appears at ache as a symptom of imbalance,” explains Aliks Okay. Lessa, LAC, a licensed acupuncturist. It targets tight muscle groups with the aim of transferring “stagnant” blood, lowering inside warmth, and shifting adverse power within the physique. Nonetheless, the observe can depart behind purple streaks and even some damaged blood vessels at occasions.

Does Gua Sha Assist With Muscle Aches?

Since gua sha is a type of therapeutic massage, Marko says it’s, in her skilled expertise, “actually good for assuaging [soreness] from a muscle that could be in spasm or too tight.”

Utilizing gua sha instruments to scrape the pores and skin in spots the place you’re sore “coaxes the physique to launch that deeply embedded pressure,” explains Lessa, and provides some components of acupressure, too.

Analysis is restricted however reveals promise. In a small research, folks with persistent neck ache handled with gua sha confirmed enhancements after every week of therapy. In addition they had much less ache whereas transferring than these not given the therapy.

A research on persistent low again ache discovered related enhancements in ache scores after gua sha. Nonetheless, these research are small, with no placebo, so the outcomes aren’t definitive.

Gua sha doesn’t work on all muscle groups, says Marko, because it’s a superficial therapy.

“When you wanted one thing deeper, like your piriformis muscle in your buttock space, scraping wouldn’t actually get to it,” she says. For these forms of aches, she recommends different types of therapeutic massage or bodily remedy.

How Typically Ought to You Gua Sha?

Lessa suggests getting gua sha as soon as every week to assist ease muscle pressure. The bruising and purple streaking is regular, Lessa confirms, however she desires them to heal absolutely earlier than her purchasers come again. “Ordinarily, every week is sufficient time for that to happen,” she says. You may combine gua sha with different merchandise to alleviate sore muscle groups.

What Instruments Are Used For Gua Sha?

You must solely get gua sha from a educated skilled. Right here’s a peek on the instruments they could use:

Curler instrument

Among the many gua sha instruments, the curler could be the most well-liked and recognizable. It typically comes with an enormous and small aspect, with the smaller aspect used for extra strain or exact scraping.

S-shaped instrument

Lessa explains this one is flexible, “working round superb bones just like the ankles, wrists, and vertebrae, but in addition for wider extra muscular areas of the physique like forearms, calves, and hips.”

Wing- or fin-type instrument

This instrument is greatest for areas with “extra muscle and fewer bone protrusion,” similar to the perimeters of the neck, backs of the legs, and stomach.

Dolphin-shape instrument

Lessa makes use of the flat edge for bigger areas, just like the IT band, and the dolphin edge for “curving round delicate bones just like the shoulder blades, collar bone, knees, and ankles.” One other widespread space to be used is the jawline.

Fish-shape instrument

Lessa likes this as a facial instrument, to “work round small, delicate bones just like the brows and nostril” and even the cheekbone.

Spoon-type instrument

The spoon aspect is ideal for scraping painful areas whereas the smaller aspect can be utilized for acupressure.