The Wow FAKTR! – Fixing Your Soft Tissue Injuries

Sorry this has been so long in the making, we've been lucky to be too busy in the clinic to blog lately - a good problem to have! A few weekends ago Dr. Welling and I made the trek up north to Laramie on campus at the University of Wyoming to learn about an exciting treatment concept called FAKTR where we both completed our certification and officially became Certified FAKTR Providers. (wild applause) (loud cheers) (more applause). Oh, thank you, thank you, you're all too kind!

FAKTR, pronounced "factor," is a treatment concept that combines movement and function with other common instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) techniques. The really interesting thing about this concept, however, is that the treatment is performed in the position of provocation. This could be a position of pain, loss of range of motion, or just general tightness. Most common treatment techniques these days are performed in a nice, relaxed, pain-free position and for many years we've always been trained to avoid positions of provocation due to the negative consequences of poking the caged bear that we affectionately know as inflammation. However, newer research utilized by course instructor Dr. Tom Hyde shows that if you can get to an injury ASAP and use an instrument to treat and encourage a little of that inflammatory process, you can facilitate and quicken the healing process.

The main theme of his 2 day course was Fascia. Fascia refers to the bands of connective tissue investing, supporting, and binding together bones, muscles, joints, organs, and essentially every individual cell that makes up the entire human body. When you move, your fascia moves. Plain and simple. Many soft tissue injuries (muscle strain, ligament sprain, tendonitis, etc.) can be traced back to a flaw in the fascia. This uses the same concept behind a deep soft tissue massage where Dr. Welling or I may use our thumbs to dig into a painful body part. What we're doing is trying to smooth out that fascia and help realign the muscle and collagen fibers so that they may lay down nice and uniformly, making them better able to do their jobs, and making life less painful for you. The way FAKTR makes this even better is that it amplifies the good parts. It puts your body in a position of pain or stretch so that the fascia is at its end range and we treat in that position to "knock out" whatever trouble it's giving you in that specific position. The instrument (pictured left) just helps us get nice and specific to the exact point where you need help the most.

Overall the FAKTR training course was an excellent class and we really learned a lot. We've actually been using it with patients immediately and have been already seeing good results! It made us reevaluate the way we've been educated and trained and step back and think about how we treat patients every day. Obviously everything we do every day is heavily rooted in evidence, combined with personal experience, lets us know we're positively affecting patients and making them better. But if a new concept comes along that says, "Hey, those same patients you've been getting better in 4 weeks, well you can get them better in 2 weeks now!" of course we're going to listen. Is FAKTR an end all super cure for every single injury for every single patient? Of course not, nothing is. But is it a great new additional tool to our clinic and can it help a heck of a lot of people? Yes and yes!

In February our clinic added a Physical Therapist (me) to provide Physical Therapy for patients. In April we added Trigger Point Dry Needling to help treat chronic and acute deep muscle pains. Now we've added a great Instrument Assisted concept for soft tissue injuries that can be used on literally every body part from the tips of your toes to your TMJ in your jaw. We're proud and excited to continue to bring in new treatment options to our clinic and keep expanding upon the many ways that we can help get you better!

If you have any questions about FAKTR or want to know if it's right for you, don't hesitate to give us a call or ask about it at your next treatment session.