ScarWork
ScarWork is a very gentle therapy to help the tissues return to their original state following surgery or injury. Adhesions may form in the layers beneath the visible scar, meaning that muscles, nerves, and connective tissues are not free to glide over one another. This could result in changes in sensation, numbness or pain, a reduction in mobility, or uncomfortable pulls during daily life.
ScarWork starts the process of freeing the structures beneath a scar, un-tethering them and allowing the tissues to glide again. It also helps with the appearance of scars, reducing redness, stringiness and hardness, smoothing out lumps and ridges, and filling in ‘dents’, so that the overall effect is less pronounced. The treatment should feel very pleasant, with gentle sweeping movements gradually moving deeper through the layers. The idea is to allow the tissue to knit back together, getting the layers to meet where they may have been separated, allowing for the restoration of soft, smooth, connected tissue.
Changes tend to be permanent, and should be noticeable from the first session. The number of sessions required varies according to the scar, but one to three is likely to be enough in most cases. You may find that further improvements happen between sessions, as the body continues the process of re-integrating the scar tissue into the rest of the body. Scars of any age can be worked on, provided that the wound has healed and is free from infection, and older scars respond just as well as recent ones.
ScarWork was developed by Sharon Wheeler, a structural integration practitioner. It encompasses many distinct techniques, which combine to create remarkable results whilst giving a deeply relaxing experience. Further information can be found on her website: