North Carolina State University Athletics
Sports Medicine Takes SASTM Class
7/18/2011 12:00:00 AM | Sports Medicine
July 18, 2011
The Sports Medicine staff at NC State University, consistent with their mission to constantly stay abreast of new therapies, hosted a professional seminar on soft tissue mobilization. Five members of the Sports Medicine team took time out of their weekend and attended a continuing education class taught by Dr. Michael Krasnov of Chiropractic Partners. The class certified them in the S.A.S.T.M treatment technique. Charlie Rozanski, Tyler MacDonnell, Ryan Holleman, Josh Geruso and Stephanie Aronson joined Nicole Neal and Charlie Emerson, who became certified in the fall, as the newest staff members to add this certification to their list of credentials.
S.A.S.T.M stands for Sound Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization and is used to help treat scar tissue and fascial restrictions. These conditions are often seen in many NC State student athletes due to repeated stress, surgery, continuous strain or other mechanisms. Scar tissue formation is a result of the body's healing process. When healthy tissue is injured, the body tries to repair the area by laying down scar tissue. This dense tissue has poor blood supply and is less pliable than normal, healthy tissue. It often causes range of motion restrictions that can lead to poor mechanics during sport performance and in turn cause pain. It is important for the sports medicine staff to address injury to the soft tissue of student athletes to help avoid further injury. There are many ways of doing this, but S.A.S.T.M is a technique that utilizes patented ergonomic ceramic tools along with specific protocols to assist in breaking up the soft tissue adhesions. Once the athletic trainer has broken up the scar tissue and helped restore function, the athlete is able to carry out their rehabilitation more effectively and return to participation efficiently. Many NC State student athletes have benefited from this treatment. Dr. Krasnov, who treats a number of collegiate and professional athletes in his practice utilizes the S.A.S.T.M instruments often and says that in difficult cases, he will see individuals get exponentially better after treatment; "Soft tissue work with S.A.S.T.M is one tool in the toolbox that can be used and is a very effective piece in the rehab process."
