Scar Tissue and Soft Tissue Injuries

We’ve all been there: you stretch consistently, yet your flexibility remains stubbornly stagnant, or your tight muscles refuse to let up. You might even wonder, Why isn’t this helping? Here’s the thing—stretching is great for maintaining and improving flexibility in healthy muscles. However, if your flexibility isn’t improving despite regular stretching, it could be a sign that the muscles you’re stretching are not in a healthy state and burdened by scar tissue. So, what gives?

Understanding Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft tissue injuries occur when your body’s capacity for handling stress is exceeded by the load placed on it. In simple terms, if you’re pushing your body harder than it can handle, injuries happen. Think sprained ankles, torn ligaments, or even fractured bones—these are examples of acute injuries, typically caused by one specific traumatic event.

On the flip side, cumulative trauma injuries, also known as repetitive stress injuries (RSIs) or overuse syndromes, develop gradually over time due to repetitive movement or strain. These injuries affect everyone from athletes and office workers to musicians and even the general public. Examples include rotator cuff syndrome, tennis elbow, tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and chronic low back pain. In fact, RSIs are such a massive problem in the U.S. that the healthcare costs related to these injuries exceed $110 billion annually, even surpassing the costs of treating lower back pain (CDC, 2022).

You might be surprised when pain emerges without a clear cause. After all, if you haven’t had any significant accidents or changes to your routine, why are you in pain? It often comes down to repetitive strain and overuse. Over time, the tissue weakens without us even realizing it until one day, a small movement (like bending over to pick up your toothbrush) can trigger a pain episode. This is a textbook example of “normal load, decreased capacity”—a common problem for many people.

Why Stretching Alone Doesn’t Cut It

Let’s talk about the core issue: why do tight muscles often fail to respond to stretching? The culprit could be scar tissue that’s developing as a result of repetitive stress. Here’s a breakdown:

1. Sticky Muscles and Adhesions

Muscles in your body need to glide past each other to move efficiently. But with repetitive movements, adhesions can form in the soft tissues as a protective mechanism, essentially “gluing” muscles together to prevent further damage. These adhesions don’t always form in the correct direction, limiting muscle movement. Over time, they can restrict joint motion and even cause numbness or tingling if nerves get trapped (Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions, 2021).

2. Mechanical Limitation of Length

Scar tissue isn’t as flexible as healthy muscle tissue. Areas of scar tissue do not stretch in the same way, which can restrict your range of motion. This is why some people who stretch regularly still don’t see improvements in flexibility—scar tissue is a major obstacle.

3. Slow Speed of Elongation

Even if a scar tissue-laden muscle does eventually reach full length when stretched, it will take longer to do so. Scar tissue has a higher coefficient of friction compared to healthy muscle, which slows down its ability to elongate. If one muscle contracts at a normal speed while the opposing muscle stretches slowly, this can increase the risk of tears and injury (International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 2020).

4. Slow Speed of Contraction

Scar tissue can also affect the speed at which a muscle contracts. Due to friction and potential neuromuscular inhibition (caused by pain or improper posture), your muscles may struggle to contract at their optimal speed. This lack of smooth contraction can affect stability and overall strength.

5. Decreased Maximum Strength

When scar tissue forms, it can bind to surrounding muscle fibers, making it harder for those fibers to shorten properly when you contract the muscle. This can weaken your muscles, leading to fatigue and failure more quickly. Essentially, you’re left with less functional muscle to rely on, which puts extra strain on other muscle groups (Journal of Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 2023).

6. Muscular Tightness

Tight muscles often occur when they are “stuck” to scar tissue, causing them to contract in a protective spasm. You may feel temporary relief from methods like massage or manipulation, but the underlying issue of scar tissue remains unresolved.

7. Pain and Nerve Sensitivity

Scar tissue has been found to contain pain nerve endings, which can make it a direct source of pain. Depending on how scar tissue affects the surrounding structures, pain may be felt at the scar site itself, at tendon attachments, or even in the muscles and joints compensating for the injured tissue (Journal of Pain Research, 2024).

8. Nerve Entrapment

Nerves often travel through or around muscles. If scar tissue forms around these nerves, it can restrict their movement, causing the nerve to become “stuck.” This can lead to symptoms like numbness, tingling, weakness, and burning sensations (Clinical Neurophysiology, 2022).

How to Tackle Scar Tissue: A Multi-Faceted Approach

While stretching is helpful, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, especially when scar tissue is involved. To truly address the problem, a combination of strategies is needed:

• Massage Therapy & Myofascial Release: These techniques help break up adhesions and improve tissue mobility.
• Chiropractic & Physical Therapy: A professional can design exercises and stretches that target scar tissue and improve muscle function.
• Active Release Techniques (ART) and Sound Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (SASTM): A hands-on and instrument-based approach respectively that can help release the restrictions caused by scar tissue.
• Dry Needling: Can be used to release tension in muscles and reduce pain.

If you’re dealing with persistent pain or limited flexibility, it’s time to take a more proactive approach. Your muscles and joints deserve better than just stretching—they need real recovery from the inside out.

Conclusion

Scar tissue can be a major barrier to flexibility and overall muscle health. When it’s formed as a result of repetitive strain, it can limit your movement, cause pain, and decrease strength. The good news is that with the right treatment at Aquarius Chiropractic and a bit of patience, you can reduce the impact of scar tissue and start seeing real improvements in your flexibility and strength. So, don’t just stretch—treat, strengthen, and heal!

Sources:

• CDC (2022). Repetitive Stress Injuries and Healthcare Costs.
• International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy (2020). Scar Tissue and Stretching Limitations.
• Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions (2021). Effects of Repetitive Stress on Soft Tissue.
• Journal of Pain Research (2024). Scar Tissue and Nerve Endings: A New Look at Pain.