What Is An Adhesion?
An adhesion is a band of fibrous tissue that joins surfaces that normally move separately. Adhesions may form after injury, surgery, inflammation, or repeated irritation. In manual therapy, the term describes restricted movement between tissue layers, such as muscle, fascia, and nearby connective tissue, rather than a joint misalignment or muscle knot.
Quick Facts About Adhesion
Category
Connective tissue restriction
Used for
Describing reduced tissue mobility
Common confusion
Not identical to a muscle knot
Also called
Scar Tissue Adhesion
Often discussed with
Manual Therapy
Key Takeaways About Adhesion
- Adhesions restrict tissue-layer movement, not necessarily joint position.
- Manual therapy assesses how tissues glide during movement.
- An adhesion is not the same as a trigger point.
How Adhesion Works
Adhesion affects the way nearby tissue layers slide across one another. Fibrous tissue may connect surfaces that usually move independently. That connection can create a sense of tightness or cause a nearby area to move with less freedom.
Related glossary terms: Myofascial Release, Trigger Point, Joint Mobilization.
Manual therapy examines tissue motion through touch and guided movement. A practitioner may compare how the area feels at rest and how it responds during active or assisted motion. Myofascial release and other hands-on methods may address the surrounding soft tissue with controlled pressure and movement. The practical goal is to improve tissue mobility without treating an adhesion as a joint problem. Findings can also point to other contributors, including guarding, swelling, or a trigger point.
From the Arrowhead Clinic Chiropractic - Albany team
When we assess a suspected adhesion, we compare tissue glide with active and assisted movement. Our team also checks nearby muscles and joints because restricted motion can have more than one contributor. During Manual Therapy, we adjust pressure and direction according to the tissue response.
Adhesion in Practice: A Real-World Example
A person may notice tightness near an old shoulder injury when reaching overhead. During Manual Therapy, the practitioner assesses how the skin, fascia, and muscle layers move and works with the restricted area as part of the broader movement assessment.
Related Services
Related Terms
Myofascial Release
Myofascial Release is a manual therapy technique that applies sustained, targeted pressure and gentle movement to…
Trigger Point
A trigger point is a tender, sensitive area within a muscle or its surrounding connective tissue…
Joint Mobilization
Joint mobilization is a manual therapy technique that uses controlled, low-velocity movements to assess and improve…
Range of Motion
Range of Motion is the degree through which a joint can move in a specific direction…
Arrowhead Clinic Chiropractic - Albany
Have Questions About Adhesion?
Contact Arrowhead Clinic Chiropractic - Albany for practical guidance on Adhesion and related chiropractor work in Albany.