Scar Tissue Affects Movement

If you’ve had carpal tunnel surgery, you might think the scar left behind is just a small mark, nothing more. But that scar can hide tension beneath the surface that affects how your hand moves. Scar tissue can restrict fascia, trap nerves, or tighten muscles, all of which limit your hand’s natural motion. Scar tissue affects movement. As someone who has worked with clients recovering from carpal tunnel surgery, I’ve seen how manual therapy and massage therapy focused on scar tissue can make a real difference.

In this post, I’ll explain why scars matter more than you think, how they affect your hand’s function, and share the step-by-step techniques I use to help break up adhesions and restore smooth movement.

Why Scar Tissue Can Limit Your Hand’s Movement

After surgery, your body goes through a tissue remodeling phase and forms scar tissue as part of the healing process. While this tissue is necessary, it can sometimes stick to the layers around it, including fascia, nerves, and muscles. This sticking, or adhesion, can:

• Prevent fascia from sliding, which reduces flexibility

• Limit nerve gliding, causing discomfort or numbness

• Tighten muscles, limiting the range of motion and making movement stiff or painful

  
  

Even a tiny scar from carpal tunnel surgery can cause these issues. The fascia is a web of connective tissue that surrounds and winds through muscles and nerves. When the deeper layers of fascia in your wrist get stuck, your hand won’t move as freely as it should. This can lead to ongoing pain or weakness, even after the initial surgical wound has healed.

How I Approach Scar Tissue with Manual Therapy

When I work with clients in my Las Vegas massage studio, communication is key. I always ask about their pain levels and comfort during treatment. My goal is to gently break up adhesions without causing unnecessary discomfort, squish fluids toward the tissue to nourish and re-hydrate the tissues, and remodel the scar so the fibers will align best for optimum functioning. Here’s a video of the general process I follow using massage therapy and manual therapy techniques. The video's speed has been increased for social media:

Las Vegas Massage Therapist, Christina of Luckygirl Bodywork, massaging a carpal tunnel scar

1. Palpation of the Tissues

I start by feeling the scar and surrounding tissues to identify areas of tightness or restriction. This helps me understand where scar tissue or adhesions might be limiting movement.

2. Light Effleurage to Warm the Tissues

Next, I use gentle, gliding strokes to warm up the tissues. This increases blood flow and prepares the area for deeper work.

3. Increasing Blood Flow in the Fingers

Improving circulation with compressions in the fingers helps reduce stiffness and supports healing. This step is important for restoring function after carpal tunnel surgery.

4. Separating Muscles and Spreading the Fascia

I carefully work to separate the muscles of the forearm and spread the fascia. This encourages the layers to slide smoothly over each other again.

5. Assisted Body Mobilization

With the tissues warmed up, I use a Body Mobilization Technique (a.k.a. BMT) to gently move the hand and wrist. This helps improve range of motion without forcing movement.

6. Deepening the Work with Careful Touch

Finally, I apply deeper pressure to areas of tension, always checking in with the client. If a spot feels sore, I stay there longer using medium pressure, asking about their sensations and adjusting accordingly.

This slower, mindful approach helps break up scarring and adhesions while respecting the client’s comfort. The treatment moves slowly to allow the tissues to respond. Going slow lets me work deeper without causing pain or damage. It also gives clients time to communicate what they feel, so I can adjust pressure and technique.

Why Going Slow Matters

Scar tissue lacks elastin. This means it is less flexible or resilient than normal skin because the healing process prioritizes rapid collagen deposition for strength. The result? Disorganized, stiff tissue that isn't as stretchy as the surrounding tissues.

This careful balance between effective manual therapy and client comfort is essential for lasting results.

Real-Life Impact: Restoring Hand Freedom

One client I worked with had a small scar from carpal tunnel surgery but complained of tightness and limited finger movement months later. After a few sessions focusing on scar tissue and fascia, they reported less stiffness and smoother hand motion. They could swipe on their phone more easily, they had less hand fatigue, and felt less nerve irritation.

This example shows how even minor scars can cause big problems, and how targeted manual therapy can unlock freedom in your hand.

Tips for Managing Scar Tissue at Home

While professional manual therapy is ideal, you can support your recovery at home by:

• Gently massaging the scar area with lotion to keep tissues soft

• Doing finger and wrist stretches daily to maintain mobility

• Applying warm compresses to increase blood flow to capillaries before stretching

• Avoiding activities that cause sharp pain or excessive strain such as repetitive stress and deep pressure.

  
  

Always check with your healthcare provider before starting new exercises or self-massage.

If you notice ongoing tightness, pain, numbness, or limited movement after carpal tunnel surgery, manual therapy can help. A trained therapist can assess your scar tissue and design a treatment plan tailored to your needs once you have healed from surgery.

Early intervention often leads to better outcomes, so don’t wait if your hand feels stuck.

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