MSTR® is such a non-invasive, gentle multi-directional technique delivered with only the tip of the finger and a world of neural understanding from the practitioner. So careful is the work, that you might like to know what is truly happening and why it is so effective as a unique and thought provoking approach in modern health.
To understand this piece, we need to dive beneath the surface. Our skin is one entire beacon to the world, it let's our brain know what is safe and what is not. It will literally detect the most minute touch of an insects legs to send the message to reach out and slap your arm in your sleep to capture the adventurous mosquito who is seeking a juicy dinner.
Always on watch and sending millions of signals every second to assess and relay hot and cold, pressure and depth, sharp and blunt, stretch and pull, and of course., pain - whether that is immediate and threatening or dull and aching.
When the skin is breached for whatever reason, surgery, cuts in accidents, grazes, burns, tattoos, injections, the surface skin and underlying tissue is disrupted, either just on the surface or the first few layers, or deeper more intrusive disturbance such as a caesarian or heart surgery. All the while the receptors are relaying the information in real time.
For this reason, it is important to regulate the area and the tissues to assist in returning the optimum set of mechano- receptor signalling and create a level of 'normality' in the information reaching the brain so it can work on adapting and healing the area.
To be successful at this genuinely requires no abrasive activiity or will of the practitioner onto the scar and surrounding tissue. It takes skill.
So what is happening and why is this so exciting? Have a look at the picture below to appreciate all the different receptors at work in your body. Some have very specific locations and roles as well.
In the skin layers. Scar tissue is denser and less elastic than normal skin, and it can interfere with the function of mechanoreceptors. This can lead to hypersensitivity, numbness, or even chronic pain.
The human body’s skin is not only a protective barrier but also a complex sensory organ, allowing us to perceive touch, pressure, and pain. This sensation comes from specialized sensory receptors called mechanoreceptors, which play a crucial role in how we experience the world and heal from injury. Understanding these is particularly important in the context of working with scars, as they influence how we perceive touch and pain during the healing process, alongside sensitivity changes and how a person feels about their scar.
In this article, we will explore the different types of mechanoreceptors, their role in scar therapy, and why they are essential for anyone working on scar tissue treatment.
There are four primary types of mechanoreceptors found in human skin:
Merkel Cells.
Location: Found in the basal layer of the epidermis, particularly in areas like fingertips and lips.
Function: Merkel cells detect light pressure and texture, making them essential for activities requiring fine motor skills, like typing or reading Braille. They are slowly adapting receptors, meaning they continue to respond to constant pressure.
They react to low vibrations (5–15 Hz) and deep static touch such as shapes and edges. Due to a small receptive field (extremely detailed info) they are densely present in areas like fingertips; they are not covered (shelled) and thus respond to pressures over long periods.
Interestingly -these cells are super important to a well informed therapist as it it is these mechanoreceptors that we use to feedback information from the client we are working on. The more tuned in you are to your own Merkel cells in your fingertips, the more effective therapist you will be as you can interpret and "witness" what you are feeling and give feedback. Not so much " intuition" but true neural feddback showing you the " lay of the land" for your client.
Meissner’s Corpuscles
Location: Situated in the dermal papillae, especially in hairless skin areas like the palms, fingertips, and soles of the feet.
Function: These receptors are responsible for sensing light touch and changes in texture. They adapt quickly, meaning they respond best to touch that is changing or moving.
Frequencey 10 -50 Hz
These are tactile corpuscles are rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors. They are sensitive to shape and textural changes in exploratory and discriminatory touch.
Their acute sensitivity provides the neural basis for reading Braille text. Because of their superficial location in the dermis, these corpuscles are particularly sensitive to touch and vibrations, but for the same reasons, they are limited in their detection because they can only signal that something is touching the skin.
Any physical deformation of the corpuscle will cause sodium ions to enter it, creating an action potential in the corpuscle's nerve fiber. Since they are rapidly adapting or phasic, the action potentials generated quickly decrease and eventually cease (this is the reason one stops "feeling" one's clothes. Constant irritation to them can cause a more "nocioceptive" affect - or a pain affect.
If the stimulus is removed, the corpuscle regains its shape and while doing so (i.e.: while physically reforming) causes another volley of action potentials to be generated.
These are important when working with any scars on the hands, palms, and the soles of the feet. Lips and even the tongue. They "discern" and if affected by disruption to the skin surface - can dramatically alter the interpretation of the external world. MSTR® has demonstrated in case studies just how this sensation can be normalised - and even returned, so the client can "feel" their envionment again. This is profound for all parties in the treatment. process.
When stimulated at their optimal range, Meissner's corpuscles produce a "fluttering" feeling. For example, if you place a pen down in your palm, the Meissner's corpuscles will fire rapidly as it touches down, but will stop firing almost immediately if the pen remains still.
Pacinian Corpuscles:
Location: Deep within the dermis and hypodermis, these are large, onion-shaped receptors.
Function: Pacinian corpuscles detect deep pressure and vibration. They are fast-adapting receptors, so they respond rapidly to changes in pressure but not to sustained touch.
Frequency 80–450 Hz
The corpuscles are notably on both surfaces of the hands and feet, arms, and neck. Pacinian corpuscles are also found on bone periosteum, joint capsules, the pancreas and other internal organs, the breast, and genitals.
Pacinian corpuscles are rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors. As phasic receptors they respond quickly but briefly to a stimulus with the response diminishing even when the stimulus is maintained.
They primarily respond to vibration, and deep pressure. They are especially sensitive to high-frequency vibrations. Groups of corpuscles sense pressure changes (such as on grasping or releasing an object). They are additionally crucially involved in proprioception. The vibrational role may be used for detecting surface texture, such as rough and smooth.
Disturbance to these receptors due to scarring or disruption are incredibly important to how somebody may use their shoulder for example after a rotator cuff surgery, or in the knee after ACL surgery. THe alterations in the ability to know where your knee or shoulder is in 3D time and space can intefere with and contribute to recovery. MSTR® is useful in maintaining and returning this crucial perception by re-introducing the correct stimulus and returning optimum function.
The ultrasound research on caesareans is particularly of interest here as there are multiple disturbances to pacini receptors during surgery and recovery, the notable feedback in clinic in relation to pain, alteration in the back and hip function, sciatic presentations and diaphragmatic changes are all interesting when the pacini recpetor is brought into consideration and how gentle pressure of an MSTR® move could assist.
Ruffini Endings:
Location: Deep in the dermis, often found near joints and in ligaments.
Function: Ruffini endings detect sustained pressure and skin stretch.
They are slowly adapting receptors and are critical for perceiving the position of your body parts in space (proprioception).
Frequency . 40hz and below
They are slowly adapting mechanoreceptors which respond to stretch and movement and do not transmit discriminative touch stimuli.
Structurally, a bulbar corpuscle is spindle-shaped and includes a single branching sensory fibre surrounded by a thin capsule containing longitudinally oriented collagen fibres Tension applied at the ends of the capsule compresses the nerve fibre branches inside, with the resulting nerve impulses being perceived as stretching.
Ruffini corpuscles are classified as typical stretch receptors of the Golgi tendon organ type. One can presume that structural change in the connective tissue (injuries, malposition of joints, scars, degenerative processes, aging) also leads to change in the Ruffini corpuscles in the sense that they adjust themselves to the new surroundings.
Restoring Sensory Function:
After an injury, scar tissue can disrupt the natural layout of mechanoreceptors. Working on the scar tissue—through techniques like massage, physical therapy, or specific scar mobilization techniques—helps to reorganize the tissue and improve mechanoreceptor function. This can restore normal sensory perception, reducing discomfort or hypersensitivity and in the case of deeper nerve damage - asssit in the longer term recovery.
Pain Management:
Scar tissue can lead to neuropathic pain if mechanoreceptors are damaged or if scar tissue impinges on surrounding nerves. By stimulating mechanoreceptors through therapeutic techniques, it’s possible to modulate pain perception. For example, Pacinian corpuscles can be targeted with vibration therapy to reduce pain by interfering with the pain signals sent to the brain.
Improving Tissue Flexibility and Mobility:
Scar tissue can restrict movement due to its rigidity and lack of elasticity. Stimulating Ruffini endings, which detect stretch, can help improve tissue flexibility by promoting collagen remodeling within the scar.
Promoting Blood Flow and Healing:
Light touch can stimulate Merkel cells and Meissner’s corpuscles, improving local blood flow to the scar area.
Increased blood flow aids in the healing process by delivering more oxygen and nutrients to the damaged tissue, helping it remodel and regain normal function.
MSTR® Scar Tissue Release
On observation and what has been witnessed in ultrasound imaging, the therapist can directly or indirectly stimulate mechanoreceptors, aiding the healing process by carrying out multiple stimulations in one short 5-15 minute session depending on the size of the scar.
Vibration, pliability of the tissues, reducing pain by giving safe stimulus (opposite stimulus) to the receptors improving sensation and reducing tightness by stretching the area in a very specific way.
The overall effect is to desensitise and mobilise.
MSTR® as a Desensitisation Technique.
Understanding the body’s natural response to mechanical stimuli is key to fostering recovery and supporting long-term skin and fascial health alongside returning tissue integrity and reducing pain. MSTR® is making excellent advances in helping to understand how this can be achieved.
Paula Esson
BSc. Sport Science. FREC. Cert Ed.
MSTR® instructor and practitioner.
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References.
MSTR®
Paula Esson Clinic ( Safetomove )
Regional variation in the density of Meissner’s corpuscles in human fingers
Ruffini Nerve endings.
Fascial anatomy and mechanoreceptors
Fascia and mechanoreceptors 2.
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