Questions about scar, adhesion and adhesion
How should I care for my scar?
The scar is the result of a healed injury to the skin and affects the superficial layers.
Even after the wound has already closed and the sutures have been removed, redness of the scar, dryness or itching often persist for longer. This indicates that very fine inflammatory processes are still remodeling this tissue.
In order to support the appearance of the scar, the look and the suppleness of the scar, it makes sense to lubricate and massage with a scar oil or special scar ointments. We have had good experiences with the KAMI – SOS – oil (kami-skincare.com: Minus 15% – Code: “Narbe”). Here, the specially created composition has an anti-inflammatory effect and thus redness also disappears more quickly.
In addition, silicone plasters support the body in remodeling hardened parts of the scar and thus promote the suppleness of these upper skin layers.
When can I do sports again? Are there any stresses that are harmful to the scar?
Basically, you should wait for the duration of wound healing before you can do sports without restrictions again. This has 2 important reasons:
- The scar tissue needs time to build up strength. This means that too early and too strong exertion or intensive tissue stress in the first 6 weeks after the operation can lead to the scar edges being pulled apart: the result is then a wider scar.
- The individual sports release depends on the size of the operation and what the surgeon has done. This should always be discussed individually with the surgeon in question.
In principle, it makes sense to slowly and mindfully reintroduce the body to sporting activity – according to the sensation of pain and your own body feeling – in order to restore and maintain the suppleness and flexibility of the scar tissue.
The following applies: Challenge, but do not overload! Mindful movement is therefore important because the body realigns the new tissue in the first weeks and months after the operation. It is based on the stress impulses it receives. Therefore, relieving postures should be kept as low as possible so that the newly formed tissue is not built up “incorrectly” in terms of mobility.
This means: When performing movement and sport, it is important to always orientate yourself on your own well-being. Everything is allowed that feels good, pleasant and painless. At the same time, it is normal if a pulling sensation occurs in the scar area during certain movements during sport. However, this should gradually decrease with further execution of the movements and not cause any “after-pain”. If persistent pain remains after exercise and swelling occurs, then the limit of resilience has definitely been exceeded!
What are adhesions? What are adhesions?
Adhesions and adhesions develop in our body during healing after an operation. Our connective tissue is structured as a network that envelops the entire body from the surface to the depth. In order for us to move easily and freely, control muscles and perform powerful movements, it is necessary that all tissue layers can be easily moved, stretched, elastic and supple. Adhesions and adhesions represent compacted, rigid structures made of connective tissue that have lost their original suppleness and mobility. They connect tissue layers that should normally be freely movable and displaceable to each other and against each other.
Adhesions are therefore created to close the wound and then heal it. The larger the wound, the greater the wound healing reactions that occur. They are accompanied by swelling, pain or relieving posture or immobilization and temporary loss of movement in this area. These reactions determine, among other things, the extent of the formation of adhesions. Even superficially well-healed scars that look inconspicuous on the outside can have adhesions and adhesions in the underlying tissue layers. Tight and rigid tissue then develops where mobility and flexibility are actually needed.
Are adhesions, adhesions and adhesions the same thing?
Adhesions and adhesions, medically adhesions, describe all compacted structures made of connective tissue that have lost their original flexibility. These prevent the skin and the individual tissue layers from adapting easily and flexibly to acting forces. This leads to stuck tissue layers that should normally be freely movable to each other and with each other.
This happens automatically on the one hand in the course of the normal wound healing process to heal a defect. On the other hand, relieving postures and immobilization can lead to further adhesions and adhesions that impair the body and “stiffen” in areas where mobility and flexibility in the tissue is actually needed.
Even superficially well-healed scars that look inconspicuous and beautiful on the outside can have adhesions, adhesions and adhesions in the underlying tissue layers.
Do adhesions go away on their own?
Adhesions are the result of wound healing. They are intended to reconnect the damaged tissue areas. They are solid and tough structures that develop during the healing process and then remain in place. Adhesions are almost always compensated for by the surrounding mobile tissue. Because that is easier for the body than changing the adhesions.
That means for us: Adhesions do not disappear on their own. In order for the body to regain its suppleness in the restricted tissue layers down to the depth, it needs support through scar therapy. This must address the whole body in its movement, as happens in the Liedler concept.
Do adhesions disappear through the use of heat and painkillers?
ADHESIONS are solid collagen connections in the tissue and between tissue sliding layers that restrict movement. They can be rebuilt, but do not disappear on heat and painkillers alone.
What HEAT does is that the lubricant that ensures suppleness in our tissue becomes softer and more fluid. The muscles also react to heat with relaxation. That’s why movements feel easier when we are in the heat, in the summer, after the sauna, after sports.
This is a good tool if you move afterwards or during or combine yoga and heat, as all that healthy tissue becomes more supple and you become more mobile there.
However, adhesions consist of compacted collagen fibers that do not disappear through heat. They are more easily compensated for by heat.
As a result, the affected area actually feels more mobile. And can thereby give the impression that the adhesions are disappearing. In fact, the tightness will reappear as soon as the heat has done its effect.
PAINKILLERS have no influence on the breakdown of adhesions. If hypersensitivity has occurred in the tissue, then the painkiller reduces the sensitivity there, which makes it easier for you to move out of a possible relieving posture (but the movement is then guaranteed by the healthy tissue). But in fact, that has nothing to do with the adhesions again.
Can adhesions that have been released by scar therapy also come back?
This question can be clearly answered with no. Once released and integrated by movement, adhesions do not come back. LK scar therapy aims to trigger remodeling processes in the tissue. Since the body is constantly optimizing and adapting to new possibilities and circumstances, it normally permanently takes over the new freedom of movement that has been gained through the LK exercises or through the treatment. It optimally integrates them into everyday body experience and movement. Since no new wound is set in the tissue, which is reacted to with a relieving posture and immobilization, the new range of motion is maintained and the adhesions do not come back.
What happens with small scars, for example on the face? Or with mole operations?
Small skin scars, such as those that occur after superficial wounds or abrasions or after mole removals, often leave hardly a scar or such a small impairment in the tissue that they do not form a disturbance field or hardly form one. The adhesions are usually minor and only affect the superficial tissue layers. This means that body movements are not severely restricted or hindered by the scar.
The disturbance field and the effects on the rest of the movement system depend above all on the depth of the wound. The deeper and larger a wound is, the more likely tissue layers are affected that are in a dynamic interaction with the muscles and therefore affect the rest of the body.
My caesarean section was almost two years ago. I have a keloid scar (=excessive, reddened, painful scar tissue). Can anything still be done about it?
The mechanisms that lead to the development of a keloid scar have unfortunately not yet been clearly researched. In the case of keloid scars, there are excessive inflammatory processes in the scar area that do not subside. Different approaches can be tried here to calm the excessive tissue production. Scar ointments or oils with anti-inflammatory substances, silicone plasters or treatment with red light or with a laser can positively support the scar.
At the same time, it is important that the tissue around the scar and in the depth is freely movable and displaceable in order to ensure adequate supply and blood circulation. If there are many hard spots, nodules or firmness in the area around and under the scar, then it is also important to treat these stuck tissue layers so that they become soft and displaceable again. The LK exercises are very suitable for this.
Alternatively, some dermatologists also release the superficial scarring on an outpatient basis with a small knife and thus increase the mobility of the tissue layers.
After an abdominoplasty, a keloid scar has formed in me. Is it useful to have it retreated with the laser?
The laser supports where inflammatory processes are still being completed. If the scar is red, tense and painful or even just reddened, then it can help to calm it. A cold red light therapy or handy laser pens from different manufacturers are recommended for this. If “nodules” have also formed, these indicate adhesions in the tissue layers under the scar. This means that it is also important to restore the suppleness of the tissue here. Otherwise, these adhesions can permanently irritate the supply of the affected area. As a result, inflammation can persist.
Questions about LK scar therapy
What is the purpose of scar therapy?
Scar therapy is about using certain manual techniques and mobilizations of the Liedler concept to release the resulting adhesions and adhesions in the tissue and to improve or restore the sliding behavior of the individual tissue layers to each other. Certain techniques are used to transmit impulses to the body with which it can specifically change and break down the adhesions. There is no injury.
In any case, scar therapy leads to better mobility and suppleness in the scar area and in the surrounding tissue structures. This leads to relaxation in the entire body. Breathing can flow better again and spread in the body. Pain in the scar area and/or tension in other areas of the body subside and you feel more comfortable in your body. The appearance of your scar also improves: it becomes softer, lighter and less noticeable.
What happens during scar therapy?
Adhesions and adhesions are compacted structures made of connective tissue that have lost their original flexibility and prevent movement between tissue layers that should naturally be freely movable to each other and with each other. These adhesions thus prevent the skin and individual tissue layers from shifting easily and adapting flexibly to acting forces.
Scar treatment is about setting impulses exactly there by means of special manual techniques and initiating a remodeling where these adhesions restrict the body in its natural mobility. This allows the body to change the adhesions, release them and restore tissue mobility.
Does scar therapy also improve the appearance of the scar?
Yes, in the course of the treatments, the appearance always changes with it – the scar becomes softer and more mobile, less red, lighter and less noticeable.
Above all, two things can be the cause that the scar is crooked and/or distorted:
- The SCAR was cut crooked. Since the scar is always the result of the healed skin incision, the scar will then remain crooked. However, that does not mean that it must also be conspicuously crooked, retracted or unpleasant.
- That then depends on the ADHESIONS in the tissue, which were caused by the healing of the internal tissue injury. These can cause the appearance of the scar to shift from the inside out. They can usually be treated well.
The visible success of the change therefore depends on the thickness of the scar and the extent of the adhesions under the skin. However, it may be that a slight retraction or distortion remains, because the OP has actually injured and changed tissue and the original suppleness in these areas can only be restored approximately with a lot of patience, many treatments and also self-treatments (!).
The LK self-help book “Scars after operations in the abdomen” is very helpful for you in this case, because you can massively influence the progress of the change through the self-treatments.
CONCLUSION: Yes, the appearance can be changed and it takes time and patience.
Do the adhesions come back?
NO. Since the body is constantly optimizing and adapting to the new possibilities and circumstances, it normally takes over the gained freedom of movement and takes it over into the possible body experience and into the movement. Since the treatment is designed in such a way that you can then continue everyday life normally, the gained tissue mobility is automatically woven into the body image.
Does scar therapy hurt?
NO.
The fact is that fine nerves grow into the scar and adhesions. This means that the tissue therefore reacts very quickly to pain. Scar therapy may be unpleasant, but not painful. Pain only occurs when the intensity is chosen too strongly.
It is all the more important to know that during the treatment in the Liedler concept, patient:in and therapist:in work together as a team with loving mindfulness in the Liedler concept. This means that the control of the intensity lies with you. Each technique only happens with your consent. We achieve the greatest therapeutic success when you control the intensity of the techniques in such a way that you can remain relaxed. This means: no pain, no clenching your teeth and persevering!
What reactions or pain can/must I expect DURING scar therapy?
During the treatment, an unpleasant pulling may occur, but this will quickly subside again. Due to nerves that grow into the scar and adhesions, the surgical area is particularly sensitive. The techniques should not be perceived as painful!
Important to know: The Liedler concept is based on teamwork between therapist:in and patient:in – this means that you have control over the intensity of the stimulus set and can dose it!
Do the treatments have to be painful?
NO.
Scar treatment is about releasing the resulting adhesions in the tissue and improving or restoring the sliding behavior of the individual tissue layers to each other.
Since adhesions are usually densely interwoven with fine nerves and vessels, scar tissue often reacts more sensitively with pain. Since we aim to change these compacted structures in scar therapy, we activate the sensitive area, which can make the therapy uncomfortable, but not painful. Important: the intensity during the therapy is controlled and determined by the patient. The techniques may be uncomfortable, but should not be painful!
What reactions or pain can occur AFTER scar therapy?
Redness, a pulling sensation, muscle soreness, a feeling of being bruised, and slight swelling are signs of tissue remodeling and mean that adhesions are being broken down permanently and will remain released.
These reactions are NORMAL and DISAPPEAR in normal cases WITHIN 2-7 DAYS.
At the same time, a significant improvement in the flexibility of the scar tissue and the affected area, as well as a sense of relief in the body, can be felt in any case.
If you have any concerns, please contact the treating therapist and consult with them (office@narbenzentrum.at; +43 6607642402)!
I have heard that redness, bruising, or small skin tears can occur?
Redness is a common reaction and a sign that change is happening in the tissue. As a side effect of the remodeling processes in the tissue, they indicate that adhesions are being permanently broken down.
Dense adhesions that have been present for a long time can lead to reduced skin firmness. In this case, superficial fine skin tears can occur during treatment in individual cases. These should be treated like superficial abrasions and, if necessary, smeared with Bepanthen or a similar wound ointment. They leave no new scars or adhesions.
In rare cases, bruising may occur. These are unpleasant, but go away on their own. They leave NO adhesions.
Basically, breathe well into the treated area and continue with everyday life, sports, and exercise normally and adapted to the body’s feeling.
If you have any concerns, please contact the treating therapist and consult with them (office@narbenzentrum.at; +43 6607642402)!
How many scar treatments do I need?
Normally, you can expect 2-3 TREATMENTS to achieve a noticeable, significant improvement in the scar and the body feeling. The change in the scar and in the body is noticeable after the first treatment.
When is my scar good?
A scar is really good when it leaves no functional restriction in the body and feels fine. Externally, this means that the scar becomes white and inconspicuous. A relaxed touch is possible without excitement. Internally, the tissue may be soft and supple and should not cause any restrictions in the mobility of the body.
In principle, every scar is part of the personal life and body history that will always be there. Therefore, it makes sense and is important to deal with the scar again and again if necessary. More often at the beginning, later perhaps only now and then.
From when can I have my scar treated?
It is important for a narrow and inconspicuous scar that it can heal as tension-free as possible. This means that the superficially visible scar can be treated yourself with slight shifts and massages as soon as the crust has come off and the scar is closed and well healed.
The adhesions in the deep layers, which are of great importance for relaxed mobility, erection, and muscle control, can be fully treated as soon as the surgeon has given the go-ahead for sports. Normally, this is after 6-8 weeks.
When does a scar need to be treated?
In principle, a scar check is recommended from the time the surgeon gives the go-ahead for sports. Because adhesions, adhesions, and corresponding restrictions often hide behind well-functioning compensations and only become visible through targeted “provocation”. Whether a scar needs treatment can then be easily and quickly determined with the LK scar test.
If a scar is conspicuous in any way, be it that it is reddened, thickened, bulbous, retracted, painful to pressure, sensitive, numb, or sensitive to the weather, flakes and itches, or a “bulge” forms over the scar, scar therapy should be carried out in any case.
A pulling sensation during movement is always an indicator that the sliding layers in the tissue are not freely released due to the scar and adhesions.
If chronic tension in the back, shoulder, neck, or pain in the body occurs in the course of the 15 months after the operation, which seems to be resistant to therapy, one should always consider the scar and the consequences of the operation as the cause.
At what intervals should I have the scar looked at or treated?
3-5 treatments with a specialized LK scar therapist at intervals of 2-6 weeks have proven to be the best. In the time in between, the success can be accelerated with the daily application of the LK exercises. The number of actual treatments then depends individually on the life story and the experienced operations.
It was good for a few weeks/months now. Now it feels like before again. Have the adhesions come back?
NO, that is not the case. Everything that is released is also kept in motion through normal everyday activities. What is more likely is that deeper tissue layers are now showing that contain further adhesions. These were previously well fixed by the outer adhesions and therefore not/hardly noticeable. Due to the new mobility gained, it may be that these now become irritated and noticeable. This can feel as if nothing has changed and everything has come back. But that’s not true!
Normally, it is actually the case that the body simply shows the next layers where it needs help and support to release them.
Shouldn't the scar be treated prophylactically after every operation?
YES. Since the adhesions in the abdominal cavity are already formed within the first 8 days due to normal wound healing and are then gradually compacted, a scar check of the superficial and deep tissue layers is useful in any case. Many adhesions are often not noticed for a long time because the body can compensate for them by means of movable tissue all around. Nevertheless, the body is burdened with additional tension.
After 6-8 weeks, the acute wound healing is normally completed. After that, it is important to integrate the new tissue into the body as well as possible. During this time, scar therapy according to the Liedler concept supports the body in regaining its suppleness and preventing adhesions and adhesions.
In case of complications, infections, or uncertainties, it is essential to consult the treating doctor.
I only had a small laparoscopy. Do I also need scar treatment?
YES! Even if the operative entry points are minimal and barely visible from the outside, a whole operation was performed inside the abdomen! There was cutting, tearing, and sewing, tissue injured, bleeding triggered. The abdomen is inflated with a gas mixture during laparoscopy, which can dry out the mucous membranes and thus in turn promote the formation of adhesions and adhesions in the abdominal cavity.
Even if the body can balance the event in such a way that apparently no traces were carried away, it is important to feel attentively into the body in order to determine possible changes in the entire body.
The delayed appearance (up to weeks and months after the operation) of tension and pain in other areas of the body is often causally related to the scars and adhesions. Some scars and adhesions are initially so well compensated by the body that their consequences only become visible over the years when the elasticity in the body decreases and the life story continues to accumulate tension.
My scar is already several years old. Will scar therapy still help me?
YES! The only difference is in the frequency of the treatment units. Basically, the older a scar is, the more often you have to treat it, because the adhesions/adhesions/adhesions continue to solidify over the years and the body additionally develops compensation patterns.
I had several operations. What does that mean for me?
Each operation or scar leaves tension in the body.
Each further operation of the same body area reinforces the already existing adhesions and adhesions. In addition, the body develops compensation mechanisms to integrate the scars as well as possible so that we do not notice that we have one or more scar/s.
For scar therapy, this means that often MULTIPLE TREATMENTS OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME are necessary to integrate the scars well into the body.
I had a mesh inserted. Can I still do scar therapy?
Scar therapy can also be performed with a mesh. As soon as the surgeon has given the go-ahead for sports, the mesh must have grown in to such an extent that loads can be easily possible. This also means that the mesh is well embedded in the sliding system. From this point on, scar therapy is also allowed.
Usually, the mesh is only perceived as unpleasant in the areas of the abdominal cavity where it was sewn on. These affected areas can be treated and released quickly, effectively, and sustainably with the LK exercises.
Can you work with such intensive techniques shortly after the operation?
NO! By means of gentle techniques of the Liedler concept, one can support the body to reduce and balance the tension in the wound area as well as possible. This promotes blood circulation and supply to the surgical area and relaxation. The more relaxed the tissue, the better the wound healing processes proceed.
What does breathing have to do with adhesions? How can it help to counteract adhesions?
After operations, it is often the case that those affected no longer breathe into the affected area of the body out of fear and tension. But this is particularly important, as this gentle movement of breathing represents a rocking movement that allows the body to create optimal conditions for wound healing, to balance out tensions that occur, and to maintain the natural mobility of the tissue.
The aim of the Liedler concept and the pre- and postoperative support is to support the body in such a way that optimal conditions are created for the course of the wound healing processes and at the same time adhesions and adhesions are prevented by maintaining the suppleness of the tissue.
After a treatment of my abdominal scar, I then felt my shoulder. Was something wrong?
No. Every human being is enveloped and connected from head to toe and from the surface to the depth by connective tissue. This tissue also contains many information sensors that perceive tensions, tension, and pressure and can forward this information throughout the system. Imagine the scar and the adhesions like a knot in a T-shirt. This narrows the fabric and creates tissue pulls in the T-shirt. Transfer this image to the body. Apparently, the knot is so tight that the pulls can reach up to the shoulder and have influenced it without you noticing it. By restoring the suppleness in the tissue, this pull has subsided and the shoulder could react to it. It often feels a bit like muscle soreness and goes away again after one to two to four days.
From when can I use a scar roller or a good alternative after a cesarean section?
As soon as the wound is well closed and healed and the crust has also fallen off, the scar roller can be used. Here it should be noted that the firmness of the scar only develops after a few weeks and months. This means: Always bring a healthy mindfulness to scar therapy and pay attention to possible skin reactions. Initial redness in connection with the scar roller or scar therapy is normal, tissue injuries or wounds should not occur.
In addition, it is important to touch the scar and the scar area, to move the skin with the scar in all directions, and to shift the tissue layers. Wherever the tissue retracts or does not move easily, adhesions are also present in the underlying tissue layers. These should be softened by continuous movement and mobilization by means of local techniques of the Liedler concept and the LK exercises from the time the attending physician gives the go-ahead for sports.
Do the LK exercises also help with endometriosis and the resulting adhesions in the abdominal cavity?
Since the adhesions that occur in endometriosis can be located both in the pelvis and in other places in the abdominal cavity, it is quite possible to treat some of the tissue strands. Since the tissue of the body connects inside and outside, it is possible to test with the LK scar test via skin folds of the lower abdomen whether positive conspicuous tensile stresses become noticeable, which can then be treated immediately. The exact description of the LK scar test can be found in the guidebook “Scars after operations in the abdominal cavity – Self-help with the Liedler concept”, published by Springer Verlag.
I have an IUD. Can I still have my scars treated?
Yes. Tissue layers are structured in such a way that they can slide and shift towards and against each other. Since the techniques are based on a shifting principle, only natural stimuli are used, as they also affect the body in everyday life and during movements.
Making interference fields visible and tangible – the LK scar test
Can I find out for myself whether and how my scars (after breast cancer and cesarean section) affect me?
Yes, with the LK scar test it is possible to test the scar and the affected area yourself and then also to treat it. The test shows visibly and tangibly whether the body can move freely despite scar and adhesions.
This is how it should be: With healthy, mobile tissue, it is possible to hold and fix a part of the skin and tissue and at the same time move the surrounding joints freely and painlessly.
This is how adhesions show up: If there is real mechanical immobility at the scar due to the accompanying adhesions, the surrounding joints are no longer freely movable when the scar is fixed.
Examples for the LK scar test: For the scars after breast cancer treatment, you could try to fix the scar and then circle the shoulder over a large area. In the case of a cesarean section, it would be a good idea to grasp and fix the scar while sitting and then slowly stand up and circle the pelvis. Often the skin already slips away under the fingers as soon as the movement is started after the fixation. This happens because the adhesions under the skin are so strong that the tissue can no longer slide.
Shouldn't every scar be tested and treated after an operation?
Since the formation of a scar and the development of adhesions in the tissue and adhesions in the abdominal cavity cannot be prevented, it is important to have a mindful look at the changes in the entire body. Each scar can be effectively and easily checked for adhesions and restrictions with the LK scar test. This makes it possible to determine clearly and quickly whether and how the scar affects the mobility of the whole body and whether further treatment is necessary.
The delayed appearance (up to weeks and months after the operation) of tension and pain in other areas of the body is often causally related to the scars and adhesions. Some scars and adhesions are initially so well compensated by the body that their consequences only become visible over the years when the elasticity in the body decreases and the life story continues to accumulate tension.
Symptoms in connection with scar and adhesions
Why is it possible for pain to manifest elsewhere than in the affected area, and for which (perhaps unusual) symptom could my scar be the cause?
Since the tissue around the scar and the adhesions is often very dense and knotted, this area is virtually “immobilized”. Other tissue areas of the body now compensate for this immobility and are therefore under greater tension than normal. Since scars, adhesions, and adhesions are permanent changes in the body without treatment, this leads to permanent tension in this balance system. Over time, this permanent overload can then lead to pain, as the compensating tissue reports the overexertion.
After abdominal surgery, for example, the following symptoms may occur: temporomandibular joint problems, pain when yawning or opening the mouth, tension in the shoulders and shoulder girdle, neck tension, headaches, back pain, the feeling of “breaking down in the back and not being able to move anymore”, sudden wrenching of the spine, stiffness, pain or blockages in the pelvic and hip joints, shortness of breath, breathing difficulties (short, shallow), inability to sleep on the stomach, bladder problems, menstrual pain, PMS, pain during sexual intercourse, knee pain, unstable leg axis, or problems with the ankle joints.
Do complaints tend to increase after another operation in the same area?
Yes, that is quite possible. The wound from the first procedure has left traces in the form of a scar, adhesions, adhesions, and reduced mobility. Now there is another procedure with a new wound and the corresponding consequences.
In any case, it is advisable to promote the suppleness and mobility of the body as much as possible before the renewed procedure in order to allow the renewed wound healing to take place in a mobile environment and thus prevent adhesions and tightness. This can include several things to best support both mobility and wound healing: e.g. physiotherapy, osteopathy, yoga, stretches, movement, alkaline diet, relaxation or meditation.
Can C-section scars intensify menstrual pain and menstruation?
Yes, the C-section goes deep into the abdominal cavity and into the deep pelvic cavity all the way into the uterus, which also means that there can be adhesions all the way into the depths of the pelvis. If the uterus is hindered or constricted in its mobility, the result is often a stronger pain during menstruation. But other symptoms such as heavier bleeding also occur again and again in this context.
Could it be that my breathing problems are related to the C-section?
Yes, that is actually a very common symptom. When we breathe, the pelvic floor and the diaphragm (the large breathing muscle) must work together and be able to vibrate with each other. The C-section creates deep adhesions in the pelvis and thereby hinders this free swinging movement. The result is actually that the breathing can no longer be directed deep into the pelvis and therefore remains more superficial. It then feels as if you are “not getting enough air” or “can only breathe superficially”.
The good news: Once the adhesions in the scar area and pelvis are released, the breathing automatically flows deep into the pelvis again. Relaxation occurs when breathing.
I had two C-sections and then a normal birth. I've been feeling my scar again lately. Is that normal?
No. During pregnancy, the whole body becomes softer and more pliable due to the release of hormones, which makes it easier to compensate for possible restrictions caused by scars and adhesions from previous C-sections. After the birth and after weaning, the body loses this extra elasticity again. If the scar pulls, is sensitive to the weather, or is somehow noticeable, this is always a sign that the sliding layers in this area and in the depth are so strongly adhered that the surrounding mobile tissue is not sufficient to compensate for the movement restrictions of the adhesions and compressions.
Scars that are inconspicuous should neither be felt nor be able to trigger a strange feeling or any pulling or skin tension.
The way to quickly and sustainably change these unpleasant feelings is the LK scar treatment. Either yourself with the LK exercises or with a certified LK therapist.
I have no problem with my scar. But my back/shoulder is always tense. Does that have anything to do with the scar?
Unfortunately, yes. Since the body is connected from head to toe as well as from the inside and outside with tissue, tension is transmitted through the body. Adhesions now create a permanent increase in tension in the body. This and lack of mobility are balanced by freely movable tissue so that the body can move well despite restrictions. However, the structures that take over this compensation are not per se designed to constantly compensate for tension and react with pain over time. The LK scar test makes it easy and safe to determine whether the chronic tension is related to the scar and the adhesions.
Why do I have numb spots in the area of the operation? What can I do about it?
Numb spots indicate that the nerves in this area are impaired or damaged. If the impairment is related to an insufficient supply due to the adhesions in the tissue, then the feeling gradually returns in the course of the LK treatments as soon as the corresponding suppleness and thus improved supply in the affected area is restored. In this case, it is still possible to improve the sensitivity in this area and dissolve the numbness even years later.
However, if nerves have been permanently damaged by the operation, some areas may remain numb, even if the tissue becomes mobile and soft again.
The suture is still numb after several years. Is there anything you can do about it?
In the course of the skin incision, fine nerves and pain receptors are injured, which the body then tries to repair. In the course of the repair processes, compressions are formed, which can feel hardened and inelastic, which can change and prevent the sensitivity and conduction of the nerves. This can leave numbness behind. The better the original suppleness of the tissue can be restored, the more likely it is that a normal sensitivity of the skin and tissue will return. Here, the consistent implementation of LK scar therapy helps at all times until the tissue is soft and elastic again.
However, if skin nerves have really been damaged during the operation, it is still possible that a feeling of numbness remains despite mobile tissue.
I keep feeling a pull in the tissue far away from the scar. Does that still have something to do with the scar?
Yes. The scar is often only the tip of the iceberg, while the adhesions and adhesions in the deep tissue layers form the iceberg, which is much larger and certainly extends far beyond the scar size. Since deep adhesions often influence the muscles and movements, this pulling feeling occurs during movements or even at rest. This indicates adhesions in tissue layers under the scar.
These adhesions can be treated with the shovel handle and the LK exercises just like hardening that can be felt directly in the scar area. Even if no scar is visible on the outside, it is possible to focus the shovel handle on the deep-lying adhesions, test them and treat them.
Even a year after my C-section, I still have a tearing feeling in the scar when I straighten up or stretch. The scar is still red and itchy again and again. Why is that? Is there anything I can do about it?
In the course of healing after a C-section, the body closes the outer wound by means of a scar. If the scar becomes white and inconspicuous over time, then this is a sign that this process is complete. Redness and itching indicate that remodeling processes are still underway. Inelastic and unsuitable scar tissue hinders normal supply and blood circulation in this area.
To heal the inner wound, which extends through many tissue layers into the depth of the abdominal cavity, the body connects the affected tissue layers by means of adhesions and adhesions. These correspond to “ropes” or “knots” that now stretch between tissue layers that were previously freely movable to each other. This results in restricted movements. These adhesions create tension. When straightening up and stretching, all tissue structures must be able to move well in order to extend the body upright. If this is not possible because the shifting of the layers in the scar area is prevented by “ropes”, “knots” and dense adhesions, then this is felt as pulling or tearing.
This also applies to the itchy and reddened suture.
Since my C-section a year ago, my stomach sometimes cramps up during fast or jerky movements. Can the scar have something to do with it?
The scar leaves behind a restricted mobility and a reduced elasticity after the C-section on the surface and the accompanying adhesions in the depth of the abdominal cavity between the tissue layers. You can imagine these consequences like “knots” in a T-shirt. From there, the fabric stretches in all directions and trains become visible. This “knot formation” happens not only on the surface, but also in the depth, whereby tissue layers and muscle layers are connected to each other, which were previously freely movable to each other.
This creates tension that can hinder movements that your muscles and organs in the abdominal cavity normally need. It may now be that you have adhesions that are related to the muscles or attach to internal abdominal structures. During fast or jerky movements, these adhesions tear at structures that are normally not exposed to such stress and the abdomen cramps. It may be that the body has enough time during slower movements to initiate compensations or new movement patterns in order not to cramp.
Four months after the operation, my scar always hurts when I lie on my stomach. Why is that? Should I avoid the prone position?
During the C-section, the externally visible scar and invisibly under the skin in the depth of the surgical area in the tissue adhesions and adhesions are formed during the healing process. These connections can be imagined as “ropes” or “knots” that now stretch between tissue layers that were previously freely movable to each other. This creates firm and inelastic compressions and connections that can extend from the skin scar to the depth of the lower abdomen, to the uterus. Like a “knot” in a T-shirt, it now laces and gathers the front tissue layers of the body together. As a result, the sliding layers in this area are reduced. If you now want to lie on your stomach or stretch your arms over your head, this means that you must be able to lengthen and stretch the front of the body. This then also affects the compressed tissue layers under the scar. Via fine nerves and pain receptors that have grown into these compressed areas, the body now reports by means of a pulling sensation or pain that these movements are restricted and that the shifting and lengthening of the tissue layers are hardly or not possible. Avoiding the prone position would avoid the pain, but would not solve the cause of the problem.
With the LK exercises, it is possible to free exactly these adhered layers again and to enable the prone position and movement without pain.
Basically, a scar is considered good if it is freely movable in all directions and does not restrict the body in any movement in such a way that it can no longer be performed.
Preparation for an operation, support of wound healing and therapy
What can I do in preparation for an operation?
The more mobile and relaxed the body and mind go into the operation, the better for all subsequent healing phases. This means that in advance the body can be prepared with the help of LK therapists, osteopaths, physiotherapists, body therapists or by means of massages in the sense of a relaxed balance. In addition, creating an alkaline environment in the body helps: An alkaline diet in advance helps to better deal with the inflammation processes after the operation.
A loving approach to yourself and the concrete examination of what an operation individually means can help to reduce anxiety and to adopt a relaxed inner attitude. Meditations, mental training and good conversations with close people are also a good support.
How else can I support scar therapy?
An operation leaves many adhesions in the tissue and in the movement system between muscles and fascia from the surface to the depth. They leave behind compressions and tightness.
From the time of the operation: Especially at the beginning, it is important to adopt as few relieving postures as possible, adapted to the pain, or to dissolve them again as soon as possible. Good and deep abdominal breathing promotes the mobility of the deep layers deep into the pelvis, as the pelvic floor and the breathing muscles swing together. Furthermore, you can support the shifting of the layers in further directions via different sleeping positions such as prone position, side position, supine position, half-side position. It is important that you make the days after the operation as varied and movement-colorful as possible (!), adapted to the pain, in order to support and promote your mobility well.
From wound closure: Scar therapy is about many layers in the tissue, which should all slide back to each other – in the most different directions. For the superficial layers of the scar, gentle shifts of the scar in all directions are suitable as soon as the crust has dissolved.
From the 8th week, a regular application of the LK exercises is recommended. It can be an important contribution here to promote the body well-being and the mobility of the tissue. The exercises can be used at any time (also in everyday life) if needed. So you can treat pulling feelings directly and restore space instead of tightness.
I'm having an elective C-section soon. What can I do to support the inner scars and sutures? Scar massage is more about the skin, isn't it?
That’s absolutely right. Scar massage supports the scar or the superficial tissue layers in becoming soft. The C-section is one of the largest gynecological operations and the inner wound field is much larger than one might suspect from the outside. Since the uterus has its seat deep in the pelvis at normal size and all layers up to and including the uterus are cut or torn during a C-section, this means that the wound field and the adhesions that arise during healing extend deep into the pelvis. The peritoneal sac, which envelops all organs, is also torn open inside up to the navel in order to create enough space for removing the baby.
This means that the invisible, inner scars extend on the one hand into the uterus and on the other hand in the entire lower abdomen up to the navel. The adhesions and adhesions that arise during the healing process correspond to “ropes” or “knots” that now stretch between tissue layers that were previously freely movable to each other. This affects both the tissue layers directly under the scar and inside the lower abdomen. Overall, adhesions and adhesions are compacted structures that allow less movement and thereby restrict flexibility and displaceability.
What is possible in any case from the beginning: Support the healing by always breathing well into the abdomen (from day 1)! Since the diaphragm and the pelvic floor work together and swing together during breathing, it is possible to keep all peritoneal layers movable deep into the pelvis. The lower abdomen should bulge out during inhalation and at the same time expand into the deep lower back and contract slightly during exhalation. When you breathe while standing, make sure that you straighten up well during breathing and do not “collapse”.
For more recommendations, see the guide “Scars after abdominal surgery – Self-help according to the Liedler concept”, published in 2024 by Springer Verlag.
Good support from an osteopath or physiotherapist who specializes in the aftercare of scars, adhesions and adhesions or in the gynecological area is definitely recommended!
Questions about the LK self-exercises – application
How long and how often should I treat myself with the LK self-exercises?
The LK self-exercises are designed so that they can be incorporated into everyday life and used as needed. An LK self-exercise lasts a maximum of 1 to 2 minutes.
Example abdominal surgery: The LK toilet dance exercise got its name because it can best be integrated into everyday life on the toilet without having to plan a lot of extra time. Every time you go to the toilet, perform the LK toilet dance exercise using one or two folds. The exercise itself takes about 30 to 60 seconds.
Application in everyday life: If you feel discomfort during the day with certain movements, it is possible to perform the LK self-exercise directly on the conspicuous tissue area, to free the displacement layer and to change it sustainably. Here, too, the time required for the exercise is between 30 and 60 seconds.
Can you breathe deeply into your stomach again, do you feel freely mobile, is the scar inconspicuous and peaceful, have possible tension states subsided? As soon as all movements in everyday life and during sport (with fixation of the tissue fold) can be carried out again without pulling or impairment, this indicates that you have treated the scar well and sufficiently.
You can find the exact description in the guide “Scars after abdominal surgery – Self-help according to the Liedler concept”, published in 2024 by Springer Verlag.
Is it possible that the shovel handle is uncomfortable or painful even without scars? Are these also adhesions?
Yes, adhesions can also occur in the tissue without operations and visible scars. The triggers for this can be very different: For example, long-lasting inflammatory processes, food intolerances, appendicitis or digestive problems can create a high tension in the abdomen, which leads to structural changes in the tissue. Endometriosis also creates adhesions deep in the pelvis and abdomen without becoming externally visible. A lot of stress over a long period of time can also cause tightness in the entire tissue, to which the body can also react with adaptation reactions in the sense of adhesions. Compared to adhesions and adhesions caused by the wound field of an operation, it is easier to rebuild and change these “natural” adhesions.