Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1515580
22 m a s s a g e & b o d y wo r k m a rc h /a p r i l 2 0 24 THE REBEL MT By Allison Denney Pulling Scars from the Shadows TECHNIQUE Disney's The Lion King is one of my favorite stories. The tale of a boy confronting his devious uncle in an attempt to avenge his father's death (a theme borrowed from William Shakespeare's Hamlet) evokes the pain in each of us that grows when wounds don't heal. Yes, it's about the anguish of a son who lost his father and the ache of a community after their noble leader has fallen. But it's also the story of a man who stands in the shadow of his brother and the hardness that develops when that darkness suffocates him. In my opinion, the uncle in the story is one of the most intriguing characters; not only because he is complicated and dark, but also because his name is Scar. It's the perfect name, really. Scar is the embodiment of what it feels like to harden and stiffen in the aftermath of insult and injury. He is angry, unbending, and demanding of attention. That is exactly how a scar acts in our anatomy. No matter the injury, the basic process of wound healing applies: a painful incident, a protective reaction, and then the downward spiral of gripping tension and stif ling restriction. Granted, if a wound is handled with proper care in the immediate aftermath, a lot of that anger can be avoided. But, as we know, this isn't always how things play out. THE TRICKY SCAR Whether an injury has healed well is complicated. There are a lot of opinions about what to do and a lot of variables dictating what actually gets done. Ultimately, what a wounded human does for self-care and to promote healing is entirely out of your hands. Often, an injury takes on a life of its own, its lifespan facing a plethora of possibilities. KEY POINT • Scarring can hide the depth of an injury. Start with assessment to better understand that depth. POLINA TANKILEVITCH/PEXELS