Hi,

Without seeing you, in general, I wouldn't get too caught up on the whole scar tissue thing. It really doesn't sound like the root of your problems otherwise all the work you are doing on it will be making significant differences.

I have a simple philosophy - if it works, do it - if it doesn't work, don't bother.

So far, your story has been running along a certain line with little results. You still can't play your sport (which i don't think you have mentioned yet). You still can't do karate. It has been ages since you hurt yourself. Have a look at some of the elite athletes and the really bad injuries they have - they manage to get themselves back on the park after 6months after doing a knee reconstruction. It seems to me that you need a different approach because the one you are on is not working good enough IMHO. I think you have massaged your scar area more this year than i have massaged patients (if that gives you an idea of how much i massage "scar tissue" - i.e. hardly ever). You would be lucky if i massaged a total of 10 minutes during a full week of work, let alone 10mins/day.

Do the ground work now - find out who the physios who know this stuff are. You are at long odds to find someone through the NHS system if it is anything like the public system here in Australia - a real hit-and-miss affair i am afraid with lots of "young" physios just out of college (or old ones wanting to retire with little stress!).

Anyway, let us know how you get on!