Active Release Technique
Active Release Technique Targets Affected Areas to Break Up Scar Tissue
Active Release Technique or ART is the preferred soft tissue therapy for sports injuries. Active Release Technique (ART) therapy has a profound effect on injured muscles, ligament, fascia, tendons, and nerves.
You might ask does active release technique work? Well, what separates ART treatment from regular muscle work, is the specific, applied tension to the muscle. In fact, it is the very precise movement to ensure the smooth movement of tissue and the directed breaking up of scar tissue to restore function with minimal treatment time. There are hundreds of protocols for treating every muscle, tendon, ligament, fascia, and nerve in the body. This patented soft tissue therapy is so specific and powerful that everybody is inquiring about it and experts are recommending it.
Active Release Technique Explained
What is Active Release Therapy? Active Release Technique treats the whole structure instead of a particular section. That means muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves or fascia are all being addressed at the same time! It is the active motion, directed pressure, and specificity of treatment of the muscle that allows the doctor to break up the adhesions. So what is an “adhesion” anyway? An adhesion is a mesh of tissue that matures from a small tear in the muscle, tendon or ligament. It is also referred to as scar tissue by some. Why did your body put it there, to begin with?
An adhesion can develop 3 ways:
- Acute trauma (pulls, tears, collisions)
- Micro-trauma or Overuse (repetitive motion injury)
- Constant pressure or tension for prolonged periods of time (ie. poor posture)
What Is Causing The Pain?
Soft tissue conditions often do not show up in x-rays. When soft tissue has been injured, or even tight for any length of time, it forms scar tissue. While necessary for healing, scar tissue may stick to nearby structures inhibiting range of motion and may cause compression over nerves or blood vessels. This condition alters the texture of soft tissue, which an experienced ART provider can diagnose and treat.
How Is Active Release Technique Different?
Active Release Technique (ART) soft tissue management system is so different that it has been granted a medical patent. An ART provider is trained to palpate and treat more than 300 muscular and facial injuries and 100 nerve entrapments, which often cause numbness and tingling. When a patient comes to our clinic, we expect results. After only two to three visits we expect to see your pain decrease, range of motion increase, and your strength, speed, and endurance of the affected area improve. After four to six visits we expect a vast improvement in your condition. To develop strength and flexibility, we provide our patients with specific exercises and stretches that are essential to your rehabilitation.
Why Do You Need Active Release Technique?
The adhesion, also know as, scar tissue, should be lessened for more than one reason. Adhesions start by shortening the muscle which decreases the function of that muscle. This muscle will now get limited blood flow. In fact, if the adhesion is placing stress on a nerve, it can cause pain, weakness, and even numbness.
The post-injury soft tissue is susceptible to changes:
Inflammation (24 – 72 hours)
Stringy muscles lesions (2 days – 2 weeks)
Lumpy tissue, palpable adhesions (2 weeks – 3 months)
Leathery tissue changes slowly and is more chronic (3 months or more)
Any given session may only take a few passes over the structure. However, it almost always accomplishes greater results in a shorter amount of time compared to other soft tissue therapies. Given its high level of effectiveness, Active Release Technique is great for treating soft tissue conditions whether it be athletic injuries or work-related pain.
Here are examples of conditions Active Release Technique (ART) helps with:
- Shin Splints
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Iliotibial Band (IT Band) dysfunction
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS)
- TMJ Pain
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Adhesive Capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder)
Who Can Benefit From An Art Treatment?
What we hear the most is, “I have had this pain for forever, and up until now no one has been able to find the fix. You found the source of the problem right away.” ART providers are qualified to diagnose and treat over 500 structures of the body. They see a broad range of injuries and conditions. ART is successful for professional and amateur athletes, people injured in car accidents or at work, and desk-bound workers. Symptoms vary from aches and pains to burning muscles to numbness and tingling.
Who Can Be Certified In Active Release Technique?
To be certified as an Active Release Technique provider you must hold a professional health degree. This includes chiropractors, medical doctors, physical therapists, and massage therapists. So, how are sports chiropractors who perform ART treatment different from other practitioners? It is the ability to accurately and adequately diagnose the issues that need to be worked on. Without a thorough history, examination, and orthopedic tests, ART can still be misguided. Therefore, a sports chiropractor will be able to combine the specific diagnosis with the most effective and efficient treatment instead of just guesswork.
Experience Active Release Technique Now
So, if you live or work near the SF Telegraph Hill – North Beach – Financial District and feel you would be a good candidate for our sports injury treatments, we would love to meet you. To schedule an appointment with our San Francisco Sports Chiropractor, please call 415–421–1115 or book an appointment online.
Treatable Conditions
- Car accident injuries
- Whiplash
- Repetitive motion injuries
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Iliotibial band syndrome
- Pronation syndrome
- and other problems associated with overuse
How Does Art Help?
The basic premise of the technique is that scar tissue, or adhesions are formed with overuse activity or single traumatic injuries. With overusing a muscle, a lack of oxygen is created which attract fibroblastic cells that lay down scar tissue. With single traumatic injuries, or surgical sites, they can also produce scar tissue, due to the lack or tissue regeneration ability.
Scar tissue restricts the normal function of tissue. Such as movement, contraction, relaxation that are needed for optimal function. When optimal function is retarded through stability or mobility, dysfunction will arise and pain will follow. Getting the Active Release Technique in San Francisco performed at our office will give you results. After the first treatment, you will usually notice improved motion with less pain.
This is a technique that everyone can benefit from and can have long lasting results. Our everyday actions or lack of motion can create scar tissue that can be treated by ART. What is Active Release Technique? It is a technique that is taught around the entire world because it has proved useful in restoring that bodies natural function. You can learn more on the official ART site.
