Active Release Technique

  • Reduce pain

  • Release soft tissue adhesions (scar tissue) and nerve entrapments

  • Restore strength, flexibility and function of soft tissues

Active Release Technique (ART ®) is one of the most sought after soft-tissue treatments in the world today. ART is an advanced, movement-based soft tissue system that is extremely successful at resolving injuries, such as sprain/strains, repetitive stress injuries and chronic soft tissue tension. The practitioner will use ART to examine the function and movement of muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves and locate the cause of the concern. She will then apply tension to the necessary structures with a specific movement (often performed by the patient) to break up adhesions (scar tissue) between soft tissue layers. This reduces pain, improves functional movement and increases circulatory and neurologic function of the effected tissues.

“The correct touch in ART cannot be taught out of a book. It is learned directly from qualified instructors, and requires years of hands-on experience.”

Conditions successfully treated with ART:

  • Neck Pain and Headaches

  • Nerve entrapments

  • Knee and Hip pain

  • Frozen Shoulder

  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  • Golfer’s Elbow

  • Tennis Elbow

  • Postural Stress

  • Shin Splints

  • Sports Injuries

  • Whiplash

FAQ:

What causes tissue scarring?  Scar tissue develops for many reasons, primarily:

  • Tissue tearing (ex. whiplash, sprain/strains)

  • Repetitive motion (ex. running, computer work, sports)

  • Constant tension (ex. desk jobs, students)

These all cause inflammation and swelling of soft tissue. The body responds to this by laying down scar tissue (disorganized collagen fibers) in an attempt to protect the affected area. Scar tissue can cause:

  • Diminished blood flow

  • Nerve entrapments

  • Reduced mobility

  • Reduced muscle strength/endurance

  • Pain, tingling, numbness and burning sensations

  • Increased friction and pressure between tissue layers

This results in the production of even more scar tissue and more inflammation. Regardless of how scar tissue is formed, it cannot be re-asorbed by the body without treatment.

Will ART hurt? Patients often report that ART “hurts good.” Your pain symptoms will often be recreated or intensified during the treatment; this is a good sign that the problem area is being targeted. This discomfort is temporary and usually subsides quickly after the treatment. For more chronic conditions, you may feel local tenderness for a day or so after the treatment.

How long will it take for me to feel results? Patients generally feel significant pain relief within three visits. For some patients, the pain relief is almost instant, while for others it may take several visits for these changes to occur. The number of treatments required usually depends on the severity of the injury.