What is Active Release Technique in San Diego?
Active Release Technique® (ART) is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with ART. These conditions all have one important thing in common: they are often a result of overused muscles.
“I know that it works. ART is more effective for chronic inflammation than any other treatment available – and often a complete cure. I’ve been treating these problems for 25 years, and now I finally have something to recommend to my patients that works.” – Dr. Bill Ross, MD
How do overuse conditions occur?
Over-used muscles (and other soft tissues) change in three important ways:
- acute conditions (pulls, tears, collisions, etc)
- accumulation of small tears (micro-trauma)
- not getting enough oxygen (hypoxia)
Each of these factors can cause your body to produce tough, dense scar tissue in the injured area. This scar tissue binds up and ties down tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped. This can cause reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a nerve is trapped you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness.
What is an ART treatment like?
Every ART session is actually a combination of examination and treatment. The ART provider uses his or her hands to evaluate the texture, tightness and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Abnormal tissues are treated by combining precisely directed tension with very specific patient movements. These treatment protocols – over 500 specific moves – are unique to ART. They allow providers to identify and correct the specific problems that are affecting each individual patient.
Unlike most forms of massage therapy and chiropractic care, ART® is not designed to be an ongoing treatment; it is done to heal a specific injury or treat a specific condition. The average recovery requires 6 to 12 sessions, though some patients feel an immediate change after one or two sessions.
If you have any questions regarding ART or are interested in learning if this treatment is right for you, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
