Active Release Technique (A.R.T)

We Offer a Variety Soft Tissue Therapies Including: Passive and Active Release, Trigger Point Therapy, Tui Na, Medical Massage, Lymphatic and Deep Tissue.

We determine the type of work needed for the individual by taking thorough consultation, history and exam.

The work is performed by Licenced Practitioners only on location.

What is Active Release Technique (ART)?

Active Release Technique is a soft tissue system that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. It is a hands-on and instrument therapy that corrects muscular and soft tissue problems caused by the formation of adhesive tissues that are laid down due to overuse or cumulative trauma. Muscle testing, palpation and ART provides a way to locate, diagnose, and treat the underlying causes of cumulative trauma disorders. These disorders result in symptoms of:

• Numbness
• Tingling
• Burning
• Aching

Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fascitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly with myofascial release. These conditions all have one important thing in common: they often result from injury to over-used muscles.

How do Overuse Injuries or Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTD) occur?

Overused muscles (and other soft tissues) change in three important ways:

• Acute injuries (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 affected 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.

Cumulative trauma and overuse of soft tissue causes Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI). The incidence of RSI’s is skyrocketing. Recently, the healthcare costs for RSI in the U.S. surpassed costs for low back pain as the largest health care expenditure. It is estimated that the cost of RSI’s in the U.S. alone exceeds $110 billion yearly. Soft tissue that is forced to perform the same job over and over becomes irritated and then inflamed.

The body responds to inflammation by laying down scar tissue (adhesive tissue) in an attempt to stabilize the area. Once this happens, an ongoing cycle begins that worsens the condition. The longer this condition persists, the harder it is to break this cycle.

Conditions that can be treated

· Sciatica
· Achilles tendonitis
· Ankle injuries
· Back pain/injuries
· Bicepital tendonitis
· Bunions
· Bursitis
· Carpal tunnel syndrome
· Compartment syndrome (Chronic)
· De Quervains tenosynovitis
· Dupuytren’s contracture
· Foot pain/injury
· Frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis
· Gait imbalances
· Golfers/Tennis elbow
· Tendonitis
· Shin splints
· Shoulder pain
· Sports injuries
· Swimmers shoulder
· Thoracic outlet syndrome
· Throwing injuries
· TMJ
· Weight lifting injuries
· Whiplash (Hyperextension/hyperflexion injury)
· Wrist injuries
· Arthritis
· Golf injuries
· Hammer toes
· Hand injuries
· Headaches
· Hip pain
· Ilio-tibial band syndrome
· Impingement syndromes
· Joint dysfunction
· Knee meniscus injuries
· Knee pain
· Leg injuries
· Muscle pulls or strains
· Muscle weakness
· Myofascitis
· Neck pain
· Nerve Entrapment Syndromes
· Performance care
· Plantar fascitis
· Post surgical
· Repetitive strain injuries
· Rib pain
· Rotator cuff syndrome
· Running injuries
· Scar tissue formation

What are Adhesions?

Our bodies contain special dense protein structures called Fascia (a type of connective tissue). Fascial tissue interconnects all the components of your body, from the tips of our toes to the structures within our head. This fascia acts a flexible skeleton. When this tissue is healthy, it is smooth and slippery, allowing the muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and organs to move freely and function properly. Envision a piece of scotch tape; the smooth side is healthy fascia, while the sticky side is scar tissue or unhealthy fascia. Try rubbing both sides of the tape along your skin. The smooth side slips easily across your skin. The sticky side drags across your skin. The drag that you feel, the “pulling” sensation is how an adhesion affects the smooth functioning of your body. Adhesions attach to muscles, decreasing their ability to work properly. You know you have an adhesion on a nerve if you get many abnormal sensations like numbness, tingling, or pain.

WHY ART?

• Decreases overall time of treatment
• Fosters faster rehabilitation/recovery
• Reduces need for anti-inflammatory medication
• Resolves chronic conditions thought to be permanent

HOW?

• Separates and breaks down collagen cross-links, and splays and stretches connective tissue and muscle fibers
• Increases skin temperature
• Facilitates reflex changes in the chronic muscle holding pattern
• Increases the rate and amount of blood flow to and from the area
• Increases cellular activity in the region, including fibroblasts and mast cells
• Increases histamine response secondary to mast cell activity

Why is scar tissue a problem?

Scar tissue limits range of motion, and in many instances causes pain, which prevents the patient from functioning as he or she did before the injury.

How is scar tissue different from other tissue?

When viewed under a microscope, normal tissue can take a couple of different fashions: dense, regular elongated fibers running in the same direction, such as tendons and ligaments; or dense, irregular and loose with fibers running in multiple directions. In either instance, when tissue is damaged it will heal in a haphazard pattern--or scarring--that results in a restricted range of motion and, very often, pain.

How is it performed?

Good practitioners have an excellent ability to detect adhesions, scar tissue or restrictions in the affected areas. They use their fingers and percussive instruments to comb over and "catch" on fibrotic tissue, which immediately identifies the areas of restriction. Once the tissue has been identified, hands and/or instruments are used to break up the scar tissue so the body can absorb it.

What is the frequency of treatment?

Patients usually receive two treatments per week over 4-5 weeks. Most patients have a positive response by the 3rd to 4th treatment.

What is treatment like?

Treatments can feel uncomfortable during the movement phases as the scar tissue or adhesions “break up”. This discomfort is temporary and subsides almost immediately after the treatment. It is common to feel a reproduction of your pain symptoms during the treatment (a good indication that the problem has been identified). While treatment lengths vary somewhat from person to person and from condition to condition, there are a few rules of thumb you can follow. Treatments take about 5-20 minutes per area treated, and may require 6-12 visits, depending on the severity of the condition. Patients report that “It hurts good.”

Will my condition or problem return after treatment?

Usually, the changes are permanent, but the ultimate answer depends on the patient compliance with post-care recommendations. “If you keep doing what you’re doing, you will keep getting what you are getting.” This is especially true for those suffering from repetitive strain injuries (RSI) or cumulative trauma injuries. Once we have eliminated your pain and rehabilitated the injured tissues we do recommend that you maintain a schedule of periodic checkups. Repetition of injury causing behavior or activities will cause the problem to reoccur. An important part of MFR treatments are the accompanying recommendations for activity modification, stretching and exercises. Each patient should commit to carrying out these suggestions to obtain the best results.

How does ART improve performance?

Performance of any task, whether sport or work related, can improve significantly with ART treatments. Restoring proper muscle function and movement enables the body to perform at its most optimal level.

Is ART used with any other treatments?

Yes, ART can be used with many other strategic multidisciplinary therapies, such as Chiropractic and Cold Laser Therapy. These therapies provide a comprehensive range of effectiveness that enhances the patient’s end result of increased range of motion, decreased pain and optimal function.