This week I will be recertifying the spinal component of my Active Release Techniques training.
Active Release Technique® (ART®) is a patented hands-on touch and case-management technique that allows a practitioner to diagnose and treat soft-tissue injuries. It addresses problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia (connective tissue), and nerves.
The difference between ART and other techniques is that during an ART treatment, the patient actively moves the affected structure (muscle or ligament) while the practitioner presses or maintains contact on the injured area. This allows the practitioner to feel the structure as it moves under their contact, and to effectively treat those restricted muscles, tendons, or ligaments.
Over 500 specific moves make up the treatment protocols used in ART, allowing the practitioner to tailor treatment to the unique needs of each patient. Individuals who may benefit from ART include:
- Members of the athletic community, both recreational and professional.
- Chronic pain patients with symptoms mimicking an overuse syndrome
- Anyone who has not been able to find relief through conventional therapies
A certified ART provider is highly trained and held to a high standard of excellence within their respective fields. So what have you got to lose? Try Active Release Technique today and see your pains finally go away!
See below for a more scientific explanation of what ART addresses:
ART is most effective in addressing Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD) which is the major injury in both the office and the general population in this country. CTD is a group of injuries to the muscles, tendons, bones, blood vessels, fascia and/or nerves. It results from injuries of acute, repetitive or constant tension types.
In Acute Injuries, micro or macro tearing results in inflammation. White Blood Cells, Fibrinogen, adhesion processes easily set in, which leads to CTD. Repetitive Motion Injuries can be low force with many repetitions, as in a keyboard injury, whereas a constant pressure injury can be poor posture over a long period of time.
The Cumulative Injury Cycle often results as injuries occur in the above fashions. It can lead to an Inflammation Cycle or a Chronic Cycle.
- Weak & tight tissue structures (from Repetitive, Acute or Constant Pressure injuries) leads to
- increased Friction, Pressure & Tension.
- An Inflammatory Cycle leads to Tear or Crush, further Inflammation, and Adhesions, as the cycle continues.
- A Chronic Cycle leads to Decreased Circulation & Edema
Extrinsic factors such as smoking or Diabetes decrease circulation and further perpetuate the cycle, as do hormonal changes, Thyroid involvement, pregnancy and excessive body weight.
As the Cumulative Injury Cycle perpetuates, specific symptoms often result, including carpal tunnel syndrome, bursitis, Myofascitis, peripheral nerve entrapments, to name several.
A multitude of musculoskeletal conditions such as the above-mentioned and much more can benefit from ART. The ART system takes into account several things before treatment commences:
- The nature of the lesion (tear, adhesion, Myofascitis, crush)
- Exact tissues involved (specific muscles, joints, ligaments)
- Syndromes caused (rotator cuff, tennis elbow, etc.)
An ART practitioner takes into account Tissue Texture, Tension, Movement, and Function in their assessment and treatment of a patient. Much of this can be predicted based on our knowledge of inflammatory cycles. Inflammation usually occurs within the first 72 hours of an injury. The muscles palpate as “stringy” up to two weeks, then “lumpy” up to 3 months, and “leathery” beyond then. Also nerve entrapment symptoms can occur which lead to numbness, tingling or hyper sensitivity. All of these can be addressed through the ART protocols.
Your body responds to these occurrences by producing tough, dense scar tissue in the problem area. This scar tissue restricts healthy tissues, preventing them from moving freely. As more scar tissue builds, your muscles weaken and become shorter, nerves can become trapped, and the tension that is placed on the tendons might even cause tendon inflammation or tendonitis. Eventually, all of this leads to a reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain. In cases where a nerve is trapped, you might experience tingling, numbness, and weakness as well.