Active Release Therapy
Also Known As Active Release Technique or ART
Active release therapy is more commonly known as active release technique or ART. ART is a form of soft tissue therapy that is used to address muscle pain by using a combination of movement and tension to loosen muscle adhesions and break up scar tissue.
ART is distinguished from most forms of massage because it's movement based. You can't lay still on a table and relax during this therapy. The plus side is that it's very effective and if you have soft tissue injuries, ART will help you feel better. It is commonly used by athletes to address the strain associated with training.
Practitioners study over 500 different protocols to address dysfunction in every muscle in the human body. They can treat a variety of conditions with this therapy including, but not limited to:
carpal tunnel syndrome
neck pain
back pain
sciatica
headaches
shin splints
knee pain
shoulder pain
Active release therapy can be used to treat acute and chronic pain conditions. It can also be used to treat shortened muscles, nerve entrapment, scar tissue, and adhesions.
This technique was developed by chiropractor, P. Michael Leahy. When working with patients, he noticed that many of their injuries were soft tissue in nature. He decided that he needed a way to treat these soft tissue issues. He says that he has over a 90 percent success rate treating patients with this technique.
Active release technique is done while you are partially clothed. The therapist will first do a thorough evaluation of your condition. Then the therapist will apply tension or pressure to points along a specific muscle while you take the muscle through a range of muscle. You will lay down, sit and stand during the treatment.
Here is a video that gives you an idea of what ART is like.
