Active Release Technique - ART


What is ART?
Active release technique is a soft tissue management system developed for the treatment of overuse injuries found in muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves. Developed for the treatment of elite athletes, it has been shown to improve performance and is extremely effective in the treatment of plantar fasciitis, achillies tendonitis, shin splints, carpel tunnel, tennis elbow, shoulder problems, and a host of other conditions that develop from cumulative trauma and scar formation.

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 affected area. This tissue binds up and ties down the tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become weaker and shorter, tension on tendons causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped. This can cause pain, reduced range of motion, and loss of strength. 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. Our staff 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.

Conditions such as muscle tears, muscle adhesions, scar tissue, stiff joints (often found in patients with arthritis), nerve entrapment such as carpal tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, sciatic nerve entrapment, and many overuse injuries (rotator cuff syndrome, tennis and golfer's elbow, runner's knee, plantar fascitis) can be successfully treated.

Spine and Sports Rehab uses several types of treatment techniques in addition to ART. As Chiropractors, Dr. McCauley and Dr. William Radocy also specialize in the treatment of back pain.