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What is Active Release Techniques® (ART)?
ART® is a patented, state-of-the-art soft tissue system that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, neck pain, 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 often result from injury to over-used muscles.

HOW DO OVER-USE INJURIES OCCUR?
Muscles are made of tiny filaments, which travel parallel to one another. When a muscle is subject to poor nerve conduction, hypoxia (decreased oxygen levels), acute injury, repetitive motion injury, or constant tension injury (eg. poor posture), these filaments tear. This tearing causes a physical and chemical change. The body will then fill in the damaged areas with a lesser quality, non-elastic tissue called fibrous adhesions or scar tissue.

As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis and nerves can become trapped. This can cause reduced ranges of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a nerve is trapped, you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness.

HOW DOES ART ® WORK?
ART® treatment is a hands-on touch and case-management system that allows a practitioner to diagnose and treat soft tissue injuries.   An ART® practitioner uses his hands to assess the area of complaint for muscle tightness, adhesions, trigger points, inflammation and tears.  Abnormal tissues are treated by combining precisely directed tension with very specific patient movements.  As the ART® practitioner works on the involved structure he will be breaking up scar tissue adhesions that shorten muscles, cause tendinitis, and entrap nerves and blood vessels. This restores proper biomechanics, reduces strain on tissues, increases blood supply to the area and eliminates pain.  Specific injuries that apply are acute and repetitive strains, adhesions, tissue hypoxia (decreased oxygen levels) and joint dysfunction.  These treatment protocols - over 500 of them - are unique to ART®. They allow providers to identify and correct the specific problems affecting each individual patient.

WHO CAN BENEFIT?
Soft tissue injuries can affect just about any area of the body.  ART ® is fast, precise and effective. Anyone can benefit from ART®, from professional athletes to the elderly and children.   People injured in auto accidents or at work, and people who just work hard and hurt are great candidates. Symptoms vary from aches and pains, to burning muscles, to numbness and tingling.

SPECIALIZED TRAINING
Until the development of the ART® method of soft tissue injury management, there was no branch of health care that specialized in the treatment of soft tissue related disorders, or even a name for a doctor who specialized in the treatment of muscle related and soft tissue injury.  ART® practitioners undergo written and practical examination on a yearly basis in order to keep their certification.  This makes the ART® doctor a leader and expert in his field.
 
     
       
     
 
     
 
 
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS about ART®

Is the treatment painful?
The first one or two treatments may feel uncomfortable depending on the extent of the injury and severity of the condition. However, even if the treatment is uncomfortable and reproduces symptoms, this is only temporary and will stop within seconds after the treatment.

How long do the treatments take?
The initial consultation, history, examination, and treatment will usually require anywhere from thirty minutes to one hour. Subsequent treatments usually take only ten to fifteen minutes. 

How soon can I expect results?
In most cases, following the first treatment a patient will experience a positive result. This may be an increased range of motion, less pain, increased muscle strength, or decreased numbness and tingling.

Is this similar to other soft tissue treatments like trigger point therapy, ischemic compression, etc.?
NO. ART® is very different than any other soft tissue therapy or massage. ART® is very specific and the results achieved utilizing this technique are much more predictable.

Once my problem has been corrected what are the chances of the problem returning?
ART® is very effective.  Along with lifestyle modifications and prescribed exercise/stretches, the likelihood of the condition recurring is very low.

What if my doctor recommends surgery?
There are cases where surgery might be inevitable. Since ART® is non-invasive and has no side effects, it is practical to try ART® first
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