ART, or Active Release Technique, is a treatment system used to treat
problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, carpal
tunnel syndrome, shoulder pain, tennis elbow, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, neck
pain and back pain are just a few of the many conditions that can
be helped with
ART. ART is a great treatment option in any area of the body from your head to
your toes as there can be soft tissue injuries in any of those
areas.
Soft tissue injuries commonly occur via acute or sudden forces, accumulation
of small injuries over time and not getting enough oxygen. Common acute injuries
are due to muscle tears, whiplash and falls. Accumulation injuries are common in
tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome and rotator cuff problems.
Not enough
oxygen injury occurs with poor posture, where certain tissues are always being
compressed. Each of these injuries can cause your body to produce tough, dense
scar tissue in the affected area. This scar tissue ties down many of the tissues
in the affected area that need to move freely. This causes muscles to shorten
and weaken,
it increases tension on tendons which causes tendonitis, and nerves
can become trapped. Common consequences of this are weakness, reduced range of
motion, numbness and pain. These adhesions can also cut off the bodies normal
blood flow, lymph flow and nerve conduction, all of which can cause a multitude
of bigger problems. These areas of scar tissue accumulation where blood and
lymph flow are compromised are commonly called trigger points. These trigger
points are common in fibromyalgia and other conditions.
An ART session begins with Dr. Jeff's examination of the tissues surrounding
the affected area. Dr. Jeff will be assessing the quality of tissues in the
area looking for the scar tissue adhesions that are adversely affecting the
proper function of that tissue. He will use his hands to evaluate the
texture, tightness and movement of those tissues.
If Dr. Jeff finds
any abnormal tissues that are causing your pain, he will use a precisely
directed tension to that tissue while he has you make a very specific
motion to lengthen the tissue he is holding. By holding the tissue in
a specific spot while you
move, the adhesion will pass underneath his
fingers and be eliminated.
ART is a great treatment option if you suffer from any type of muscle pain.
There is a long list of conditions that Dr. Jeff is able to help you
eliminate with ART. ART is ideal for any muscle, fascia, ligament, tendon or
nerve problem throughout the body. Even if you’ve seen another doctor for your
condition, chances are they didn’t use ART.
ART is a specific technique that is
different from massage or pressure point therapies. Only certified ART providers
are able to provide this specific treatment protocol and only a limited number
of providers are certified in the state of Minnesota at
this time. Luckily, Dr.
Jeff is one of those doctors and he is in your area. Even if you’ve seen some
improvement with other providers, ART might be the last piece of the puzzle to
eliminating the remaining pain from your injury.
