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How
can Active Release Technique (A.R.T.) help me?
A.R.T
is an innovative and advanced method of treating soft tissues including
muscle, fascia, tendons, ligaments, nerves and joints. ART is a highly
successful treatment not only to athletes, but to anyone who leads
an active life, sits at a computer all day or enjoys gardening. The
treatment addresses the formation of fibrous adhesions that occur with
the healing process, whether it be from an acute injury or sprain,
or a chronic recurring pain or limitation. Many daily activities whether
they be sport related, work or leisure can result in fibrous adhesion
formation which hinders movement and function of our muscles, soft
tissues, nerves and joints.
Active
release works for almost every part of the body, for a variety of injuries
and conditions, some of which are listed below:
The
symptoms associated with the above include aching, burning, tingling
or numbness, sharp pain as well as tightness and weakness. The consequences
of these injuries are loss of circulation and oxygen (tissue hypoxia),
fibrous adhesion formation, and joint, muscle and tissue dysfunction.
Included here is a diagram illustrating the self-perpetuating nature
of these injuries. It is of interest that American federal statistics
have shown a 670% increase in CID's in the past 5 years. |
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Diagnosis
- How do I know I have this problem?
Diagnosis
of the correct soft tissue injury is important for a high success rate
in treatment. ART uses a 3 part diagnosis:
1. The
nature of the injury must be identified such as a tear, adhesion,
or myofascitis.
2. The
exact tissue, joint, muscle or nerve must be identified. This is
done through palpation (touch), orthopaedic and chiropractic tests.
3. Lastly,
the syndrome it causes must be identified. Examples include facet
syndrome, subluxation complex, rotator cuff syndrome, carpal tunnel,
thoracic outlet, headache etc.
Correlating
this three part diagnosis with your health history and information
related to biomechanics enables a certified ART provider to begin treatment
that is specific and effective. Examples of biomechanical information
include:
1. Gait
analysis (walking or running)
2. Ergonomic
evaluation (desk or work station assessment)
3. Activities
of Daily living - Understanding limitations
Research
and ART
Vert Mooney MD, of the University of California San Diego is leading research
for the ART organization. Preliminary studies have shown A.R.T to be more effective
than conventional treatments for some soft tissue injuries. The Colorado Division
of Labor has made ART the standard of care before any surgical intervention.
ART is now provided at the University of Toronto Sports Medicine Clinic.
*Medical
Journals:
1. Mooney,
V., Overuse syndromes of the upper extremity: rational and effective
treatment, The Journal of Musculoskeletal Medicine, August 1998
2. Schiottz-Christensen,
B. et al., The role of Active Release Manual Therapy for upper
extremity overuse syndromes - a preliminary report, The Journal
of Occupational Rehabilitation, June 1999 |
Gary Olson,a NYC Chiropractor.
drgaryolson.com provides chiropratic pain management in Long Island.
Dr. Gary Olson,
DC, BS The
Long Island Spine & Sports Injury Center
285-10 Commack
Road
Commack, New York 11725
Phone: (631) 462-0917
Scatia pain relief and nerve treatment provided The
Long Island Spine & Sports Injury Center of
Commack
Serving Nassau and Suffolk County with Active Release Techniques
A.R.T
is very complementary to chiropractic care, hence the reason it is used at
our clinic. It has been described as completing the "art" of chiropractic!
For more information on this approach, please contact our office or browse
the web at www.activerelease.com
Soft Tissue
Injury - What is it? To understand soft tissue injuries it is important to
understand the basic mechanism of cumulative injury. Cumulative injury disorders
(CID) are caused by the following:
Acute
injuries (eg; sprain or strain, swelling associated) Repetitive
motion injury (eg; cashier work, typing, repeated lifting/ bending)
Constant
pressure/ tension injury (eg; posture, computer work, standing,
sitting)
A.R.T
Treatment - What Does it Look Like:
A.R.T treatment is unique in that it involves you, the patient, in your
care. Either with the Doctors assistance or under your own power, the
body part being
treated is moved under a careful and specific contact by the practitioners
hand. As this is done, individual tissues, joints or nerves can be felt and
their ability to move properly without restriction or pain is assessed. Once
the adhesion is released, the soft tissues will begin to move again with unimpeded
motion. It is this aspect of treatment that the word "active" in
ART comes from. We are truly actively treating the problem.
Other measures
include providing you with specific exercises to keep areas under treatment
flexible and mobile between treatment sessions. Exercises to address strength
and endurance may also be necessary from a rehabilitation standpoint.
How
Long and How Often:
A.R.T is almost always done on alternate days, allowing adequate rest and healing
time between sessions. Treatment plans will often be every second day or spaced
further apart to once per week. Duration of treatment can be from a remarkably
fast 2 to 3 sessions, or up to 6 to 8 weeks depending upon the extent of injury
and chronicity of the problem.
Who
Gets A.R.T:
More and more people are beginning to experience the benefit of ART treatment.
This includes elite athletes like Olympic sprinter Donovan Bailey, gold medal
skaters Jamie Sale and Mark Pelletier, Body Builder Milos Sarcev, NHL player
Gary Roberts, Triathlete Lori Bowden, BC Lions, Toronto Raptors, Seattle Seahawks,
Denver Broncos, to name a few.
A.R.T isn't
just for elite athletes however. People like you and I benefit from ART every
day. The fact that ART addresses the underlying cause of many common musculoskeletal
problems is the reason why it is a successful treatment modality for everyone
suffering a cumulative injury disorder.
What
about Massage Therapy?
A.R.T is not a replacement for massage. Massage hosts many benefits including
enhancing circulation, reducing muscle tension, and removing lactic acid and/or
other toxins related to inflammation, and cellular metabolism. Massage can
be an excellent adjunct to chiropractic by enabling chiropractic adjustments
to be delivered more effectively. In the case of A.R.T, improved muscle tone,
general circulation, and reduced tension assists the ART approach in identifying
entrapped nerves or fibrous adhesions that effect soft tissue function. A.R.T
is a specific treatment that focuses on key areas allowing for a more complete
recovery with emphasis on restored function and biomechanics. Working in concert
with massage therapy, ART is enhanced in that the specific problems can be
more easily reached and treated. The A.R.T approach is different as it specifically
and directly addresses the cumulative injury cycle (see diagram).
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