Most health care providers use techniques of massage, trigger point, electrical modalities and ultrasound with varying degrees of specificity to treat soft tissue problems. These all provide reasonable results but there is a much better way.
Active Release Techniques (ART) is a patented, state-of-the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves.
ART is patented because it is different than anything else. This protects the public from health care providers who are willing to do it half way.
Headaches, 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 are often a result of overused muscles.
To become certified in ART, providers must invest a great deal of time and effort – they must learn over 500 treatment moves or protocols! More importantly, providers must be able to develop a very advanced “feel” for the tissues and their texture, tension and movement.
There are, to date, 10 ART providers in Arlington, Virginia.
Our clinic proudly houses 3 of these 10 local ART-certified providers:
Over-used muscles (and other soft tissues) change in three important ways:
Each of these factors can cause your body to produce tough, dense scar tissue in the affected area. This scar tissue binds up and ties down tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped. This can cause reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a nerve is trapped you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness.
Every ART session is actually a combination of examination and treatment. The ART provider 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.
These treatment protocols – over 500 specific moves – are unique to ART. They allow providers to identify and correct the specific problems that are affecting each individual patient. ART is not a cookie-cutter approach.
ART has been developed, refined, and patented by P. Michael Leahy, DC, CCSP. Dr. Leahy noticed that his patients’ symptoms seemed to be related to changes in their soft tissue that could be felt by hand. By observing how muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments and nerves responded to different types of work, Dr. Leahy was able to consistently resolve over 90% of his patients’ problems. He now teaches and certifies health care providers all over the world to use ART.
Call 703.527.5492 to schedule an appointment with one of our certified Active Release Techniques (ART) providers today.