What is Active Release Techniques® (ART)?
Active Release Techniques® (ART) is a patented, advanced soft tissue and movement-based massage technique designed to address dysfunctions in muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves. ART is highly effective for treating a wide range of conditions, including headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow. What ties these conditions together is their common cause: overused muscles.
How Do Overuse Conditions Develop?
Overuse injuries occur when muscles and other soft tissues undergo stress and damage over time. These factors lead to the formation of dense scar tissue in affected areas. Scar tissue restricts movement, causing muscles to shorten and weaken. Tension on tendons can result in tendonitis, and nerves may become trapped, leading to pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness. Over time, this can reduce range of motion and overall function.
What Can You Expect During an ART Treatment?
ART sessions combine thorough examination and targeted treatment. Practitioners use their hands to assess the texture, tightness, and mobility of soft tissues, including muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. When abnormalities are detected, they apply specific, precisely directed tension while guiding the patient through controlled movements.
ART is unique because it employs over 500 specialized treatment protocols to address individual needs. This is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach but a highly tailored method that allows practitioners to pinpoint and correct the root cause of each patient’s dysfunction.
With its combination of precise diagnostics and customized treatments, ART offers a powerful solution for restoring function, reducing pain, and improving overall performance.
- Lengthens chronically shortened muscles.
- Separates adhered muscle fibers and ligaments.
- Reduces or eliminates scar tissue.
- Increases range of motion and flexibility.
- Oxygenates and detoxifies stagnant tissues.
- Relieves pain and reduces discomfort from trigger points.
- Improves posture.
- Releases entrapped or compressed nerves, reducing tingling or numbness.
- Addresses overused breathing muscles, often seen in conditions like asthma.
- Acute injuries such as pulls, tears, or collisions.
- Micro-trauma, which is the accumulation of small repetitive injuries.
- Hypoxia, or insufficient oxygen supply to the tissues.
