Active Release Techniques (ART)

Introduction:

ART works!

ART, or Active Release Techniques, is a proven system of soft tissue manipulation to release trapped nerves and blood vessels, or to remove adhesions and fibrosis. A certified ART provider uses his or her hands to detect and assess restrictions in such soft tissues as muscles, nerves, tendons and ligaments. Easily accessible from both Ottawa and Gatineau, RE:FORM Body Clinic, located downtown in the Byward Market, offers ART together with evidence-based chiropractic, registered massage therapy, and medical acupuncture as part of our commitment to holistic health care for sports injury rehabilitation, sports therapy and injury prevention.

Conditions:

Active Release Techniques (ART) are used to treat the following conditions:

• Repetitive strain injuries
• Spinal pain and dysfunction
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)
• Soft tissue injuries
• Degenerative disc disease
• Headaches
• Arthritis
• Sciatica
• And many other health conditions.

Possible causes:

• Repetitive actions and movements
• Improper posture
• Accidents and injuries
• Read more…

Benefits of ART:

• Increased range of motion
• Relief from nerve and muscle pain
• Improved circulation
• Relief from numbness and tingling

Sample Treatment Plan:

What you can expect for your first diagnostic treatment:
At your first visit, our chiropractor will take your medical history and ask questions about your current condition. He or she will perform a physical examination to diagnose the problem. This will involve:

• manipulating the affected area to feel the condition of the tissues, and
• moving and putting pressure on it in various ways to determine the precise location and cause of the pain.

Following diagnosis, a treatment plan will be prescribed. Treatment usually begins in the first session, immediately following diagnosis.

Treatment Overview:
The treatment is participatory, and involves manipulation by the ART provider in combination with directed movements by the patient.

# of treatments:
ART can be very effective in just a few treatments, and the majority of cases reports almost complete resolution in just 6-9 treatments.

Duration of each treatment:
ART sessions usually last 15 minutes or less, and may be done one to three times per week.

What should I wear?
You should wear or bring with you clothing that allows access to the problem area, such as running shorts for a hamstring injury, or a tank top for shoulder injury.

Relief Expected:

Active Release Techniques’ beneficial effects are usually felt after one or two treatments.

Consequences:

If left untreated, the scar tissue that forms can cause a permanent loss of motion and flexibility as well as chronic nerve pain.

Background/History/Interesting Statistics & Facts:

ART is a practical option to consider when deciding how to treat an injury without resorting to drastic measures such as surgery. Unlike surgery, ART is completely non-invasive and has no side effects. Also, the active release technique boasts approximately 500 patient-specific moves to give you a treatment that is tailored to your individual needs.

You can find more information about Active Release Techniques on the following website:

ART site