Injured?? What you NEED to know about Active Release Technique (A.R.T.)

windwords7

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"All the doctors said I needed surgery for impingement syndrome in both shoulders. After one treatment, I rebooked all my competitions and trained to be in the best shape of my life".— Milos Sarcev Mr. Universe, 1989.


"My injury left me with no chance of ever playing hockey again. Now, after being treated with ART and a proper rehabilitation program, I have completely regained my career in Hockey".— Gary Roberts NHL Forward, North Carolina Hurricanes.


I could go on and on with the testimonials but seriously, if your injured, then you need to check out A.R.T.. I have read so many stories now of total recovery from professional/olympic athletes as well as joe public that I am amazed at who completely it has turned some people injuries around. Since I first learned of it, I too have recived my first A.R.T. applications with good results. Most people are completely turned around in a short period time! The web site is below. I will continue to compile information for this thread as time goes on. With the link below you can learn all about it, read testimonials, and find a A.R.T. provider in your area! ---WW7

http://www.activereleasetechniques.com

To find a provider in your area follow this link: http://www.activereleasetechniques.com/locator/
 

windwords7

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September 20, 2000

ART providers support the US weightlifting team during the year and in Sydney.



<TABLE cellPadding=3>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD vAlign=top><IMG height=158 alt="" src="http://www.activereleasetechniques.com/images/Dsc00005_small.gif" width=211 align=left border=2></TD>
<TD vAlign=top>Mike Leahy is shown here with <B>Shane Hammon, Oscar Chaplin, Tara Nott and coach Dragomir Ciroslan.</B>

During the olympic trials Tara and Shane set several american records en route to making the US team. The day after this photo was taken Tara set another american record and won a gold medal. This is the first olympic medal for a US lifter since 1976!
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>[font=Arial,helvetica,sans-serif]ART is a regular part of training for most of the resident lifters because it allows them to train with more volume and intensity while avoiding the breakdowns that usually occur when the training is extra rigorous. For competition it is important to maximize proper biomechanics in order to perform at the best level possible. This last stage is what we at ART call "performance care."[/font]
 

windwords7

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Taken from the website above.

[font=Arial,helvetica,sans-serif]What is Active Release Technique (ART)?[/font]

[font=Arial,helvetica,sans-serif]ART is a patented, state-of-the-art soft tissue system that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. 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 often result from injury to over-used muscles.[/font]<B>[font=Arial,helvetica,sans-serif]How do overuse injuries occur?[/font]</B>[font=Arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Over-used muscles (and other soft tissues) change in three important ways:[/font]

  • [font=Arial,helvetica,sans-serif]acute injuries (pulls, tears, collisions, etc),[/font]
  • [font=Arial,helvetica,sans-serif]accumulation of small tears (micro-trauma)[/font]
  • [font=Arial,helvetica,sans-serif]not getting enough oxygen (hypoxia).[/font]
[font=Arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Each of these factors can cause your body to produce tough, dense <B>scar tissue</B> 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 ranges of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a nerve is trapped you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness.[/font]<B>[font=Arial,helvetica,sans-serif]What is an ART treatment like?[/font]</B>[font=Arial,helvetica,sans-serif]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.[/font]

[font=Arial,helvetica,sans-serif]These treatment protocols – over 500 of them - 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.[/font]<B>[font=Arial,helvetica,sans-serif]<IMG height=177 src="http://www.activereleasetechniques.com/images/DRLEAHY1.GIF" width=120 align=left border=0>What is the history of Active Release Techniques?[/font]</B>[font=Arial,helvetica,sans-serif]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 tissues 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 to use ART.[/font]




 

[font=Arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Dr. Glenn Hyman is a fully certified ART provider.[/font]
 

windwords7

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Articles on A.R.T.

How To Bounce Back From Training Injuries - Fast!
By Kim Goss
MUSCLE MEDIA 2000
January 1997

http://www.activereleasetechnique.com/pdf/Muscle-media2000.pdf 


<DIV class=pdfnews><B>Overuse syndromes of the upper extremity: Rational and effective treatment.</B>
Vert Mooney, M.D.
The Journal of Musculoskeletal Medicine
August 1998
Download </DIV>
<DIV class=pdfnews> </DIV>
<DIV class=pdfnews>
<DIV class=pdfnews><B>The Role of Active Release Manual Therapy for Upper Extremity Overuse Syndromes ­ A Preliminary Report</B>
Vert Mooney, M.D.
The Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation
June 1999
Download </DIV>
<DIV class=pdfnews> </DIV>
<DIV class=pdfnews>
<DIV class=pdfnews><B>Improved Treatments for Carpal Tunnel and Related Syndromes</B>
P. Michael Leahy, D.C., C.C.S.P.
Chiropractic Sports Medicine
1995
Download </DIV></DIV></DIV>
 

windwords7

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<DIV class=maincontent><B>New treatment relieves pain of repetitive strain (ART)</B>
<I>Elite athletes have been using it for more than a decade.</I>
By Rick Ansorge </DIV>
<DIV class=maincontent>SPECIAL TO THE STAR </DIV>
<DIV class=maincontent> </DIV>
<DIV class=maincontent>What do Canadian Olympic sprinter Donovan Bailey, professional hockey player Gary Roberts and Colorado Springs homemaker Bernadette Triche have in common? They've all had repetitive strain injuries fixed by a non-invasive technique developed by a Colorado Springs chiropractor and now practiced by nearly 20 physical and occupational therapists and other health-care providers in the United States. </DIV>
<DIV class=maincontent> </DIV>
<DIV class=maincontent>The procedure, a soft-tissue manipulation called active release techniques (ART), has been used to treat elite athletes for more than a decade. But it only recently became available to the general public, so many doctors and patients are still unfamiliar with it. Little formal research has been conducted, although the results of one major study are expected to be released later this month. But inventor Michael Leahy and his colleagues claim a 96 percent success rate (defined as being able to return to work) based on 8,000 cases treated since 1993. Bailey, dubbed the world's fastest human, credits the procedure for fine-tuning his body before winning the gold medal in the 100 meters at last year's Olympics. Roberts, who was sidelined from the Calgary Flames for a year and a half with a neck and nerve injury, credits it for getting him back on the ice with the Carolina Hurricanes. Triche, who could barely lift a bag of groceries after a shoulder injury, credits it for restoring the use of her left arm. </DIV>
<DIV class=maincontent> </DIV>
<DIV class=maincontent>Since the early 1980s Leahy has developed several hundred active release treatments for repetitive strain injuries, which cost American society an estimated $20 billion a year in workers compensation claims and $80 billion a year in absenteeism and reduced productivity. RSI injuries include carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis and lower back strain. Most of Leahy's treatments are aimed at manually breaking up adhesions, the scar tissue that entraps muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves. </DIV>
<DIV class=maincontent> </DIV>
<DIV class=maincontent>Traditional medical treatments range from anti-inflammatory drugs, deep-tissue massage, stretching, splinting and surgery. Dr. Michael Brown, a Colorado Springs neurosurgeon, says surgery is 85 percent effective for patients with persistent numbness, muscle weakness and diminished nerve conduction through the carpal tunnel. Such serious cases probably wouldn't benefit from active release techniques, Brown says. "It wouldn't make them worse. But it just wouldn't be worth the time and money." Still, he's impressed with the procedure's effectiveness in treating less-serious cases. "I would use it myself before getting surgery if I didn't have significant nerve damage," he says. "Before anyone has surgery, they should exhaust all non-surgical means of getting relief." </DIV>
<DIV class=maincontent> </DIV>
<DIV class=maincontent>The new procedure is similar to some massage techniques, only it's more aggressive. "The art of it all is being able to know where to look for adhesions, how to feel for them and how to use active motion of the body part to break them up." Leahy says. There are 35 places that can trap the nerves in the arm." Active motion separates this procedure from most other soft-tissue manipulation techniques. "To break an adhesion, you actually have to put your thumb and fingers on it and make it move in a way that breaks it away from the tissues," he says. During a session, which can last as long as an hour and as short as a few minutes, both the therapist and the patient can feel the adhesion rip apart. "It kinda hurts," Leahy says. "But most people describe it as ‘hurts good'." According to Leahy, only three to six sessions are needed to fix a problem. The results are so instantaneous that many patients can work out after a treatment. </DIV>
<DIV class=maincontent> </DIV>
<DIV class=maincontent>While some patients need further treatments, most can maintain the improvements with proper diet, exercise and stretching, he says.
Until recently, the procedure and its originator were two of Colorado Springs' best-kept secrets. "For many years, it's just been us," Leahy says of the clinic he operates with another chiropractor and an occupational therapist. Recently, however, he has trained and certified about 600 people, mostly at the University of California-San Diego </DIV>
<DIV class=maincontent> </DIV>
<DIV class=maincontent>Medical School, where Leahy is about to receive an associate professorship. Diane Jones, a physical therapist in Colorado Springs, took Leahy's course and has since performed the procedure on eight patients with repetitive strain injuries affecting their shoulders, necks and arms. Jones hesitates to call it a breakthrough however. "I consider ia another tool to use," It has the potential to work on lots of people but it's not necessarily going to fix everyone. </DIV>
 

DarCSA

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Yo Jake. I had never heard of this type of recovery before. From the items you have posted this seems to have some very strong merit and support behind it. I personally have never had a weightlifting injury but have had some sports injuries. I will look into this the next time I may get hurt. It looks like a good therapy to try and help one get back on track.
 

garyrabbit

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Great Thread Jake, it will help me alot with the info i've found thanks for the links bro. Good to have something to help with the injuries from time to time. Again Great Thread.:D
Peace
 

windwords7

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Glad its serving its purpose bro.
 

snakeman458

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jake u and your mind are a phenom. bro this is a great article for people like u and i with injuries. most of the bro's here know that i had my back fused in 98 L3 L4L5L6 and i fight daily to stay in the best of shape. thank you for this thread and great reading. don
karma karma for u
 

Andy2k

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A patented technique - that's a little weird.
I've used active movement combined with deep tissue massage (usually referred to as friction massage) for as long as I've been a therapist - it makes sense, but if someone wants to call it a fancy name, so be it.
Sometimes the only way to get in to an athlete's problem is to have them actively involved - for instance, I've treated scar tissue in biceps before, where the scar tissue is deep or on the underside of the belly. In order to get to it, I get the patient to internally rotate their forearm, then I place my thumb/fingers where the scar tissue will be, and get the patient to externally rotate the forearm, which means I can get deep into the muscle belly. It ain't pleasant, but it works!
 

windwords7

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Andy, if you dont patent EVERYTHING now a days you will loose your ability to market it succesfully. His techniques go beyond old shcool deep tissue massage I think, but Im not an expert. I would encourage you to read about this stuff, it really is amazing. The only down side for me is I only have one guy in the area who is certified and he lives a half an hour away.....boooo!
 

Sheesh

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Niiiice...maybe i should try this for this shitty shoulder of mine...Thanks buddy
 

windwords7

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Depends bro but usually is the same as a Chiropractic visit.
 
hamper19

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probably not covered by most inusrance companies
 

windwords7

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Blue Cross covers it as do several others. Depends on your plan, not the company most of the time.
 
Technics

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From reading there articles and information, and also asking knowledgable people, this is a form of manipulating, which is not a good thing. Kind of like what chiropractors do to bones and such. I'm not trying to contradict, just telling you what I think of this and what others have helped me think of this.
 

windwords7

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Originally posted by Technics
From reading there articles and information, and also asking knowledgable people, this is a form of manipulating, which is not a good thing. Kind of like what chiropractors do to bones and such. I'm not trying to contradict, just telling you what I think of this and what others have helped me think of this.
I've had it done and its not manipulating. That said, there is nothing wrong manipulation either. It has its place along with ART.
 

msclbldrguy

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The only down side for me is I only have one guy in the area who is certified and he lives a half an hour away.....boooo!
be glad you have one that close.....i just did a search and there isnt anyone within 50 miles of where i live....oh, well....i could really use one right now.
 

quasar

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there's a level 3 instuctor right down the street on my chiro plan I've been meaning to visit for my left shoulder blade, I'll post how it turns out in a couple weeks...

and what's wrong with manipulation anyway? it seems like a good idea and definitely makes me feel better (for those nasty knots in my back)..
 

quasar

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Just got my first ART treatment today-

It was amazing, the techniques seemed simple enough but the chiro really knew which muscles to work from feeling my shoulder go through a range of motion and having me turn my head to see ranges of motion. It didn't hurt at all (I've read it did), I did have some nerve entrapments in my neck and many knots in my back, but in 45min I felt WAY better. Now I can't believe the range of motion I have in my neck and shoulderblades again. We'll see how long it takes the pain to come back. I am as amazed as the first time I walked out of an old Mexican chiro's office feeling clear as a bell and walking on air. Not too expensive either!
 

windwords7

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Just got my first ART treatment today-

It was amazing, the techniques seemed simple enough but the chiro really knew which muscles to work from feeling my shoulder go through a range of motion and having me turn my head to see ranges of motion. It didn't hurt at all (I've read it did), I did have some nerve entrapments in my neck and many knots in my back, but in 45min I felt WAY better. Now I can't believe the range of motion I have in my neck and shoulderblades again. We'll see how long it takes the pain to come back. I am as amazed as the first time I walked out of an old Mexican chiro's office feeling clear as a bell and walking on air. Not too expensive either!
Great report! Keep us updated.
 

quasar

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Update- I have to mention that I experienced some severe pain last night in the area I had treated. The weird thing was that all of a sudden, I got shooting pains in the area like I had freshly injured it (upper back/neck area). My chiro did give me recommendations on icing the area after treatment and it did help after some time to cool down the flare-up. I had a hard time sleeping but I haven't experienced the pain since and my range of motion is still vastly improved over before I had the treatment. He says I could be cured of my bone-muscle adhesions in as little as 3-5 treatments. I already feel much better and the pain/icing stuff was worth it. I'll update after my next treatment if there's anything special. Overall, I'm very impressed with ART.
 

Draven

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Hey guys, just thought I'd let you all know, www.gaining-mass.com now has an ART forum lead by great ART doctor by the name of Dr. Chaz. If you have any questions concerning ART or soft tissue injuries head on over and post your questions and concerns, he's a great help. He's helped lots of bro's get back to 100% shape after injuries and can give you some great advice on what to do about those naggin shoulder injuries etc..
 

good_guye28

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well guys i went for my first treatment of A.R.T. for my shoulder and let me tell ya a few times it got quite painful. but all in all it went better than what i thought. it increased my range of motion already. he told me weekly it should get better and better. im glad someone posted this info, i had an appointment with a surgeon next week. he wanted to do scope surgery and grind a little bit of the bone out to make room for the shoulder where its pinching. i thought i best give A.R.T. a try before going under the knife.

ill post how things go weekly.....
 

windwords7

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I'm glad the info helped. ART really does work wonders..l.
 
shaddow

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well guys i went for my first treatment of A.R.T. for my shoulder and let me tell ya a few times it got quite painful. but all in all it went better than what i thought. it increased my range of motion already. he told me weekly it should get better and better. im glad someone posted this info, i had an appointment with a surgeon next week. he wanted to do scope surgery and grind a little bit of the bone out to make room for the shoulder where its pinching. i thought i best give A.R.T. a try before going under the knife.

ill post how things go weekly.....
Any updates? I'm considering this treatment for my mother and myself.
 
supersize77

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Any updates? I'm considering this treatment for my mother and myself.
Go and get it NOW! Run, don't walk...it's that good. I had bad case of tennis elbow for over a year, and if not for ART I'm not sure I would be able to do any upper body movements at all. This is not an exageration, nothing else worked for me, and I tried everything. It takes about 5-10 treatments, but man is it worth it. It may not cure your problem completely, but it will come close, and it will definitely make it manageable.
 

good_guye28

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ive been there 3 times and i already have better range of motion. i have another appt. on wednesday so ill update after that.
 
shaddow

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Go and get it NOW! Run, don't walk...it's that good. I had bad case of tennis elbow for over a year, and if not for ART I'm not sure I would be able to do any upper body movements at all. This is not an exageration, nothing else worked for me, and I tried everything. It takes about 5-10 treatments, but man is it worth it. It may not cure your problem completely, but it will come close, and it will definitely make it manageable.
Thanks bro, I'm gonna check to see if my insurance covers it. I'm crossing my fingers here, as I really can't afford to pay for each visit out of pocket, but I think I could really benefit from this. My shoulder pain has been unbearable lately.
 

good_guye28

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ive got great insurance but it still costs me 20 each visit. not too badly priced but hey if it works fine ill pay it.
 
shaddow

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$20 would be fine by me. I'm just worried that they would tell me it isn't covered at all and I'd have to pay it all out of pocket. I guess I'll find out soon though. Thanks.
 

Jjaden

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I've had incredibly bad shoulder impingement for the last 6 months to the point that my right pec is slightly atrophied due to lack of blood supply and I can't do any overhead pressing and very little chest work.

I've been to a a sports surgeon who diagnosed it as Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and he suggested Physio.

After six weeks of physio and ultrasound it's not any better at all but I found an article in T-mag about ART so I decided to give it a shot.

Just finished my first ART treatment 30mins ago and my range of motion is drastically increased.

I'm going to continue with 2 sessions weekly and will post updates as to how effective it is.

If I am healed by this I'll be the happiest guy on the planet.
*Fingers crossed*
 
bioman

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Good to hear man!

I love it when a surgeon loses a nickel.
 

Jjaden

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Ok I'm a believer now, last 2 nights since my treatment I've slept pain free for the first time in months.

The shoulder was sore as hell rest of the day after treatment but seemed better that evening and last couple days have been great, pain is GREATLY diminished and this is after 1 session.

I can't wait untill the next treatment,
 

rajscorps

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Very interesting discussion.

I am wondering if any of you guys have heard of Trigger Point Therapy. I'd been diagnosed with rotator cuff impingement, shoulder subluxation (that darn clicking sound) and golfers elbow (medial epicondilytis). Rehab didn't help much. A colleague recommended Trigger Point Therapy book (he used for Carpal Tunnel syndrome).

My results have been nothing short of amazing. No more symptoms, no more pain. I am back doing Military and Bench presses. A little paranoid about Chins and Deadlifts; it's been only a month since all the pains vanished.

You could read more about this book at Amazon.com (search for Trigger point Therapy). Or on the parent website triggerpointbook.com. This book has been a true blessing.

I think it's a must have book in every bodybuilders arsenal. Active release techniques seem to use a form of massage, and trigger point therapy treament is along the same line.

Thanks,

Ray
 
bioman

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Seems like ART and trigger point are all pretty similar to Rolfing, myopracty and deep tissue release. They all seem to break up adhesions and re-alighn the muscle tissue so that everything is more symmetrical.

I agree, its a must for anyone who works out (aka, shortens muscle). I have my next session on Saturday and look forward to it with both dread and anticipation. My massuese is bruuutal, lol.
 
supersize77

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My original case of tennis elbow involving my left arm is healed thanks to ART. However, lately my right bicep has been hurting where it connects into my forearm. I just got back from an ART apponitment to work on my right bicep, and all I can say is WOW! I have alomst no pain at all. This session was more of a "preemptive strike", before the pain became to uncomfortable, and I do believe it was successful. I have come to believe that ART can take care of old (chronic) as well as new injuries.
 

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