What is Active Release Technique?

Those not familiar with the sports arena, may have noticed the acronym A.R.T. being thrown around by a lot of practitioners, especially chiropractors and orthopedic/sports physical therapy facilities. But what is it and how can it help you?

In this blog entry (I know I haven't posted in a while), I'll try to shed some light for you on what this is an how you can benefit from it.

What is A.R.T.?

A.R.T. is a patented soft-tissue movement based massage technique with the goal of breaking down scar tissue and restoring mobility. A.R.T. can be used to treat muscle, tendon, fascia, ligament, and nerves. Most conditions successfully treated by A.R.T. have one thing in common: they are overuse injuries.

What are Overuse Injuries?

In short, overuse injuries occur when the body is not able to accommodate the loads placed on tissue over time. As opposed to acute injuries where significant trauma may occur, overuse injuries build over time due to microtrauma. Microtrauma can be the result of athletic activities, or just the repetitive nature of our daily lives (like spending numerous hours at a computer).

What are some Overuse Conditions?

Some examples of Overuse Conditions that could benefit from A.R.T. are:

- Rotator Cuff Tendinitis

- Tennis Elbow

- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

- IT Band Syndrome

- Jumper's Knee (Knee Tendinitis)

- Hamstring Tendinitis

- Achilles Tendinitis

- Plantar Fasciitis

- And much, much more!!

How Do I Get It?

ESPT is one of the few physical therapy facilities in the Tri-City Area (Fremont, Newark, Union City) that offers A.R.T. Another example of our commitment to keeping up with cutting-edge techniques to make sure you get the care you deserve and the results you want.

Our physical therapist Gigi Yee, DPT, ART, CSCS is not only certified in the A.R.T. technique, she's completed an Ironman distance triathlon, where A.R.T. is considered paramount in helping some of these athletes achieve their goals.

For more information about A.R.T. or to schedule your treatment session at Elite Sports Physical Therapy, give us a call at 510-656-3777 or check out our website at www.espt-ca.com.