ART
Active release techniques, or simply ART, is a movement-based treatment technique that may be used to help treat overuse injuries resulting from cumulative trauma to the body's soft tissues. Cumulative trauma can cause to dense scar tissue to form, which in turn makes regular motion difficult within your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. When using ART, the physical therapist will use her hands to first locate the cause of your discomfort and then apply movement-based, deep-tissue massage techniques to help break up the scar tissue.
Conditions that may benefit from ART treatment include:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Runner's knee
- Piriformis syndrome
- Iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome
- Achilles tendinitis
By breaking up adhesions that result from trauma, ART can offer:
- Greater range of motion
- Improved muscle function
- Diminished pain, which in turn leads to improvements in functional ability
In treating overuse injuries, ART is most effective, and can help lead to quick results, when used in conjunction with other treatment techniques such as therapeutic exercise or intramuscular manual therapy (a.k.a. trigger point dry needling).
Conveniently located in downtown Washington, DC. Contact us today at 202-463-7611.
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