ART Case Study

We interrupt this program to bring you a service announcement!
small hijack…
I am going to be in Boca Raton with my girlfriend from may 3-7th on a trip we won. I would love to meet any t-folk in that area either to workout or hangout. I am somewhat familiar with the area because I was down in FT Lauderdale playing golf in Jan. Anyways would love to finally meet some t-folks, drop me an PM if anyone wants to meet.

end Hijack.

We now continue with our normally scheduled programming.

I was asked how much ART costs, so I thought I’d throw it out here on the forum.

The doc who treated me was a DC, and I have chiropractic coverage under my insurance. It ended up costing me about $30 per treatment.

I’ve also received ART when I wasn’t covered by insurance. It ran me about $150/hour. Even at that price it’s worth it. Dr. Leahy, the guy who developed ART, charges $95 per 10 minutes. (grin)

Hi folks,
Well Tampa Terry asked me if I would come on the forum to answer any questions everyone might have so I’m excited to try to answer all your questions as promptly as possible. First I would like to thank Tampa Terry for taking the time to write up her experience with ART and get the word out about the great results that this technique provides. I’m going to answer the questions in order so keep checking. Thanks

jeep69: I have a bachelors in biochemistry and a chiropractic degree. ART is post graduate work. You can get ART certified a few different ways chiropractic is one, occupational therapist, athletic trainer, massage therapist is another. For further info on that you can look up www.activerelease.com. My advice to you is a BA in kineisiology since that will provide you with a background that alot of the ART principles are based on, biomechanics of joints. Anatomy and physiology are also very important. Salary just depends on how hard you work and how many hours you put into your clinic. It’s all proportional just like working out!

baes: Fascia is a a lining that covers muscles and is actually continuous throughout most of the body. So actually your hamstring is connected to your low back muscles indirectly through fascial attachment. The fascia runs from your low back muscles down the ligaments (dorsal sacral and sacrotuberous ligaments) and attaches covers the hamstring. So tightness and adhesions in your hamstring and gluteal area will affect low back and SIjoints(SacroIliac joints: where your have those dimples in your low back)Pain shifting from a standing to a sitting position and vice versa most often involves these joints and the muscles crossing crossing over it.
The rib cage pain sounds like you have restrictions in the abdominals and obliques. I would need to examine you further for that one.

Just a break in answering questions:
I know alot of people are probably wondering about that functional squat so here it is. The functional squat will help pick up at dysfunctions along the linetic chain.

Have someone watch you and without any weight, feet shoulder width apart slightly externally rotated perform a squat. If your heals raise off the ground then re perform the maneuver concentrating to keep your heels on the ground. Results:

  1. if your torso flexes forward your hip flexors are tight and overpowering your weak back extensors.(Focus: stretch psoas/strength low back)
  2. if your heels were rasing off the ground you probably have heel cord tightness (Focus: stretch Achilles)
  3. if your knees buckle in (focus: adductors)
  4. if you have loss of balance (focus:improve proprioception/balance)
  5. if you have problems going into a deep squat (focus: strengthening glutes)

This is obviously just a quick scan but helps pick up problems in a squat. Further assessment is definately needed.

Good luck

What an informative article! Nice one TT.
The rotator cuff bit was very interesting, shall have a go at that one with the reduced load. I’ve done the psoas stretch alot to help with my squat but I never really understood how important it was until you explained it. And the whole stretch-weakened/tight muscle concept is awesome and a very powerful tool. One question though, how does strengthening the adductors stop the knees buckling in on squats? I always thought it was my abductors (glutes) that i needed to strengthen.
Thanks for the time and effort TT.

Dr. Gregg, TT mentioned you would be relocating to jupiter sometime in the future and I noticed in your profile it currently lists your location as florida…when will you be moving? I’m a student in gainesville right now and have what I suspect is a rotator cuff problem with my left shoulder I would like to get treated. As shoulders are your specialty I’d be very interested in meeting with you.

Baes: By the way ART works great treating adhesions and tightness that have developed in the fascia and along the kinetic chain. Your complaint is very common.

PGA200X: I will try my best to describe the best psoas stretch that I have found out there.

If your stretching the right psoas, place your left foot on a bench and take a step away from the bench with your right foot. Stick your stomach out and extend back and lean to the left (away from the planted foot) as you improve the length of the psoas you can increase the stretch by turning your right foot to the left (internal rotation). This also takes balance but you will definately feel the stretch along the psoas.

Vegita:

Alot of low back pain is caused by tight psoas (hip flexors). With ART, we can break down the scar tissue that has built up due to overuse and improve your range of motion. A tip you can use is every 30-45 minutes stand up from your desk and stretch the psoas by doing the stretch I just described above. Hopefully you have your own office where you can close the door.
Good Luck

Magnus:
You can pick my brain. Tell me about your shoulder.

Does anyone know an ART practitioner in the Kansas City, Missouri area? I will even further the search and say in the Midwest area? I have seen two ART practitioners for a chronic upper back injury, but have not had any success. The ART guy you saw sounds amazing Tampa-Terry, nothing like the ones I have seen. Neither one talked to me about my injury, rehab, biomechanics etc. They basically started in with the ART treatment and sent me out the door.

I saw the first women for a total of twelve sessions. From what I have read on the forum, I should have seen results after that many treatments. Better yet, maybe she should have said after 12 sessions that either: 1. ART is not the right treatment for my problem or 2. admit she did not know how to fix it

The second guy I saw, I only went two times. I could tell after the second session that it was not going to help. He talked about how aggressive he was going to be with the treatment, yet he barely pressed into my muscle at all. Again, there was no communication from him on the actual injury itself. After asking him if there were any exercises or stretches I should be doing, he gave me ONE single stretch. At $50/visit, I realized this guy was not worth it.

I really have gotten the sense everyone (three chiro’s, physical therapist, and two doctors) does not know what the injury is. The only consensus is that I strained a muscle in my upper back. I feel like saying “Yes, I know it is a muscle strain, but what the hell do I do to get it to heal!!!”

TT- what you say about the neck, back, elbow all being linked and working as a single circuit is very interesting. About three months after my initial back injury, I started getting tingling in my fingers on the same side. I went to see a physiatrist and he told me my ulnar nerve was entrapped in my elbow. I don?t think it is a coincidence that the tingling is on the same side as the injury though. Why all the sudden would I have an entrapped nerve in my elbow?

On the recommendations of Andersons, I have started working out again. Also on the recommendations of Andersons, I read ?Healing Back Pain? by John Sarno and realized that there is CNS link to my injuries. Where I disagree with Sarno however, is that you have to stop physically treating the problem. The reason I hurt my upper back initially was because of an underlying weakness in the area, biomechanics, posture etc. The key in getting soft tissue to heal, is to get it moving again and address your problem areas so it does not happen again.

I have started doing Don Alessi?s Weakest Link program in conjunction with Mike Robertson?s Heal That Hunchback. I also read Ian King?s Out of Kilter I & II and am applying his principals to my routine as well. The tingling in my fingers has reduced a lot and I feel better overall. The injury with my back has not healed completely. I have trouble twisting (the injury was severely aggravated playing golf). I also cannot do pressing movements (original injury was from a decline bench press) The last chest workout I attempted to do left me barely able to move that night. I definitely think that an experienced ART practitioner could help speed the healing process. Mike Robertson himself told me that I have to get the adhesions on the muscle worked out before I will feel considerable relief. I have a guy that is great with deep tissue massages, but so far I have struck out with the ART. If anyone knows any excellent ART provider in the Midwest I would appreciate the info. Thanks.

jp_dubya,
I like to start with no weight and concentrate on form then build up with 1 pound increments. The studies show that side lying rotator cuff exercises have minimal recruitement of the deltoid which is what we are looking for. The rotator cuff muscles, one of it’s many functions, is to act a a compression cuff and stabilize the humeral head (the ball) in the socket (the glenoid fossa). When the deltoid fires it pulls the humeral head up and causes a shearing effect (leads to pain and bad mechanics). So the goal is to build up the strength of the rotator cuff. I start with side lying external rotation, side lying lateral raise, side lying internal rotation and a balance type exercise to challenge the proprioception (where the joint is in 3D). Then I progress from there.

Jason05,
I will be in the new clinic in Jupiter,Florida on April 15th and start from there. The great thing with that location is the close proximity from the different locations West Palm Beach 20 minutes, Ft-Lauderdale 1 hour, Miami 1 hour 20 minutes, Orlando 2 hours and Tampa bay 3 hours. Drop me a PM and see when we can fix your shoulder.
Talk to you soon

Dr Gregg- I know your specialty is shoulders but do you care to take a stab at my back injury? I hurt it initially doing a decline press as indicated in my earlier post. While I was doing the press I felt a muscle spasm in my upper left back. The best I can describe the muscle, is the muscle that runs along the spinal cord up into your neck. I have had people tell me it is my trap, rhomboid, and scapular. Don Alessi’s, “The weakest link” article I think describes the area of the injury the best.

I hurt it a lot worse playing golf three days later. The twisting motion aggravated the injury so severely I could not twist my torso for two days because of the sharp pain in that area. That was nine months ago. Twisting still is painful in that area as well as pressing movements (especially bench press). Any heavy lifting also aggravates the area. The MRI from the doc was negative so I know my spine is alright. Everyone I have seen or talked to has diagnosed this as a muscle strain/tear. It should not take nine months to heal though right? Is it possible I have adhesion on the muscle? I have been to two ART practitioners but they were unable to help me.

Do you have any ideas for me?

Thanks a lot!!

MizzouDawg,
Without knowing where your pain is exactly I’m not sure what muscle it is specifically. However if you have pain with neck rotation or pain in the upper back then the upper trap, levator scapulae, rhomboid and some deeper structures are all effected. What I always explain to my patients is most injuries are not caused by blow darts meaning one structure is not the sole cause. As simple as possible,when you have an injury your body lays down scar tissue that creates adhesions in the muscle and surrounding sctructures. If not treated that inflammation becomes chronic and more scar tissue is laid down. Tightness, pain and altered mechanics are the result. Get treatment and travel if you need to in order to find a good ART provider.
Good Luck

Thanks, creed! And since I don’t know the answer to your question (and want to know myself!), I’m going to throw it out for Dr. Gregg again.

One question though, how does strengthening the adductors stop the knees buckling in on squats? I always thought it was my abductors (glutes) that I needed to strengthen.

MizzouDawg, you validated my greatest fear about ART with a powerful real-life experience. I know that ART properly done is a life-altering experience. But not everyone keeps hunting until they found a TALENTED and SKILLED practitioner, so they come to the conclusion that ART doesn’t work! ! !

I don’t care whether it’s ART or anything else related to your health, you deserve to know what’s wrong with you, what your options are and what you can do to improve or correct your situation. And, yes, just this layman’s personal opinion, you should have seen results in 12 treatments if the person knew what they were doing.

My treatments/sessions were highly interactive. After working a particular muscle, I was asked how things felt, and then based on what I told him, Dr. Gregg would hit things from a different direction. Literally in MINUTES, sometimes, I would see substantial positive changes in either pain reduction or ROM. I definitely saw positive, quantifiable/measurable changes from session to session.

Anyway, MizzouDawg, I wish you all the best. I can see you’re doing everything possible to correct and improve your situation. Believe me, I feel for you!

Hey Terry! Solid Thread as always. I will have to track down irondoc if I ever need this stuff.

ok hi, this thread is great. tampa-terry wanted me to post my question in this thread, any comments will be helpful.

btw this pain i have doesnt happen all the time, happens maybe once or twice a month and usually lasts a day or a couple of days.

ITBS, lateral knee pain, anyone have this? i was told that the reason i get this more often than most is i have a ‘slight’ bowing of the knees, which puts alot more pressure on the outside of the knee (that tibial ligamant thing).

anyone have this and work through it? it comes and goes with me, but just today out of nowhere it came again and im starting to get pissed.

for anyone that gets this lateral knee pain here’s a website that has some info: http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0814.htm

"Squats can be performed in a range of motion that will avoid pain - ie from standing to a bent knee position of 30?. (ITBS pain usually occurs at 35? flexion.) Back squats, assisted by a partner, can be performed on a Smith machine, moving from a bent-knee position of 90? to a semi-erect position of 45-30? of knee flexion, which avoids the painful portion of the range of motion.
"

i sometimes get this when i squat & dead, the doctor said not to worry to much about it (this was a long time ago)… but do any of you happen to know of any serious injuries associated with this, for example, someones knee RIPPING IN HALF AND THE LIGAMENT EXPLODING? if so please reply!

dr gregg, have you seen some major injuries occur from this problem? thats what im really curious about.

need some insight

cya :-----)

t-mag needs an injuries forum… just search back pain and you’ll see what im talking about

Hello~

Have heard great things about ART from other strength athletes and am trying to find a good provider in the central Virginia area.
I found some doctors listed on the www.activerelease.com website but would like to know how I can get references for these providers. As T-T said, “Some practitioners work MAGIC. Others, as would be the case with any profession, are still developing their skill set.”
Can you help me find someone well recommended in my area?

Thank you so very much.

Sprout

PGA200x-YOu want a long term report? How bout you listen to me instead of always blasting people who recommend ART. Here is my long term report. 2.5 years ago I had knees that were so bad that I couldnt squat at all. I didnt squat for 6 months. Last weekend I squatted 771 in competition with absolutely no pain at all. How much longer term do you need?

Berg its not about you. I have read some of the things you say about it. You talk hard but I ALWAYS listen to your information and knowledge. Hey you’re a fellow baldie! There are some mindless people out there who have never had ART and scream it out whenever someone has an injury or discomfort just because they read a report. Its not you Berg.