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.