Hi,
Can anyone describe generally the procedures of ART???
I"m currently living in a place where there are no ART practitioners and was wondering if it’d be worth it to fly to a neighboring country to get treatment…
So some comments on the effectivenes would be appreciated.
Thanks
As i understand it, ART is a trigger point technique. Whilst other therapists may not do that specific “brand” of technique, they will do something similar. Check for private Sports physios in your area.
ART is not really a trigger pt. type of therapy. What happens is that when you hurt yourself your muscles get, well, basically stuck to one another…(you get caught up in a cycle of injury that is hard to get out of…repeating the injury over and over b/c the fatigued muscle is weak)…imagine a postage stamp seal. This is what happens to your muscles. A skilled therapist will pin down one end of the muscle and then put you through a stretch to break apart these adhesions.
There is a ART web site that will direct you to a provider near you.
I apologize that I cannot be a bit more technical in my description, but the website will help.
Here it is…www.activerelease.com
I have been going to a provider for some time and I can say it really does solve some problems.
Worker
If you have any further questions e-mail me!!
ART is a specialized type of myofascial release technique. It works well for many types of injuries and conditions.
ART is a trademarked term. Dr. Mike Leahy, D.C. ‘developed’ the technique. There are many doctors and therapists that know how to do ART that can not advertise that they perform it because they haven’t taken the certification seminar. The seminars are one weekend long and cost 1500-2000 dollars.
There are three different seminars for different body areas. Therefore, cost prevents many people from becoming certified. Some schools teach the general technique, without getting into detail regarding specific protocols. Once you know the basic principle and have seen the procedure demonstrated, it is just a matter of applying it to the injured area. While it would be great to have individual instruction at a seminar, the technique can be learned by using the books and practice, as mastery will not be achieved during a weekend long seminar either.
Personally I feel that the seminar is pricey (Sorry Tim, I know you guys are friends), especially when you consider that the general population has never heard of active release. I guess if enough athletes, etc would be referred to your clinic specifically for ART, then it would justify the expense. If the seminar was half the price, the number of ART certifications would increase significantly.
Regarding the therapy, let’s say you strained your bicep. The doc would assess the injury, locate the ‘lesion’ and then place the bicep in a contracted position. Next, they would contact the lesion and draw tension/pressure across the lesion. The patient then actively extends the arm while the doc maintains the above noted contact, etc. This would be repeated for a few reps. That would be a basic treatment. More involved injuries would require more in depth work-up treatment.
The treatment can be very effective and I use a variation (wink, wink) of it everyday in my practice. However, I am not listed on any ART site.
I would call a doc/therapist in your area and ask them what kind of myofascial treatments they offer. They may be able to effectively treat the area without you having to go to a different country.
If you have any questions please feel free to PM me.
Dr Ryan.
Thanks for the clarification. That was what i was angling at. I have had that done to great effect. As you say, ART is a brand, and trade marked and marketed (successfuly) as such, even though it or similar is used throughout all kinds of rehab clinicians.
Get a referal from a friend to any good therapist. save the money on a fignht of some back massages.
I finally resorted to it for my tendonitis ( I had tried everything else). While it was not quite the miracle that Leahy makes it out to be, it did relieve the pain and I believe allow the anti-inflamatories to work better. End result - after about six treatments I was able to curl again and pick up a coffee cup without wincing. My insurance covered the bulk of it. I would recommend it, but it is a little pricey and can be quite painful.
Hope this helps.