Active Release Techniques® (ART)
ART is a patented, state
of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia
and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems,
and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with ART. These conditions
all have one important thing in common: they are often a result of overused muscles.
How do overuse conditions occur?
Over-used muscles (and
other soft tissues) change in three important ways:
- acute conditions (pulls, tears, collisions, etc),
- accumulation
of small tears (micro-trauma)
- not getting enough oxygen (hypoxia).
Each
of these factors can cause your body to produce tough, dense scar tissue in the affected area. This scar tissue binds up and
ties down tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons
causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped. This can cause reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a
nerve is trapped you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness.
What is an ART treatment like?
Every ART session is actually a combination of examination and treatment. Dr Doonan uses her
hands to evaluate the texture, tightness and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Abnormal tissues
are treated by combining precisely directed tension with very specific patient movements.
These treatment protocols - over 500 specific
moves - are unique to ART. They allow Dr Doonan to identify and correct the specific problems that are affecting each individual
patient. ART is not a cookie-cutter approach.
