What is ART®?
Active Release Techniques® (ART®) are movement-based massage techniques that help to remove or relieve pain in soft tissue. ART® is a set of treatments—called protocols—that target problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. ART® can quickly and permanently free you from debilitating conditions such as headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow, by treating the cause, not just the symptoms.
Discovered, refined and patented by Dr. Michael Leahy. D.C. CCSP, ART® addresses a range of injuries commonly caused by muscle overuse. Soft tissue conditions can come from sudden trauma like pulls, tears and collisions; from a build-up of repeated small tears; or simply from hypoxia—not getting enough oxygen.
Any of these events can cause your body to produce scar tissue in the affected area. As scar tissue builds up, soft tissue designed to move freely is affected, often resulting in a reduced range of motion, loss of strength, pain, tingling, numbness or weakness.
Most ART® practitioners are fully trained doctors of chiropractic who have undertaken further specialist training in ART® techniques. They take yearly courses to retain their ART® certification.
ART® is patented, because it is different from any other treatment. The patent protects the public by ensuring practitioners are fully trained and certified to the highest standards and strict criteria of its founder Dr. Michael Leahy.
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