What is Active Release Techniques?
Active Release Techniques is a patented hands-on treatment approach to injuries to a muscle, tendon, ligament, nerve and the surrounding soft tissue. This treatment was developed by Dr. Michael Leahy, a chiropractor. Although similar to some massage techniques, Active Release Techniques is more specific. Registered Active Release Techniques Providers are specialized at knowing where to look for adhesions, how to feel for them and how to use the active motion of the body part to break them up.
Health conditions Active Release Techniques is recommended for
Active Release Techniques is extremely effective in treating many conditions, including:
- Headaches
- Back Pain
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Shin splints
- Tendonitis
- Shoulder Pain
- Knee injuries
- Sciatica
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Tennis Elbow
These conditions all have one important thing in common: they often result from injuries to over-used muscles. And those injuries can be caused in three different ways:
- acute injuries (pulls, tears, collisions)
- accumulation of small tears from over-use (micro-trauma)
- lack of 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 other tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons can cause tendonitis, and nerves can become entrapped. This can cause reduced ranges of motion, loss of strength and pain. If a nerve is trapped, you may also feel tingling, numbness and weakness.
For those reasons, prompt and proper treatment is essential for healing and rehabilitation.