Can Someone Enlighten Me on ART Active Release Technique?
So in my lifetime I've had two ART sessions. My 2nd was yesterday to work on a strained, knotted and pissed off glute area. Only two things have prevented me from running in my life #1 - a broken foot and #2 - this glute issue. So I'm kinda freaked out. After my ART treatment yesterday I felt immediate relief but...it lasted for maybe 2 hours. If I understand the process then I believe it's just that...a process...not a one visit fix. Can those of you who've had experience with ART please help me understand and set my expectations for working through an injury and receiving ART treatments? Yes, I know every injury and person is different. But I'd like to get some feedback.
Thanks.
0
Comments
Yes, a process for sure. I had sucess with ART fixing a IT band issue. In my case debilitating pain (aka limping walk home ) in my knee and lower quad after 3-4 miles of running which eventually migrated all the way to where the IT band inserts in the hip. It was extremely concerning, and I thought to try ART.
So my ART therapist explained it like this: the tendons and ligaments and muscles all have to slide smoothly against each other to work properly, but sometimes, over time and under repeated stress ( hill work, intervals etc) the scar tissue that is created by building muscle can bind to or inhibit the smooth sliding action of tissue on tissue, and even pull muscles tendons ligaments out of place. She says she can tell this is the case when things feel 'crunchy' as she probes the muscles. So ART's job to break loose that binding/scar tissue and let the tissues move freely and go back into their natural alignment. I had several visits to her over a couple weeks, that were....lets say very painful, when she hit the right spots, similar to but more intense than a foam roller might be.
I noticed gradual improvement of the course of treatments. Maybe less pain @ 3-4 miles the first week, but it did come back; then no pain till 6-7 miles, etc. In between visits and since the last one she recommends using a roller of some sort to continue that breaking/release action. Everyday if you can. And preferably a roller that can move both across and with the grain of the muscles ( foam rollers are hard to get to go across grain so I use one that has steel ballbearing presure points that allow it to roll in any direction). This worked for me. No IT band issues since, but I've made a effort to roll every few days and pay attention to stretching glutes especially. I was surprised that it was the area of the hip which was causing my knee pain and similarly she identified calf tightness causing forefoot pain as well. The cause is not always where the pain is!
I'd say give it some time and a few visits, while continuing the rolling and stretching. Hope it works!
brief recap- hand brain surgery so they cut my neck muscles in the rear. during the healing process my neck muscles formed way too much scar tissue which constricted the muscles and caused headaches. the headaches we awful and just would end my day - not kinding on scale of 1-10 think of them as a 10+, they just sucked the life out of me. doctors wanted to give my drugs of many sorts which i was againts and did not take.
went to a chiropracter for art treatment for a back issue. we talked about my headaches and he suggested he try to work on my neck. dude - he touched my neck to do the treatment and the pain was unreal. when he started the treatments i had headaches everyday. after a few months a couple a week, 6 months maybe one a week. after a year i was if for regular maitenance. my neck muscles were an extreme case - not being dramatic - just saying the treatment work.
as for the back injury went away after a few treatments.
also used the art treatments for serveral additonal tweeks during training. stick with it as it works especially if you provider knows what they are doing....
just my 2cents.
jim