After reading the "Tennis Elbow" thread, I promised I would post about ART for those of you who are experiencing pain relating to certain soft tissue injuries. Here's my story:
After years of lifting weights, I developed a repetitive motion issue with my shoulder, which lead to a shoulder impingement problem. Two orthos wanted to perform surgery. I decided to try everything else before that. Lots of PT and a cortisone shot later, nothing had improved. It was by sheer luck that I spoke to someone who knew about Active Release Therapy (or Technique). At the time (late ‘90’s), there were not that many practitioners of ART around, but I found one about an hour away from me. As luck would have it, he was not only a chiropractor, but a professional bodybuilder (it always helps to have a like-minded person who understands how you got your injury). I felt immediate relief after the first treatment and my problem was gone altogether after about six 20-minute treatments. My personal experience and belief is that ART is nothing short of a miracle! I hope that after those of you who are in chronic pain from soft tissue injuries will do your research and try this method of healing before going under the knife. P.S. Please research cortisone shots (regarding osteoporosis and tendon rupture) – they are not to be taken lightly either!
Paraphrasing an ART brochure from about 15 years ago (much progress has probably been made since then). . . . . . .
ART is a soft tissue therapy based on the scientific evidence that muscles, nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue develop adhesions within and between them after repetitive (cumulative) injury. These adhesions then cause the motion of muscles or joints to be altered, resulting in pain, numbness, weakness, and loss of mobility. The technique was developed by Dr. Michael Leahy, a doctor of chiropractic based in Colorado Springs, CO. ART is extremely successful for conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, rotator cuff syndrome, frozen shoulder, chronic low back pain, whiplash injury, tendinitis, bursitis, poor posture.
ART is a hands-on therapy (it is NOT massage). Through specific movements, the patient actively draws the muscle under the therapist’s contact. The treatment can sometimes be a little uncomfortable, but patients describe it as a good kind of hurt.
IMPORTANT: Practitioners MUST be certified in ART, so make sure you see their certificate. At the time, my doctor was going for certification in treating lower body injuries, so I’m sure treatment includes knees and ankles today.
I hope all of you with pain from injuries will try this route before anything invasive. It really was a miracle for me!
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