Brian's Education

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

How Effective is Active Release Massage

Many studies have been done on the efficacy of ART in treating overuse injuries and increasing overall physical health although much of the available literature is about individual case studies. In a pilot study by James W. George et al (2006), a single ART treatment on twenty male subjects’ hamstrings increased their flexibility immediately after the treatment. The treatment was provided “on the origins and insertions of the hamstrings and the dorsal sacral ligament” (224). Flexibility was measured using a standard sit-and-reach test, with three trials occurring immediately before and after a single ART treatment. Each subject had his average flexibility score calculated from his three pre-treatment trials, and those were compared to his three post-treatment trials. The results found that the subjects’ flexibility increased by an average of 8.3 cm immediately following treatment.

Who Can Use Active Release Technique

While athletes are the most common patients of ART practitioners, Active Release Technique can be used for all sorts of overuse injuries, regardless of athletic background. However, athletes are some of the most devoted supporters of ART, as it is the treatment of choice of professional athletes. Active Release Technique is widely practiced in the National Football League, National Basketball Association, Olympics, and many other professional sporting bodies. Countless triathletes, marathoners, and other endurance race enthusiasts swear by ART as a way of recovering from injuries much faster than they normally would without the treatment.

So What is Active Release Therapy

Active Release Therapy (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.