Questions & Answers about Active Release Technique

1. What is ART?

1. What is ART?

Active Release Technique (ART) is a system of diagnosis and treatment for injuries to soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves). ART is used to treat a variety of conditions including acute strains and sprains, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, low back pain, and chronic overuse conditions or repetitive strain injuries such as tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, and runners’ knee.

It is a manual therapy designed to find scars in damaged tissue and release the adhesions (abnormal connection of fibrous tissues) that stick to muscles and between connective tissues. These adhesions prevent the sliding movements that occur between healthy tissue. Muscle or joint adhesions can be painful and create abnormal movement, and nerve adhesions can cause numbness, tingling, or radiating pain.