This article is one of a series covering back pain — causes, symptoms, and the treatments we use at Back and Body Medical in Midtown Manhattan. For the complete overview, see the full guide:
→ Back Pain Treatment in New York City — The Complete Guide
Active release therapy or (ART) heals your body’s soft tissue using manipulation and movement combined. The method has been in existence for over 30 years and Active Release Therapy is available here at our practice in Manhattan.
ART basically identifies, isolates, and targets the injured area which breaks scar tissue up. Doing this allows for a better blood flow and quick healing of injuries. ART is used to treat muscles, ligaments, tendons, and nerves. Chiropractor Dr. P. Michael Leahy first introduced this method to treat soft tissue disorders in professional athletes and was soon after discovered to be perfect for treating all people. Many healthcare providers, like active release therapy Manhattan are trained in ART. These include: chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists, and physicians. Art is used to treat back pain, headaches, and other symptoms caused by soft tissue conditions and injuries.
Fascia, major muscle groups, and tendons and ligaments are all things ART can treat. Others include: Low back pain, chronic neck pain, tension headaches, shoulder strains, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, and sciatic nerve pain. ART breaks up adhesions. Adhesions are dense collections of scar tissue that occur when muscles and connective tissues are injured. When this tissue is bound together, it limits flexibility. The limit in flexibility causes pain and stiffness in muscles and joints.
Adhesions can also entrap nerves. The manipulation of the soft tissues breaks up these adhesions so your muscles, joints, and nerves can work freely again. During an ART session at active release therapy Manhattan, they will feel the injured area and figure out the location of the scar tissue. ART will then be used to isolate and target the area. This will in turn break up the scar tissue and restore blood flow.
Some common signs of scar tissue are: neck, elbow, hand, knee, or back stiffness, pain during workouts, sharp heel pain, numbness, tingling/ pain in the fingers, reduced flexibility, and or decreased strength.
WIth that being said, here are some benefits of ART: increased flexibility, increased range of motion, less low back pain, improved chronic neck pain, relief of tension headaches, management of carpal tunnel, management of shin splints, management of plantar fasciitis, management of tennis elbow, and improvement of sciatic symptoms. Active release therapy Manhattan wants you to know some other alternatives to this: deep tissue massage, rolfing, graston technique, neurokinetic therapy, and dry needling.
If you have any questions, please contact us, we would be happy to help you. We have been treating people with Active Release Therapy in Manhattan for many years and would love to help you.
In pain? Want a tune up? Call us today (908) 325 – 3000. We can treat and help you.
Dr Shan Sivendra MD is the founder and medical director of Back and Body Medical in Midtown Manhattan. A board-certified medical doctor, certified acupuncturist, and Director of House Physicians at St. Barnabas Medical Center, Dr Sivendra has been practicing in New York since 1995.
He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Saint Barnabas Medical Center (affiliated with Mount Sinai School of Medicine) and received the Resident Research Award for three consecutive years.
Dr Sivendra has a background spanning internal medicine, pain management, and conservative spine rehabilitation, and was licensed in both the US and the UK.
At Back and Body Medical, he leads a multidisciplinary team of chiropractors, physical therapists, and acupuncturists dedicated to helping patients recover from pain without surgery or unnecessary medication.
Further Reading: Back Pain