Do you have a muscle, tendon or part of your body that is recurrently tight or painful and does not respond well to stretching? You may be a candidate for Active Release Techniques® (ART). ART is a fast-acting, highly effective soft tissue technique that breaks up adhesions or scar tissue, whether from trauma or repetitive strain, and helps return tissue to its normal flexibility and function.
Scar tissue can form with any type of repetitive motion that limits relaxation of the tissue thus restricting sufficient blood flow and oxygen to the area. An injured area where there is a chronic inflammation and insufficient flow of oxygen may trigger a series of chemical reactions called chemotaxis that increases the recruitment of macrophages and fibroblasts that eventually build fibrosis or scar formation. As an area becomes tighter and more fibrotic, the cycle is perpetuated and more scar formation occurs.
Acutely injured tissue tends to feel boggy and swollen, such as experienced with a sprain, strain or spasm. After a couple of weeks, tissue under the stress of sustained tightness or decreased mobility begins to change, becoming stringy, then lumpy, and eventually fibrotic. Fibrosis is what causes tendonitis to become chronic tendinosis. It is what can entrap nerves and cause someone to experience nerve pain with movement.
Whether scar tissue formed by repetitive motions working at the computer or by repetitive training for an elite musical or athletic performance or somewhere in between, an ART practitioner can identify where the adhesions are and then release them. Fibrotic tissue can be broken down, reabsorbed by the body, and with correct exercise and movement re-education, the tissue will remodel to do what it was designed to do, without recurrent pain or tightness.
Prior to the Winter Olympics, our founder Dr. Tammara Moore, DPT was working with Chuck Berkeley, a member of the USA Bobsled Team. He was experiencing recurrent calf pain and tightness that was keeping him from sprinting and jumping, two must-dos for his sport. Through specific palpation, adhesions were identified deep in his lateral calf, between the soleus and the peroneus longus. With significant tension placed on the adhesions and Chuck moving his ankle through motion first to stretch soleus and then peroneus longus, tension increased where my hand was and the adhesions were released. Within 3 treatments, his calf was no longer painful or tight. To restore the tissue to its normal function, Chuck was given specific exercises to strengthen his gluteal muscles, and avoid overuse of his calf muscles for stabilizing and push-off through his running stride and with jumping. His symptoms did not return, and Chuck was able to continue his training and compete in the Olympics.
Sports + Orthopedic Leaders is the #1 choice for physical therapy and sports performance training within the East Bay and the San Francisco Bay Area. Serving the communities of Oakland, Alameda, Berkeley, San Francisco, Santa Cruz and beyond, SOL Physical Therapy’s award winning clinical team has helped thousands of people reach their physical goals. Services provided include: Sports + Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Active Release Techniques®, Manual Therapy Techniques, Pilates, & Personal and Peak Performance Training.
