Active Release Techniques (ART)

Looking for Active Release Techniques in Oakland CA?

Oakland Chiropractor Dr. Sandy Baird offers Active Release Techniques therapies, which are the gold-standard in soft tissue treatments for 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.

How does Active Release Techniques help resolve injuries?

Overused muscles change in three important ways:

• acute conditions (pulls, tears, collisions, etc)
• accumulation of small tears (micro-trauma)
• not getting enough oxygen (hypoxia)

Each of these factors can cause your body to produce tough, dense scar tissue in the affected area. This scar tissue binds up and ties down tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped. This can cause reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a nerve is trapped you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness.

What does ART feel like?

Every ART session is actually a combination of examination and treatment. The ART provider uses their hands to evaluate the texture, tightness, and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. Abnormal tissues are treated by combining precisely directed tension with very specific patient movements. Even though this treatment type can sometimes feel intense, all manual therapy is done to your pressure tolerance and the doctor will check in with you often to make sure treatment feels tolerable. 

If you would like to speak to a doctor at Riverstone Chiropractic to find out if and how we can help you overcome your injury and get you back to the activities you love through Active Release Techniques in Oakland CA, please call (510) 465-2342 or click the button below to schedule your free consultation.