WHAT IS A.R.T.?
ART is a patented, state-of-the-art, soft tissue system that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, rotator cuff shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, hip and 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 often result from injury to over-used muscles.
As adhesions build up, muscles become shorter and weaker, the motion of muscles and joints are altered, and nerves can be compressed. As a result, tissues suffer from decreased blood supply, pain, and poor mobility. The goal of ART is to restore the smooth movement of tissues and to release any entrapped nerves or blood vessels.
WHAT IS THE TREATMENT LIKE?
Every ART session is actually a combination of examination and treatment. In an ART treatment, the provider uses his or her hands to evaluate the texture, tightness and mobility of the soft tissue. Using hand pressure, the practitioner works to remove or break up the fibrous adhesions, with the stretching motions generally in the direction of venous and lymphatic flow, although the opposite direction may occasionally be used. Abnormal tissues are treated by combining precisely directed tension with very specific patient movements.
These treatment protocols, over 500 of them are unique to ART, allow providers to identify and correct the specific problems that are affecting each individual patient. ART is not a cookie-cutter approach.
HOW DO OVERUSE INJURIES OCCUR?
Over-used muscles (and other soft tissues) change in three important ways:
– Acute injuries (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 becomes shorter and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis and nerves can become trapped. This can cause reduced ranges of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a nerve is trapped you may also feel tingling, numbness and weakness.