Active Release Techniques (more commonly known as ART – spoken as A.R.T) is a form of rehabilitation/massage therapy that has taken North America by storm but has been sadly lacking here in London. I know what works when it comes to rehab, after all, my old broken down body has been through more than its fair share of hard work, and our London personal training gym is staffed with personal trainers who have picked up various injuries throughout earlier sporting careers (to name but a few we have an Olympic swimmer, an Armed Forces boxing champion, an international bodybuilding competitor, a British ice hockey player…the list of niggling pains is endless), so when I rave about a treatment then you know it must have some serious credibility.
I first encountered ART two years ago when Charles Poliquin treated my dodgy shoulder and since then have been hoping to find the right person to offer it as a service to our clients as I found it to be the most effective form of rehab I have ever tried. I now have the pleasure of announcing that we are now offering Active Release Techniques here in London from our City of London personal training facility. Already all of our trainers have made good use of it so I am expecting to see some new weights records posted soon!!
If I am describing to a personal training client what Active Release Techniques can do for them I tend to talk about pain relief, increased flexibility and the removal of trigger points and adhesions from muscles. I am however, not an ART expert and instead would refer you to some words recently sent through to me by Heather Pearson, our new Active Release Techniques therapist at Ultimate Performance London:
ACTIVE RELEASE TECHNIQUES
Active Release Techniques / ART® is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based manipulation technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. ART® sessions are a combination of examination and treatment. There are over 500 treatment specific protocols (treatments) for the whole body which are unique to Active Release Techniques /ART®. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee cartilage issues, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with this technique.
Soft tissue conditions can either arise from sudden traumas initiating muscular tears, adhesions and scar tissue or from an insidious or build-up of chronic tightness. Both causes often result in a reduced range of motion, loss of strength and stability and induce pain, weakness and sometimes numbness.
Most ART® practitioners are fully trained therapists who once trained in ART®, have to take a yearly course retain their certification. Although ART® is still fairly new to London it is a successful method used in Europe and America in professional sport as well as the general population.
Active Release Techniques /ART® is patented, because it is different from any other treatment. The patent protects the public by ensuring practitioners are fully trained and certified to the highest standards and strict criteria of its founder Dr. Michael Leahy.
