ART - Active Release Therapy?

I've known about it for some time, almost 10 years. Last time I searched I could find anything negative or even neutral about it on the internet.

I know about the whole reasoning behind it, the guy who coined and patented it, its strong association with chiropractic and all that, but anyone had it done?

I tried it for issues in my upper back/neck. I had a bit of a recurring "kink" that would cause the surrounding muscles to bind up and cause other issues. (stiffness, headache, dull pain etc)

I can't say it was really effective for me. I went in seeking a targeted therapeutic massage and was sold the idea of ART as the best solution. At the time I'd heard some success stories from friends who had had it done with some positive outcomes so figured why not.
Anyway, it didn't do much for me. Based on my experience it's hard to imagine how it could be harmful (beyond a potential waste of money/time) but I believe based on friends experiences that it can work well in some applications.

I think one problem is that health care, and very especially any not conventional health care is subject to trends. ~5yrs ago was I think the first time I'd heard of ART, and then it all of a sudden exploded (at least in the athletic community I'm part of) and the anecdotal stories abound such that its perceived by some as being some super magical fix for all things muscular/skeletal.

Anyway, thats my two cents. Didn't work for the problem i had but I don't doubt it has valid place in resolving specific issues.

I am not going to knock ART down. There are some excellent practitioners of ART but many terrible ones.

The problem is not with ART but I think the training, it takes a few courses to get certified but years of practice and experience to become adequately skilled in manipulation. Those who encounter negative feedback usually have to do with the poorly skilled and/ or the avaricious who overcharges.

If you happen to have been treated by a qualified ART guy, they can be really effective.

Originally Posted by Kark

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I tried it for issues in my upper back/neck. I had a bit of a recurring "kink" that would cause the surrounding muscles to bind up and cause other issues. (stiffness, headache, dull pain etc)

I can't say it was really effective for me. I went in seeking a targeted therapeutic massage and was sold the idea of ART as the best solution. At the time I'd heard some success stories from friends who had had it done with some positive outcomes so figured why not.
Anyway, it didn't do much for me. Based on my experience it's hard to imagine how it could be harmful (beyond a potential waste of money/time) but I believe based on friends experiences that it can work well in some applications.

I think one problem is that health care, and very especially any not conventional health care is subject to trends. ~5yrs ago was I think the first time I'd heard of ART, and then it all of a sudden exploded (at least in the athletic community I'm part of) and the anecdotal stories abound such that its perceived by some as being some super magical fix for all things muscular/skeletal.

Anyway, thats my two cents. Didn't work for the problem i had but I don't doubt it has valid place in resolving specific issues.

Originally Posted by upnorth

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I am not going to knock ART down. There are some excellent practitioners of ART but many terrible ones.

The problem is not with ART but I think the training, it takes a few courses to get certified but years of practice and experience to become adequately skilled in manipulation. Those who encounter negative feedback usually have to do with the poorly skilled and/ or the avaricious who overcharges.

If you happen to have been treated by a qualified ART guy, they can be really effective.


Thanks guys.

Kark,

Yeah, it does almost come of as a magical fix. I've only ever talked to one person about it (far away from anyone who practices art), and he had nothing but good things to say about it, ART has a big list of pro athletes who swear by it, and and only positive reviews abound on the internet.

Upnorth,

I already have only one practioner in mind - he's the most certified, is also an instructor that certifies others in ART, and works with alot of minor league athletes, so if anyone can apply ART at its most effective it should be him.


Thanks again, I'm going to give it a go.