Active Release Techniques in our sports medicine and physical therapy clinic can successfully treat joint, shoulder and back pain from a variety of different conditions that are caused by a buildup of excess scar tissue.

When people first hear about Active Release Technique, many patients think that it’s a type of massage. But they soon learn differently. Massage is rubbing and kneading of muscles. At our clinic in NYC, Active release techniques are a more powerful myofascial technique that can alter tissue composition by breaking up the scar tissue that’s the cause of pain and discomfort.

ART (Active Release Technique) is not painful, contrary to what people read and sometimes see online in popular YouTube videos. While it can be uncomfortable it is not at all unbearable. Most patients are able to remain relaxed while undergoing treatment. The pressure required to "release" or break down the scar tissue and intramuscular adhesion is fairly strong, there has yet to be a patient that found the treatment to be too painful. 

Scar tissue forms as the body tries to heal a wound or injury. Scar tissue is replacement tissue that’s never quite as good as the tissue it replaces. Usually it’s good enough. But problems can occur when the body produces too much scar tissue. When this happens in a joint, say the shoulder, it limits its range of motion and can cause pain. 

Scar tissue can also form adhesion–bands that connect two other pieces of tissue together that should be kept separate. This can happen to both muscles and soft tissue. In either case, adhesions often cause pain and limit function.

The key to treating with Active Release Technique at our NYC sports medicine clinic is to first focus on loosening and breaking up the scar tissue. Using hand pressure, Active Release Technique breaks up both adhesions and scar tissue. It uses precisely directed tension that is helped along by very specific patient movements, with the patient stretching or flexing the problem area as needed. It’s one treatment where the patient actively participates in the treatment: that’s the active part of Active Release Techniques

How The Active Release Technique Breaks up Adhesions

Removing adhesions increases the flexibility of joints and muscles. Loosening or breaking up scar tissue increase blood flow. This has many benefits: it allows muscles to work harder, promotes healing and reduces or eliminates pain. Unlike many conventional treatments, active release doesn’t take long for its effects to be felt. And many people can work out right after a treatment, which helps affected muscles regain their function even quicker.

Some of the many conditions that the Active Release Technique can successfully treat include:

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Spinal pain and dysfunction
• Tendonitis and other soft tissue inflammations of the hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee, ankle, and foot
• Sciatica
• Muscle and ligament sprains and strains

The Active Release Technique & Scar tissue

Active release techniques are only one of the effective treatments for scar tissue-related pain. Besides Active Release Techniques NYC, other common treatments can include the Graston Technique NYC, Cold Laser Therapy and stretching exercise. Usually, a combination of techniques works best at eliminating scar tissue, adhesions and myofascial restrictions and the pain that it’s causing.

New York State law requires that all insurance carriers pay for Chiropractic care. Most insurance plans are accepted without an outside referral by your doctor or insurance carrier.