Dr. Judd Lowrey's Sports and Wellness Chiropractic Blog

In the summer months, many of us take advantage of the benefits of water-based exercise. Not only is swimming an excellent aerobic activity, it can also decrease the symptoms of chronic illnesses such as arthritis and fibromyalgia and improve overall mood. While swimming is easier on the joints and muscles compared to many other types of exercise, it can also cause a painful condition called swimmer’s shoulder. 

A repetitive injury, swimmer’s shoulder is typically caused by faulty stroke mechanics, sudden increases in training or workout intensity, or improper use of training devices such as hand paddles. Lax shoulder joints and scar tissue between muscles can also lead to this painful condition. 

It’s no surprise that shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints. When you consider that the shoulder is only anchored by muscles, tendons, and ligaments while providing a tremendous range of motion, it’s easy to see how injury is possible. In the case of swimmer’s shoulder, the muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint weaken and become tender and painful.

One proven treatment for swimmer’s shoulder is Active Release Technique (ART). This patented, innovative massage technique helps both professional athletes and everyday people who are suffering from painful soft tissue conditions such as swimmer’s shoulder. Without the need for injections, surgery, or medication, ART has become the gold standard in soft tissue treatment and the solution for many who want effective relief from painful joints and muscles.

How ART Works
ART is not one technique, but rather consists of 500 treatment “protocols” that treat muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and fascia. Many soft tissue-related conditions including back pain, carpel tunnel syndrome, shin splints, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee pain, and even swimmer’s shoulder can be effectively treated with ART.

Every ART session consists of both an exam and treatment. The ART provider is trained to evaluate and treat soft tissue with a combination of directed tension and specific patient movements.  This specialized approach to treating conditions such as swimmer’s shoulder is effective in more than 90% of patients.

If you are suffering from swimmer’s shoulder or any other soft tissue condition or injury and are considering ART, it’s important to consult with a certified ART health care provider. Because of the complexity of this treatment, you will definitely want someone who is knowledgeable in the vast range of protocols and who has the ability to evaluate the texture, tightness, and movement of your muscles. To learn more about ART or to receive an evaluation of your swimmer’s shoulder or other soft tissue condition, make an appointment today.

With summer nearly here, many weekend warriors are enthusiastically hitting the greens or the court, making the most of longer days and warmer temperatures. Unfortunately, some will succumb to painful soft tissue injuries that are often due to poor conditioning and technique, overuse, or even a lack of pre-exercise stretching. Conditions such as tennis elbow, shin splints, knee pain, shoulder pain, sciatica, and plantar fasciitis are all common in those who play golf or tennis.

While rest, ice, and Ibuprofen are commonly prescribed to sufferers of these often nagging, chronic conditions, many find that these are not enough to resolve the pain or permanently heal the injury. Because soft tissues, that are stretched beyond their limits, develop microscopic tears that lead to inflammation and scar tissue adhesions, muscles tighten up – resulting in more pain and a higher chance to reinjure.

Unlike treatments that are designed only to reduce swelling and pain, Active Release Technique (ART) works differently by separating, releasing, and stretching the connective tissue – restoring the vascular and lymphatic circulation to the affected area. This results in increased range of motion, strength, and flexibility. With over 500 specific moves in this patented technique’s treatment protocols, a wide range of both golf and tennis injuries can be both identified and corrected.

 ART can be extremely helpful for injuries resulting from overuse, it can also be highly effective for acute injuries such as sprains or strains. Both types of injuries result in muscle fibers bundling up and adhesions or scar tissue forming. This leads to lost elasticity, weakening of muscles, nerves being entrapped, and the range of motion being reduced. ART literally breaks this cycle by returning soft tissue’s integrity and function.  

ART can treat a wide range of common golf and tennis injuries including the following:

• Achilles tendonitis
• Back pain
• Bursitis
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Foot pain
• Frozen shoulder
• Golfer/tennis elbow
• Hand/wrist injuries
• Hip pain
• Ilio tibial band syndrome
• Impingement syndromes
• Joint dysfunction
• Knee pain
• Muscle strain
• Myofasciitis
• Neck pain
• Nerve entrapment syndromes
• Rotator cuff syndrome
• Scar tissue formation
• Shoulder pain
• Thoracic outlet syndrome

If you’ve been suffering from a golf or tennis related injury and want to to get back in the game, contact us today for an appointment. You’ll be glad that you did!

Did your last 5K run leaving you reaching for an ice pack and an ibuprofen?  Have you been telling yourself that post-treadmill knee pain is going to go away by itself?  Perhaps it’s time to consider those Active Release Techniques your chiropractor was telling you about!

What are Active Release Techniques?
ART® was created by an aeronautical engineer, chiropractor, and avid tri-athlete, Dr Micheal Leahy, and is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves. 

ART® is different from other forms of soft tissue therapy because it incorporates the best of other forms of treatment, movement, stretching, and pressure points.  The ART provider uses his or her 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. The treatments are aimed at manually breaking up adhesions, the scar tissue that entraps muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves, making it an alternative for some to traditional medical treatments that can range from anti-inflammatory drugs to splinting and surgery.

All fully certified ART® providers learn over 500 protocols.  All providers must continue to maintain their certification each year by attending seminars. This ensures the public that quality of the application of the technique can be maintained.

Why ART® for Running Injuries?

ART® is most successful for “overuse” injuries, and not surprisingly repetitive strain injuries are the most common injury seen in runners.  Sure, you can blame it on poor running mechanics, over training, muscle imbalance, or the wrong shoes, but blame isn’t going to fix it.  Even the hardiest runner with good technique, a good training plan, and proper footwear can still suffer from repetitive strain injuries.

Repetitive stress injuries are usually a result of continued repetition of a movement and/or an overload of stress on muscles, tendons or joints over a period of time without adequate rest.  Just think about what your body does when you are running, your hips, knees, and ankles all repeat the same motion over and over again.  They flex and extend thousands of times during a long run.  The muscles have to absorb two to three times your body weight each time you land.  And most people who consider themselves “runners” do this day in and day out until the pain starts creeping in.

Scar tissue develops as a result of the repetitive stress injury, resulting in a restricted range of motion, a reduction in circulation, increase in muscle tension, and friction.  All of which, if not treated, can result in an ongoing cycle of injury.  The best treatment plan for this type of injury should include Active Release Technology.

If you are a runner, an athlete, or just interested in how you can benefit from ART®, contact us for an appointment today!