Active Release Techniques
| Whether you are a deskworker suffering from a Repetitive Strain Injury or an athlete dealing with a sports injury, Active Release Techniques® (ART) could be the treatment of choice for you. ART is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. By removing fibrous adhesions that bind up the soft tissues, ART is able to safely restore freedom of motion within and between structures and resolve many common conditions such as: | |||
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| Dr. Gregg Carb is a California State licensed chiropractor (DC), Certified Associate Ergonomist (CAE), Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME), Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioner (CKTP), and fully certified Active Release Techniques (ART) provider in San Francisco. |
Musculoskeletal pain and injury involving the body's muscles, joints and nerves are among the most common health problems that people suffer from today. One of the most successful treatment systems for resolving musculoskeletal conditions is Active Release Techniques.
The words Active Release refer to a) the active patient motion of the body part(s) being treated, and b) the release of scar tissue fibrosis or small adhesions within or between layers of soft tissue structures. Active Release can be thought of as a precisely targeted stretch technique to restore normal texture, tension, and motion by using active movements to release soft tissue restrictions.
All soft tissue injury must go through a healing process. Ideally, the repaired tissue will resemble something like the original. The picture below left shows the fiber orientation of uninjured soft tissue that is much like the strands of a rope. The picture below right shows injured soft tissue with obvious tears and gaps. The torn fibers will necessarily be mended with scar tissue.
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In many cases of soft tissue injury the healing process unfortunately results in poorly adapted scar formation resulting in chronic stiffness, weakness, and discomfort. Instead of the uniform lengthening of muscles and connective soft tissues that normally occurs during everyday use, an adhesion results in a "snag" or area of relative density and restriction (illustrated below) that can limit active or passive motion, impair flexibility, and short-circuit full strength of the entire structure until the proper technique is used to release the adhesion.
Active Release Techniques protocols can most often find and resolve the scar tissue adhesions that restrict motion, create pain, and cause dysfunction. There are only a few fully certified Active Release Techniques providers in San Francisco that have all the hands-on training, extensive knowledge of anatomy, biomechanics, pathophysiology, and the clinical experience required to give such care.
Dr. Gregg Carb is a fully certified San Francisco Active Release Techniques provider for repetitive strain, athletic injuries, and chronic musculoskeletal conditions. In fact, Dr. Carb was the first Active Release Techniques provider in San Francisco to be certified in Upper Extremity in 1996. Subsequently, Dr. Carb has been certified by Active Release Techniques in Lower Extremity, Spine, Nerve Entrapments, Biomechanics, the Masters Course, Active Palpation, and Complex Protocols.
Summary of Dr. Carb's Active Release Techniques certifications:
Upper Extremity
Spine
Lower Extremity
Nerve Entrapments
Biomechanics
Masters
Active Palpation
Complex ProtocolsDr. Carb further enhances his Active Release Technques knowledge and skills by subscribing to the Active Release Techniques web broadcasts where a wide range of clinical cases are presented, discussed, and demonstrated on a regular basis by Active Release Technques founder and developer Dr. Michael Leahy.
To compliment Active Release Techniques treatment we often use High Power Laser Therapy. Active Release Techniques breaks up fibrotic adhesions while High Power Laser Therapy increases cellular ATP (energy) production. Therefore, Active Release provides the mechanical signal to trigger an adaptive healing response in the soft tissues which post-treatment is then facilitated and accelerated by the High Power Laser Therapy. This combination of Active Release Techniques and High Power Laser Therapy has a track record of success in our office.
Please click on the play button below to see our Youtube video "Active Release Techniques in San Francisco."
Shown below, Dr. Gregg Carb helps a triathlete with Active Release Techniques soft tissue treatment in 2004. She suffered a serious biking injury while training at the 25th Anniversary Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii. She later successfully finished the race. Active Release is the only soft tissue management system endorsed by the Ironman organization and is frequently used by professional sports teams, olympic athletes, and also corporate Health and Safety managers for the prevention and treatment of workplace injuries.
Shown below, Dr. Gregg Carb helps a triathlete with Active Release Techniques soft tissue treatment in 2004. She suffered a serious biking injury while training at the 25th Anniversary Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii. She later successfully finished the race. Active Release is the only soft tissue management system endorsed by the Ironman organization and is frequently used by professional sports teams, olympic athletes, and also corporate Health and Safety managers for the prevention and treatment of workplace injuries.