Dr. Amelia Fratnik, DC
Active Release Technique is a soft tissue treatment system that effectively addresses disorders involving muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Conditions such as headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many issues that can be resolved quickly and permanently with ART. These conditions all have one important thing in common: they often result from injury to over-used muscles and other soft tissues.
How do overuse injuries occur?
Over-used muscles (and other soft tissues) change in three important ways:
- acute injuries (pulls, tears, collisions, contusions, etc.)
- accumulation of small tears (micro-trauma)
- not getting enough oxygen (hypoxia).
Each of these factors can cause your body to produce tough, dense scar tissue in the affected area. This scar tissue binds up and ties down tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped. This can cause reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a nerve is trapped you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness.
What is an ART treatment like?
Every ART session is a combination of examination and treatment. 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 specific patient movements. This helps to relieve the stressed tissues from their restriction, allowing the body to recuperate normal healthy tissue and movement.
The testimonials boast many successes where patients recover in a quicker time frame than after other traditional forms of treatment, as well as many who no longer require heavy medications or surgery for stubborn cases!
Dr. Amelia Fratnik has completed the full body certifications in ART (spine, upper extremity, and lower extremity), as well as the long nerve entrapment protocols. She annually re-certifies to remain current and up to date with the organization. For more information about the technique, search www.activerelease.com