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Active Release Technique at Mana Physical Therapy

Active Release Technique at Mana Physical Therapy

Muscles are one of the main structures that help your body adapt to stress and tension throughout your day.  Muscles perform best when they are in optimal length.It is similar to the mechanics of a swing door- if there is force on one end muscle, the other end of the muscle will provide a counter force to balance the tension.  Gravity is a main force that challenges your body on a constant basis.

Take the simple task of sitting in front of a computer.   Over the span of a few minutes or hours, gravity will slowly pull your body forward.  Your shoulders will round forward, your neck will pull your head forward and your stomach will lean closer to your hips.

If this repetitive position is kept up over a period of time (months to years), muscles in the front of your neck, chest and hips will adaptively shorten (and tighten) and the muscles on the back of your neck and back and hips will lengthen to adapt to your posture.

This adaptation leads to poor muscle performance which often leads to the formation of adhesions in the muscles, tissues and nerves.   Often, this adhesion formation and impaired muscle tension will lead to pain and dysfunction throughout your kinetic chain.

Active Release Technique (ART) is a hands on manual technique that combines precisely directed tissue tension with specific patient movements (active or passive) with the goal of breaking up adhesions and promoting optimal muscle/tissue performance.

At Mana Physical Therapy, we are certified providers of ART for the spine and upper and lower lower extremities. We offer true one-on-one care consisting of highly skilled manual techniques and exercise correction to provide a unique physical therapy experience.