Active Release Techniques or A.R.T. is a type of massage performed on runners and other athletes to improve tissue qualityand prevent injuries.  Today, I have a very special guest post from Dr. Carla Cupido – she’s an amazing therapist here in Vancouver, BC.  She is a Chiropractor who is certified to perform A.R.T. and Graston and is really good at what she does.  I see her regularly to fix my ailments so I can keep training hard and injury free.  I don’t recommend too many people, but I would definitely recommend Dr. Cupido to all runners, athletes and people from the general population.

Let’s get to the good stuff!  Dr. Cupido discusses why A.R.T. is important for making you a stronger runner.

Active Release Technique (A.R.T.) ® for Runners

 
Most runners have now heard of Active Release Technique® or A.R.T.® as an effective treatment option for nagging injuries or for helping to achieve optimal performance.  Although it is not the most comfortable treatment in the world, it has certainly been proven successful for running injuries such as:

  • Muscle Strains (Acute or Chronic)
  • Iliotibial Band (ITB) Irritation / Syndrome
  • Anterior / Posterior Tibial Stress Syndrome (shin splints)
  • Tendinopathies:
  • Runner’s Knee / Patellar Tendinopathy
  • Achilles Tendinosis
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Snapping Hip Syndromes
  • Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction
  • Lumbar Spine Facet Irritation
  • Chronic Muscle Hypertonicity (Tightness)
  • Post-Ankle Sprain Muscle Dysfunction
  • Nerve Entrapments

Active Release Technique® is utilized with the understanding that muscular tissues situated at oblique angles to one another are prone to reactive changes that produce scar tissue, local swelling and resultant pain and tenderness.  During A.R.T.®, the clinician applies deep tension at the area of tenderness and the patient actively moves the tissue through the adhesion site from a shortened to a lengthened position.  This helps to break up the scar tissue and return the muscle to a healthy state, enabling improved performance and decreased pain.

Of course, determining and managing the cause of the injury or muscle tightness is imperative to ensure it does not return. Therefore, orthopedic, muscle, and functional testing should be performed to develop an optimal plan of management that will include not only passive care provided by the practitioner, but of course active rehabilitation performed by the patient.

Remaining healthy in the sport of running is a team effort.  Due to the demands running places on your body, tissue maintenance and preventative functional testing is a good way to remain healthy and strong.  Individual rehab and “prehab” programs remain an integral component to every successful runner’s plan!

As Jon Kawamoto says, RUN STRONG!

*****

Dr. Carla Cupido, Hon. B. Kin, D.C.
Certified in A.R.T. ®, Graston® Technique, Kineio® Tape & Functional Movement Systems™
www.drcarlacupido.com

I’ve been weight training on and off for years but never really had a specific goal or target in mind so routinely stalled out, plateaued or stopped training all together. Before I joined JKC I was definitely in a fitness slump and needed something to motivate me and get me back on track. I did a bit of digging online, looking at various personal training options and gyms around town but JKC seemed like the best option by far. I’ve tried big box gyms and other personal trainers in the past but none of them have had the perfect combination of goal specific fitness programming, welcoming and supportive environment, and the knowledge and passion to back it all up that you’ll find at JKC. Jon and Thomas are great to work with, they know how to motivate you if you’re having an off day and are well versed in all the different ways to make your muscles burn! I also have noticed some major improvements in my deadlifts since I started with JKC and was really happy with the result.

I joined JKC because I wanted to better care for my physical health, but didn’t really know how, or where, to begin.  Seeking help from a trainer seemed like a wise choice, and I had heard great things about the staff at JKC. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate exercising.  So, I’ve only ever tried sticking with a gym routine twice in my life.  Each experience consisted of me wandering around, not knowing what to do, and settling for an elliptical machine or something else that seemed comfortable and non-threatening.  Each session was the same, and I felt like I was wasting my time.

Each session at JKC, however, is specifically crafted for me.  I don’t have to think about what to do, because I’m told what to do.  I don’t have to worry about how to do things properly, because I’m shown (sometimes multiple times!) how to accomplish each task.  I don’t have to be concerned about slipping into a comfortable routine, because Jon and Thomas won’t let that happen.

I recently visited Newfoundland for one month, and was looking for a good place to train while I was there. Jon and the team at JK conditioning really took the time to assess what I already knew, and set achievable goals for the time that I had with them. The gym was such a great place to push yourself. It had everything you needed, but more importantly it had a well organized, very knowledgeable, and really motivating group of trainers to push you at each workout. Not to mention a really nice group of other members who also motivated me to go that little bit further. I would highly recommend the gym to anyone who has a goal and wants to find a place to help them achieve it.

I heard really good things about it from my sister, and I could see the positive results she was getting.  I needed to do something.  I was overweight, depressed, and recovering from a back injury.  I had reached a point where simply getting up out of a chair was becoming difficult.  I knew that if I didn’t do something about it my senior years would be very burdensome to the people close to me.  I’m so glad I did!  After just a few weeks my day-to-day pain was drastically reduced, and my mobility increased. I had the confidence to try sea kayaking, and I now play ice hockey twice a week!

The key difference is the expertise.  The trainers know the gym equipment and the exercises, but they also have degrees in kinesiology, and can apply what they know to your workout.  As someone who was in poor physical condition starting out, I was worried about hurting myself.  Previously I tried an outdoor weekly bootcamp and injured my knee by pushing too hard.  The trainers at JKC constructed a program that started at the right level for me, evolving it as I grew stronger and more fit.  I feel well looked after.

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