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

Astrid Billfalk-Kelly

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

I wanted to add strength training to my cardio, but have always felt gyms to be a bit intimidating, and was worried I would hurt myself without some supervision and help. JKC was highly recommended by several work colleagues. Thomas and Jon are both fantastic, making sure that everyone gets a highly personalized work out in a very supportive environment. The attention to detail and professionalism are second to none. The groups are very small, but very supportive and make the workouts even more fun. Since getting pregnant (36 weeks as I write this) I’m so happy that they continue to help me get stronger while always being safe.

JKC was recommended to me by my good friend Casidhe Dyke. Cas had been training with JKC for a while, and both he and his father had seen great results from the personal training that Jon and Thomas were giving them. I was and still am primarily a triathlete and I’ve always struggled with injuries. I was talking to Cas about incorporating more strength training in my program to try and prevent injuries going forward and Cas suggested that I give JKC a try. I reached out to Jon not long after, and the rest is history! After working with Jon and Thomas for a few months, I was getting stronger, faster, and most importantly, I was staying injury-free. I ended up being able to train the whole season without significant injury and posted a personal best at Ironman Copenhagen in 2018. A big part of that was due to the strength training and coaching I received at JKC.

Tara Rector-Whelan

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

I started at JKC after a good friend recommended it to me. She had been coming for about a year and I was envious of her great results. I felt sluggish after failing to motivate myself with various home workout routines. I love the fun and relaxed atmosphere at JKC. It’s such a comfortable gym space and I enjoy knowing so many of the people I work out with. Jon and Thomas make an effort to introduce everyone to each other and with all the joking around,  it starts to feel like a family. Not to mention the awesome results. I’ve always liked to run on a treadmill but I’ve never had the drive to lift weights on my own. Going to JKC makes me accountable which was what I really needed. I feel so much stronger and healthier than I did 4 years ago when I started.

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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