A common cause of pain and limited range of motion in many people are soft tissue conditions. These are conditions that affect your muscles, ligaments, tendons and other soft tissue. Often these conditions result in the buildup of scar tissue (also known as adhesions).
Scar tissue is a problem because it causes different soft tissues to bind together, which limits your range of motion. This also puts pressure on your nerves, which can cause pain and other problems.
At SOL Physical Therapy in Oakland, California, our physical therapists are trained and experienced in a variety of techniques for treating scar tissue and pain in your soft tissue. One method we prefer to use with many of our patients is the Active Release Technique (ART).
What is ART?
ART is a soft tissue mobilization method. This is a type of physical therapy that involves the use of your physical therapist’s hands to manipulate and mobilize your muscles, ligaments and tendons.
ART therapy is specifically designed for the breaking down of scar tissue caused by other injuries and conditions. Your physical therapist may recommend it for treatment after you’ve been injured or if you’re recovering from surgery.
What are the benefits of ART?
The primary objective of ART is to break down scar tissue without the use of drugs and surgery, which offers several benefits, including:
- It reduces pain — Breaking down scar tissue reduces pressure off of the nerves that may be causing pain.
- It improves your range of motion — Scar tissue causes muscles and soft tissue to bind together, which limits your mobility. Breaking down this scar tissue helps you regain your range of motion.
- It decreases your dependency on drugs — Many people rely on medication for treating pain. This may help make the pain temporarily disappear, but it usually comes with undesirable side effects and the risk of addiction. Treating scar tissue with ART reduces the need for using medication to treat the pain.
- It lowers the need for surgery — Sometimes, surgery is required to remove scar tissue from your body. This may be effective, but it comes with risks of infection and other issues. ART can reduce the need for surgery to remove scar tissue, which lowers your exposure to complications.
Visit SOL Physical Therapy in Oakland, CA, to treat your pain with ART
Do you suffer from pain and limited range of motion due to the buildup of scar tissue on your soft tissue? At SOL Physical Therapy, our team can examine your condition and determine if ART can help you. Contact our team today to learn more about ART or to schedule an initial appointment.
