When you visit a physical therapist for treating pain or an injury, they will evaluate your condition and develop a custom treatment. Physical therapy treatments can include a variety of methods, including exercise, stretching and hot or cold therapy. While all of these methods are effective, many physical therapy treatments are incomplete without some form of manual therapy.
Manual therapy is a form of physical therapy that involves the use of the physical therapist’s hands to move and mobilize certain parts of the body. There are several manual therapies that a physical therapist can perform. One helpful technique is the active release technique.
What is active release physical therapy?
The main goal of active release therapy is to break up scar tissue, which is a source of pain in many people. Breaking up the scar tissue also helps improve your blood flow and your recovery time from an injury.
During your treatment, the physical therapist breaks up the scar tissue with the hands-on mobilization of the soft tissue in the affected area. This may sound painful, but physical therapists are highly trained and skilled in breaking down scar tissue without causing much more than some mild discomfort.
Who needs active release physical therapy?
People with any kind of scar tissue reachable by the hands can benefit from active release physical therapy. This treatment is primarily used to treat people with:
- Muscle pain — Pulls and tears of the muscles can cause scar tissue to build up in the muscle groups.
- Tendon and ligament pain — A pulled or torn ligament and tendon can heal with the buildup of scar tissue.
- Fascia pain — The fascia is a connective tissue that protects muscles and organs in the body. Damage to the fascia tissue can lead to the buildup of scar tissue.
Visit SOL Physical Therapy for active release physical therapy
Do you have pain in a specific area of your body after overcoming an injury or chronic condition? You may have a buildup of scar tissue that can be treated with active release physical therapy. Contact us today for more information about active release physical therapy or to schedule an appointment.
