ART Treatment from a Physical Therapist
Active Release Techniques® (ART®) trains hundreds of health care professionals in various fields each year. Most ART Certified Providers™ are chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists, athletic trainers, occupational therapists, and acupuncturists.
A patient’s ART treatment experience is dependent on the licensure of their health care professional.
What is ART treatment?
ART treatment is a non-invasive system that treats soft-tissue and nerve dysfunction at the source. This hands-on treatment uses a combination of provider touch, depth, and tension with patient movement to pinpoint and treat the origin of the affected area.
ART treatment is quick and effective, often taking less than 30 minutes with over 80% of soft-tissue dysfunction solved in five or fewer treatment sessions.
Why can the profession change my ART treatment experience?
Each health care profession has its own specialty and because ART Certified Providers obtain different licensures, they focus on different anatomy aspects when treating patients.
What should I expect if a physical therapist is providing ART treatment?
Physical therapist and ART Elite Provider™, Andrew Hoogeveen, sat down for a quick Q&A to walk us through what ART treatment looks like for his patients.
Keep reading to learn more.
Q&A with Elite Provider, Andrew Hoogeveen, PT, DPT
Q: How do you incorporate ART treatment with physical therapy?
A: After performing my evaluation to determine the location(s) that are likely contributing to the issue, discomfort, or functional limitation, I typically provide hands-on treatment, including ART protocols, to improve soft-tissue and/or joint mobility, reduce tissue tension, or reduce nerve irritation followed by education on stretches and exercises to reinforce treatment results and reduce the likelihood of symptoms returning.
Q: What should a patient expect if they receive ART treatment from a physical therapist?
A: They can expect to receive a thorough hands-on evaluation process followed by hands-on treatment targeting adhesions/restrictions followed by reassessment to see if the treatment was effective, or if changes need to be made to the protocols provided. One thing I do that is potentially different than other licensures is implementing a stretching or strengthening program as needed for the area to reinforce [ART] treatment and further reduce the likelihood of symptoms returning.
Q: How does a treatment session look different when incorporating ART into your practice instead of just physical therapy?
A: ART [treatment] has provided me with a systematic approach to help me better serve my patients with soft-tissue restrictions. If the patient has discomfort with a specific movement, after they receive ART [treatment], the patient tends to feel an improvement (less pain or increased range of motion) with that specific movement.
Q: What changes have you seen in your practice after incorporating ART treatment?
A: My palpation and diagnostic skills have improved through increased knowledge of anatomy, hours of practice, and implementation of ART treatment within my practice. Because of these improvements in my skill and experience with ART protocols, my results continue to get better and occur more quickly.
Do you want ART treatment?
Thinking ART treatment sounds like a good option for you?
Click here to find an ART Certified Provider near you.