Active Release Technique

Active Release Technique or ART and Dry Needling are two effective treatments used for anyone experiencing pain. They’re both powerful therapies, but that power intensifies when used together. To understand how, it’s important to understand how they work separately.

Active Release Technique

Soft tissue, such as the muscles, nerves, ligaments, tendons, and fascia, often experiences scar tissue and adhesions. When this happens, blood flow to the area decreases, motion becomes limited, and you often feel pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling.

Active Release Technique is a form of treatment used to address such issues. To complete ART, your chiropractor or therapist will use their hands to locate any adhesions and scar tissue.

Once located, the provider will apply deep pressure to the location while you are instructed to perform strategic movements. This helps to get deep down to the root issue, relieve pain, and restore function.

Dry Needling

Dry needling is often confused with acupuncture, but it’s actually a different therapy. While both do use similar needles, the two have different goals and purposes.

Dry needling addresses trigger points in the muscles, tightened muscular regions, and dysfunctions in the connective tissue. It helps to release muscle tension and pain while improving blood flow to the target areas.

Why Do I Need Both?

The body is made up of systems that work together and rely on one another. When one isn’t functioning properly, it can impact others.

For example, when your muscles have trigger points, you experience pain and – often – limited mobility. This causes other muscles to overcompensate.

Unfortunately, this can cause other trigger points and the cycle continues. And that continuous cycle of trigger points can cause scar tissue build-up.

Dry needling helps by deactivating your trigger points, and ART helps get rid of the scar tissue. By combining the therapies, you greatly increase your overall treatment success.

Don’t take our word for it, though. Contact our team at Pro Relief Chiropractic to learn more or book your appointment online today.