Many of us certainly would like to think that we had strong, healthy backs and shoulders, but recurring or chronic back pain can cause us to feel weak.
Back pain that is constant, or chronic, can be the most debilitating for many people. And most of us are likely to treat the pain with over-the-counter pain relievers and perhaps anti-inflammatory medications. Eventually, however, we find that we are merely treating the symptoms, but not the actual cause.
Many times, what is behind the pain in our backs is related to entrapped nerves that are being constricted by tissue adhesions or scar tissue that is binding to muscle tissue. These conditions, combined with the body’s tendency to compensate for pain by altering or shifting our normal motion or movement, can cause pain elsewhere.
The key to effective back pain treatment is in determining both where and why the pain is being caused.
Treating Back Pain with Active Release Technique®
Quite often, an effective treatment for back pain is Active Release Technique®.
Active Release Technique®, or ART®, is highly successful and is used to locate and treat scar tissue adhesions that accumulate in the muscles and surrounding soft tissues. In addition, it can help to reduce any muscle spasms that sometimes occur nerve issues in the back or shoulders.
WebMD defines adhesions as follows,
“An adhesion is a band of scar tissue that binds two parts of your tissue that are not normally joined together. Adhesions may appear as thin sheets of tissue similar to plastic wrap or as thick fibrous bands.
The adhesion develops when the body’s repair mechanisms respond to any tissue disturbance, such as surgery, infection, trauma, or radiation, resulting in inflammation.”
Back pain can have a wide variety of causes, sometimes not originating in the back itself. For example, hip joint issues can create lower back pain problems, and entrapped nerves in the neck can cause pain in the upper back region between the shoulder blades.
One highly effective approach to back pain treatment is the use of Active Release Techniques®.
Back Pain and Active Release Techniques® Treatment
An elite soft-tissue management system developed in 1984 by Dr. P. Michael Leahy, ART® is a non-invasive treatment system precisely engineered to locate and quickly resolve soft-tissue disorders such as back pain.
The Active Release Techniques® diagnostic process uses the provider’s hands to identify aberrations and dysfunctions in soft tissue texture, tension, and movement. Through manual examination, the provider can then determine the root cause of a condition.
Once the actual cause has been identified, the condition is targeted by one or more ART treatment protocols. These protocols combine precise touch with specific patient movements to restore proper function and, ultimately, relieve pain.
ART® treatment then allows the practitioner to break-up these restrictive adhesions that are found, and then follow up by reinstating normal tissue flexibility and movement. Ultimately, Active Release Technique® treatments can restore flexibility, balance, and stability to the injured area as well as your entire movement sequence.
Because the ART® process is unique, the results are uncommon. There are no known side effects and most conditions, including back pain, muscle strains or sprains, and other musculoskeletal disorders, are resolved in less than half a dozen treatment sessions.
Mainstream media and health organizations have recognized the efficacy of the Active Release Techniques® treatment process. For example, The Wall Street Journal noted that,
“Though professional athletes use the technique, people who sit at a desk and suffer from neck, back, and shoulder pain can also benefit.”
And the magazine, Men’s Health, reported,
“Other forms of hands-on therapy – myofascial release, chiropractic, whatever – all work. But we’re talking about fixing 95 percent of problems in four visits, versus 50 percent of them in 30 visits.”
Our own experience with the ART® process for soft tissue work has been nothing short of amazing.
ART® is unique for its precision and the patient’s motions. It differs from therapeutic massage on both neurologically and bio-mechanically. Whereas traditional massage applies tension to a muscle, it cannot achieve maximal tension since the client’s muscles are not fully lengthened.
However, allowing the client to regulate the tension through their own movement allows for maximal tension, but with far greater comfort. So, while tension increases sufficiently using ART®, any pain experienced by the client during treatment remains low.
Active Release Techniques® and Relief for Back Pain
For chronic or recurring back pain, your first step in recovery is when we get to know you and your pain issues. Once you make your first appointment, we’ll want to learn about your present discomfort as well as any history of discomfort.
After a full examination, we can determine which form of treatment is needed to help you on your road to recovery. As our bodies start to compensate for pain, this can allow you to move on with your day. However, your body can also shift that pain around to compensate for your discomfort and this can lead to other forms of pain.
Sciatic nerve pain relief with ART® begins when we understand how and where your pain originated. That could mean it started with a previous injury or as the result of a work posture or a walking or sitting practice you might have developed.
Your trust in us is key, as is your honesty. Ultimately, getting your body working properly and healthy is the only way to achieve total recovery. So, don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here to help and will answer any, and all questions that you may have. You can reach us at (707) 636-4404 or by filling out our online contact form.