ART (Active Release Techniques)

Dr. Richards provides Active Release Techniques to the St Petersburg area. Most widely known among professional and elite athletes for its fast & effective help with sports injuries and performance care. There are over 500 ART® protocols for the spine, upper and lower extremity, and the most common peripheral nerve entrapment sites. Certified providers must learn all these protocols which require expert knowledge of anatomy and neurology, highly skilled palpation, and a thorough understanding of clinical biomechanics.

.ART® is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with ART. These conditions all have one important thing in common: they are often a result of overused muscles.

How do overuse conditions occur?

Over-used muscles (and other soft tissues) change in three important ways:

• acute conditions (pulls, tears, collisions, etc)
• accumulation of small tears (micro-trauma)
• not getting enough oxygen (hypoxia)

Each of these factors can cause your body to produce tough, dense scar tissue in the affected area. This scar tissue binds up and ties down tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped. This can cause reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a nerve is trapped you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness.

What is an ART® treatment like?

Every ART® session is actually a combination of examination and treatment. The ART® provider uses his or her hands to evaluate the texture, tightness and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Abnormal tissues are treated by combining precisely directed tension with very specific patient movements.

These treatment protocols - over 500 specific moves - are unique to ART®. They allow providers to identify and correct the specific problems that are affecting each individual patient. ART® is not a cookie-cutter approach.

Dr. Samuel Richards is Full Body Certified with Active Release Techniques

• Upper Extremity Protocols Certified
• Lower Extremity Protocols Certified
• Spine Protocols Certified

To learn more about if our St. Pete Active Release Techinqiues treatments may be right for you or to schedule a consultation, call us today at (727) 289-9148 or fill out an appointment request today!