Why do some muscle injuries keep coming back, even after rest, stretching, or foam rolling? Often, the deeper issue involves tightness, adhesions, or scar tissue that restrict mobility and prevent full recovery.
Active Release Technique (ART) is a powerful, hands-on treatment that helps us locate and release these restrictions. It's one of the most effective tools we use to relieve chronic muscle pain, improve mobility, and support lasting recovery.
>>>Contact us today to begin your personalized treatment plan.
What Is Active Release Technique?
Active Release Technique is a form of manual therapy designed to treat soft tissue problems in muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves. It is especially effective when treating adhesions, which are dense bands of scar tissue that form after injury or repetitive strain.
These adhesions can restrict motion, cause pain, and even trap nearby nerves. ART involves applying precise pressure to the affected area while the patient actively moves the tissue through a specific range of motion. This targeted combination allows us to break up the adhesions, restore proper movement, and reduce discomfort.
Unlike general massage or stretching, ART is deeply specific. Our therapists are trained to feel subtle changes in texture, tightness, and movement in order to treat the root cause—not just the symptoms.
How ART Helps Muscles Heal
When your body repairs a strained or overused muscle, it often produces scar tissue to protect the area. While this response is natural, it can limit flexibility and create long-term dysfunction if not addressed properly.
Active Release Technique helps by:
- Restoring full range of motion in joints and muscles
- Increasing circulation and oxygen delivery to damaged tissue
- Reducing nerve irritation and pressure
- Eliminating tightness that leads to compensatory movement patterns
- Supporting balanced muscle activation during rehab
We frequently use ART to accelerate healing in patients recovering from sports injuries, repetitive motion conditions, or post-surgical stiffness.
A Closer Look at How ART Works
The key to ART's success is its precision. Each session involves active patient movement guided by the therapist's hands. We start with a movement assessment to find where function is limited, then use palpation to locate adhesions or abnormal tension.
Once we’ve identified the restricted tissue, we apply specific tension while you move through a carefully guided motion. This process allows us to break up stuck areas without damaging healthy tissue.
Many patients notice relief during their first session, and consistent treatment often results in significant improvements in flexibility, strength, and pain reduction.
What Conditions Benefit from ART?
At both of our Upper Manhattan clinics, we use Active Release Technique to treat a variety of conditions caused by muscular imbalances or soft tissue injury. These include:
- Rotator cuff strain or shoulder impingement
- Golfer’s elbow or tennis elbow
- Sciatica and piriformis syndrome
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- IT band syndrome and knee tracking issues
- Plantar fasciitis and Achilles tightness
- Chronic neck or back pain from poor posture
Depending on your condition, we may also integrate Manual Therapy, Pilates for Rehab, or NEUBIE Therapy to build strength and reinforce functional movement patterns.
What to Expect in Your Session
An ART session typically begins with a detailed assessment of how you move and where you feel discomfort. We then use manual palpation to locate areas of tension, scar tissue, or nerve entrapment.
During treatment, you will be guided through specific motions while the therapist applies precise pressure. While some discomfort is normal, most patients describe the release as satisfying and relieving, especially when it restores motion that has felt stuck for weeks or months.
We build on each session by progressively treating different layers of soft tissue, addressing both the primary area of concern and any compensations that have developed.
Trusted ART Treatment in Upper Manhattan
Many of our patients have tried rest, massage, or stretching without lasting results. What makes ART different is its focus on treating the source of the dysfunction rather than just managing symptoms.
Patients recovering from athletic injuries, long hours at a desk, or postural strain find consistent relief at our Harlem location. We also serve a large number of students and faculty at our Morningside Heights clinic, where ART is often part of an integrative treatment plan for mobility and performance.
Our therapists use ART in combination with innovative therapies and personalized movement coaching to support long-term healing.
How We Maximize Results with ART
While ART is highly effective on its own, we often pair it with complementary services to enhance recovery. These include:
- NEUBIE Therapy, which improves neuromuscular activation
- Heart Rate Variability (HRV), used to track your nervous system’s recovery state
- Low-Level Laser Therapy, which reduces inflammation and supports tissue repair
- Cupping Therapy, used to decompress soft tissue and stimulate blood flow
This well-rounded approach allows us to treat the full picture of your pain or dysfunction, so you get results that last.
Contact Us to Schedule Your ART Evaluation
If you’ve been dealing with stubborn muscle pain, limited mobility, or tightness that keeps coming back, Active Release Technique may be the solution you’ve been missing. It is safe, highly effective, and tailored to your specific needs.
Our team is ready to help you heal, move better, and return to the activities you love.
Call 212-222-6525 or request an appointment online to schedule your evaluation.
