Active Release Technique

        Active Release Technique (ART) is a massage technique that utilizes manipulation combined with movement to reduce muscle and joint pain and increase flexibility and range of motion.  Following injury or muscle overuse, many people develop dense collections of scar tissue known as adhesions.  These bundles of tissue can entrap nerves, causing pain and tingling, as well as muscle stiffness.  Chiropractors and massage therapists can pinpoint these spots and apply pressure while the patient moves the muscle through its movement; this helps to break up the scar tissue, restoring blood flow and mobility.  The technique requires moderate pressure and is comparable to a deep tissue massage, with the addition of a movement component.