Chiropractor Chandler AZ

Graston Technique and Active Release Therapy - Innovative Techniques for Soft Tissue Pain

Americans are more active than ever before. Whether you play a team sport, are a CrossFit fanatic, take a leisurely round of golf every now and then, or enjoy a long walk after dinner, chances are you are engaged in some sort of healthy activity. Exercise is very important to most of us. Besides the advantages we get physically, recent studies indicate that exercise can improve our memory and thinking skills as well. While all of the exercise we are doing is great on many levels, there is one drawback: Injuries.

People who exercise often, even in low impact sports like golf, can be susceptible to a wide range of injuries. Teenagers, who are active and growing, are also particularly susceptible to muscle strains, sprains, and tears. Likewise older people, whose joints and tendons have experienced intense use over the years, are prone to pain and injury as well. In many cases, soft tissue injuries in the knees, elbows, wrists, and shoulders can be extremely painful. People often turn to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for treatment, or eventually surgery if the pain does not abate. More often than not, people suffer in silence, or forego their favorite exercises in an effort to manage pain. Fortunately, injuries or recurring pain does not have to keep you from living an active lifestyle, or leave you susceptible to NSAIDs' side effects. There are new and innovative techniques to treat soft tissue injuries and get people back on the court, in the field, or on the back nine sooner rather than later.

The Graston Technique for Soft Tissue Treatment

One of the newer treatments to help self-styled athletes or otherwise active people recover from a painful soft tissue injury is the Graston Technique (GT). GT is a form of soft tissue mobilization, and involves a trained practitioner using a specially designed set of stainless steel instruments to manipulate afflicted soft tissue. The GT instruments allow clinicians to identify injured tissue, and then are used to break down scar tissue and other restrictors.

The technique facilitates increased blood flow to problem areas, alleviates pain, and can speed up the recovery process. While still a relatively new medical innovation, several clinical trials have affirmed the Graston Technique's effectiveness at addressing soft tissue injuries.

GT therapy is great news for anyone whose soft tissue pain is holding him or her back from a favorite pastime. Typical soft tissue injuries in the arms and lower extremities, often called adhesions, can keep muscles painfully tight and limit range of motion. GT is particularly effective at addressing these conditions. Additionally, GT can immediately address the buildup of scar tissue, alleviate lingering pain, and promote soft tissue healing for other injuries as well. The Graston technique can be especially effective at addressing injuries before they become serious and debilitating, so it is worth checking with your physical therapist to get treatment as soon as your aches and pains start adding up.

Active Release Therapy (ART) for Active Lives

Active Release Therapy, or ART, is another relatively new non-invasive technique to treat common soft tissue injuries. ART is a patented technique that involves hand manipulation of soft tissue by a trained practitioner. ART's 500-move treatment protocol is exceptionally effective at identifying damaged soft tissue, and then treating it. These carefully designed, precision movements, like GT, can help increase blood flow, alleviate pain, and restore range of motion. All of this, again, is great news for people who have aches and pains keeping them from enjoying their favorite pastimes.

Specially trained ART practitioners are adept at identifying the source of soft tissue injury or pain, then breaking down the scar tissue causing it. Active Release Therapy is also used as a preventative measure to keep muscles and tendons primed for workouts, thus avoiding injury altogether. ART can be great for dedicated athletes, especially those who are experiencing routine or growing soft tissue pain. So if injuries are holding you back from giving it all you've got in your favorite sport, ART may be the right choice for you.

Don't Let Injury Hold You Back

Living an active lifestyle is good for the body and the mind. However, your age, intensity of exercise and overuse can leave you susceptible to a host of soft tissue injuries. The Graston Technique and Active Release Therapy offer innovative ways to keep your muscles and tendons in good shape, and prevent injury altogether. They are also extremely effective at treating soft tissue injuries and rapidly getting you back in action. So don't wait until it's too late. Do your homework, find a clinician who offers GT or ART and get back on your feet before anyone notices you were missing.

Our Chandler Chiropractic and Physical Therapy clinic treats patients with a variety of muscle, tendon, joint, and ligament injuries. The clinic provides treatment for runners, tri-athletes, and weekend warriors in addition to common headache, neck, and back patients traditionally seen in Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, Massage Therapy clinics. We work with all ages and abilities of the residents in Phoenix, Tempe, Gilbert, Mesa, and Chandler AZ.