Jordan Loewenstein, D.C. | La Jolla Chiropractor
Quick answer: Active Release Technique (ART) is a hands-on soft tissue method in which I hold specific tension on a muscle, tendon, ligament or nerve while you move the body part through its range, so the tissue slides under my contact instead of being pressed in one spot. It targets adhesions between tissues and places where nerves get trapped, rather than general tightness. It is the soft tissue method I use, I am certified in it, and it is most useful for overuse problems: hamstrings, plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, rotator cuff, IT band, carpal tunnel and piriformis-type sciatica. The research base is small but positive; in practice it is one part of a plan that also includes adjustments and strengthening.
If you have ever had a massage therapist dig into a stubborn knot and felt great for two days before it came back, you already understand the limitation of treating tight tissue without changing why it got tight. Muscles and the sheets of fascia around them are meant to glide against each other. After an injury, or after months of the same repetitive load, layers that should slide start to stick. Movement gets restricted, the muscle works harder and fatigues sooner, and any nerve running through the area can get caught. Pressing on the knot relaxes it temporarily; it does not restore the glide.
ART was developed by Dr. Michael Leahy, a chiropractor, in the 1980s, originally for elite athletes. It is a system of more than 500 specific protocols, each one a defined contact point and a defined movement. The provider shortens the tissue, applies a precise tension with a thumb or hand, and then the patient actively lengthens the tissue by moving through its full range while the contact is held. The combination of tension and motion is the point: the tissue is being drawn under the contact, which breaks down adhesions and restores independent movement between layers in a way that static pressure cannot.
The nerve protocols are what set it apart most clearly. Peripheral nerves need to slide several millimetres relative to surrounding tissue with normal movement. When they cannot, you get the burning, tingling or vague aching that people describe with carpal tunnel, some forms of sciatica, and many stubborn elbow and shoulder problems. ART includes protocols specifically for freeing nerves at their common entrapment sites.
I would rather you hear this from me than from a sceptic. The published research on ART is small: a handful of randomised trials and a number of case series. The trials that exist are mostly positive, showing improvements in hamstring flexibility after a single session, reductions in pain and improved function for adductor strains and chronic neck pain, and improvement in cases of carpal tunnel syndrome. They are small studies with short follow-up, and there is not yet a large trial showing ART beats other good manual therapy over the long term. What there is a great deal of evidence for is the broader category ART belongs to: soft tissue manual therapy combined with exercise for tendon and overuse problems. That is how I use it.
Uncomfortable, honestly, in the way a deep, specific release is uncomfortable. Most people describe it as “good pain” and feel an immediate change in range of motion after the first few passes. It should never be sharp or make you brace against it; I work at a level you can relax through and stop the moment it is not productive. Mild soreness or bruised-feeling skin over the treated area for a day or two is common, especially after the first session. Drinking water and moving the area gently afterwards helps.
ART is my soft tissue method, but it is rarely the whole treatment. A typical visit for an overuse problem combines ART on the involved tissue, adjustment of any joints that have lost motion nearby, and a progression of the loading exercises that actually rebuild the tendon or muscle. The first visit is 45 minutes and includes the exam that tells me which tissue is at fault. Follow-ups are 30 minutes.
I am ART certified. The certification matters because the technique is protocol-based; done imprecisely it is just deep pressure.
For most overuse injuries I expect clear change in range of motion within one to three visits and meaningful pain reduction within four to six. If that is not happening, the diagnosis gets revisited. The related exercise programs are on the stretches and exercises library, and the sports injury page describes how it fits into return-to-play.
What is Active Release Technique?
A hands-on soft tissue method in which the provider holds specific tension on a muscle, tendon, ligament or nerve while the patient actively moves through range, so adhesions are broken down and tissue glide is restored. It uses over 500 defined protocols.
Is ART the same as deep tissue massage?
No. ART is active (you move during treatment), targeted to a specific structure identified by feel, brief, and includes protocols for freeing trapped nerves. Massage is passive and regional.
Does Active Release Technique hurt?
It is uncomfortable in the way a deep, specific release is, but should never be sharp. Mild soreness for a day or two afterwards is common, especially after the first session.
What conditions is ART good for?
Overuse and soft tissue problems: hamstring and calf strains, plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, rotator cuff and shoulder tightness, IT band pain, carpal tunnel and other nerve entrapments, and piriformis-type sciatica.
Is there research supporting ART?
A small number of randomised trials and case series, mostly positive, for hamstring flexibility, adductor strain, chronic neck pain and carpal tunnel. Studies are small and short-term. The broader category of soft tissue therapy plus exercise is well supported.
Have a stubborn muscle or tendon problem that stretching has not fixed? Book a first visit at my UTC San Diego office.
Dr. Loewenstein diagnoses the actual source of your pain before treating it — soft tissue work, adjustment, and rehab in one visit. Most major insurance accepted, no packages or contracts.