Active Release Technique

What Is Active Release Technique?

Active Release Technique (ART) is a patented, state-of-the-art soft tissue management system developed by Dr. P. Michael Leahy. It is widely considered the gold standard for diagnosing and treating soft tissue injuries involving muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and entrapped nerves. ART combines precisely directed tension with specific patient movements to break up adhesions, restore tissue texture, and return full function to injured structures.

Unlike generic massage or stretching, ART uses over 500 specific treatment protocols — each one unique to a particular muscle, tendon, or ligament in the body. This level of specificity is what separates ART from all other soft tissue therapies and why it has become the treatment of choice for elite athletes, weekend warriors, and desk workers alike.

At SF Custom Chiropractic, our providers are full-body certified in ART, meaning they have completed rigorous training and testing on every protocol in the ART system — upper extremity, lower extremity, spine, and nerve entrapment modules.

How ART Works

Soft tissue injuries — whether from acute trauma, repetitive strain, or sustained posture — cause your body to lay down scar tissue (adhesions) as part of the healing process. While scar tissue is necessary for initial repair, excessive adhesion formation can bind tissues together that should move independently, restrict range of motion, compress nerves, and reduce blood flow. The result is pain, weakness, numbness, tingling, and limited mobility.

During an ART treatment, your provider uses their hands to evaluate the texture, tightness, and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, and ligaments. Abnormal tissues are treated by applying precisely directed tension while the patient actively moves the structure through a full range of motion. This targeted approach breaks up adhesions, restores normal tissue glide, and promotes healthy blood flow to the area.

Each treatment session is both a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure. Your provider evaluates tissue quality in real time and adjusts their approach based on what they feel under their hands. No two treatments are exactly alike because no two patients present with the same tissue restrictions.

Conditions Treated with ART

ART is effective for a wide range of soft tissue conditions, including:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome — nerve entrapment in the wrist, common in office workers
• Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow — tendinopathy of the lateral or medial epicondyle
• Rotator cuff injuries — impingement, tendinitis, and partial tears
• Plantar fasciitis — heel pain caused by fascial adhesions
• IT band syndrome — lateral knee pain common in runners and cyclists
• Achilles tendinitis — pain and stiffness in the Achilles tendon
• Shin splints — medial tibial stress syndrome
• Sciatica — nerve entrapment in the piriformis or other gluteal muscles
• Neck tension and headaches — adhesions in the cervical musculature and suboccipital muscles
• Low back pain — muscular and fascial restrictions contributing to spinal pain
• Hip impingement — soft tissue restrictions limiting hip range of motion
• Post-surgical scar tissue — adhesions that develop following surgical procedures

What to Expect During an ART Session

Your first ART session begins with a thorough evaluation. Your provider will assess your complaint, examine the involved tissues, and identify the specific structures causing your symptoms. They will explain exactly what they find and how ART will address it.

During treatment, you will be asked to actively move the affected body part while your provider applies directed tension. You may feel moderate discomfort during the tissue release — this is normal and indicates that adhesions are being broken up. Most patients describe the sensation as a “good hurt” that fades quickly. Each protocol takes only a few seconds to perform, and multiple protocols may be applied in a single session.

Many patients experience significant improvement after just one or two treatments. More chronic or complex conditions may require a series of sessions. Your provider will give you a clear expectation of your treatment timeline.

Why Choose Full-Body Certified Providers?

ART certification comes in levels. Some providers are certified only in the upper body or lower body. At SF Custom Chiropractic, our ART providers hold full-body certification, which means they have been tested and credentialed on every ART protocol — covering the entire body from head to toe, including the advanced nerve entrapment protocols. This comprehensive training allows us to trace the root cause of your symptoms even when it originates in a different area of the body than where you feel pain.

ART for San Francisco Professionals and Athletes

San Francisco’s tech-driven workforce spends hours at keyboards and screens, creating repetitive strain injuries throughout the upper extremity. Meanwhile, the city’s active outdoor culture — running, cycling, surfing, climbing — generates athletic soft tissue injuries that respond exceptionally well to ART. Whether your adhesions come from typing or training, our full-body certified providers have the protocols to resolve them.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is ART different from massage? ART uses over 500 specific protocols with active patient movement to target individual structures. Massage uses broader strokes and passive techniques. ART is diagnostic and therapeutic simultaneously.

Does ART hurt? You may feel discomfort during tissue release, but it should be tolerable. The sensation fades quickly and is followed by improved mobility and reduced pain.

How many sessions will I need? Many conditions improve significantly in 3-6 sessions. Chronic or complex conditions may require more. Your provider will set clear expectations after your initial evaluation.

Can ART be combined with chiropractic adjustments? Absolutely. ART and chiropractic adjustments complement each other perfectly. Soft tissue work prepares the body for more effective adjustments, and adjustments create the joint mobility that allows soft tissue to heal properly.

Ready to Get Started?

Call us at (415) 521-3073 or book your appointment online today.