Active Release Technique (ART)

What makes ART different is its precision. It’s not a massage, and it’s not a general stretch. It’s a focused, hands-on technique that treats the cause of the problem, not just the symptoms. Clients often feel improvement in mobility, pain relief, or nerve function after just a few sessions.

ART is also incredibly versatile. We use it for athletes recovering from injury, professionals with desk-related posture issues, and anyone who feels like their body is “stuck” due to tightness or poor movement patterns.

Our team doesn’t use ART in isolation—we combine it with chiropractic care, corrective exercises, rehab, or laser therapy depending on what your body needs most. That’s the benefit of working with an integrated team: you get the right tools, in the right order, at the right time.

If you’re dealing with chronic stiffness, nerve irritation, or mobility restrictions, ART can be the key to unlocking long-term relief and better movement.

Active Release Technique, widely known as ART, is a patented, movement-based soft tissue method used to treat problems in muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves. It was developed by Dr. P. Michael Leahy and has become one of the most effective tools available for resolving overuse injuries, scar tissue adhesions, and nerve entrapments.

At Function Performance Sport Chiropractic in Oregon City, ART is a core part of how we treat soft tissue conditions. Our providers are ART certified, which matters: ART only works when applied with accurate diagnosis and correct technique.

Every ART treatment combines precisely directed tension with specific patient movement. Here is what that looks like in practice:

Your provider identifies the affected tissue through palpation and movement testing.

They apply a controlled contact force to the specific structure involved.

You actively move the limb or joint through a targeted range of motion.

This creates shear force through the tissue, breaking down adhesions and restoring normal sliding mechanics.

The patient movement is what makes ART different from other hands-on methods. Passive pressure alone cannot reproduce the specific forces needed to resolve these problems.

Every time your body experiences stress, overuse, or trauma—whether from working out, sitting at a desk, or repetitive motion—it responds by laying down scar tissue in an attempt to heal. Over time, this dense tissue can restrict movement, trap nerves, and lead to chronic tension or pain.

Active Release Technique (ART) is designed to find and fix those problems. It’s one of the most effective and respected soft tissue treatments used by chiropractors, physical therapists, and sports medicine professionals worldwide.

During an ART session at Function Performance, your provider will assess areas of tension or restriction and then apply targeted pressure while guiding you through specific movements. This allows us to isolate and release the exact tissue that’s causing pain or limiting motion—whether it’s a muscle, tendon, ligament, or nerve pathway.

ART is effective across a wide range of conditions, with particularly strong results for:

Tendinopathies and overuse injuries. Tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, patellar tendinopathy, rotator cuff issues, hip flexor pain, gluteal tendinopathy.

Nerve entrapments. Carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel, sciatic nerve irritation (particularly through the piriformis and hamstring region), common peroneal entrapment at the fibular head, tarsal tunnel.

Scar tissue and post-surgical adhesions. Scar tissue from old injuries, surgical sites, or repeated microtrauma that limits range of motion or causes chronic pain.

Sports-specific overuse. Shoulder and elbow dysfunction in overhead and throwing athletes, hip and hamstring issues in runners and cutting-sport athletes, calf and foot restrictions in endurance athletes.

ART requires formal training and ongoing certification. The technique looks simple from the outside but depends entirely on accurate anatomical palpation, correct movement direction, and appropriate force. A poorly applied ART treatment either does nothing or irritates the tissue further. A well-applied one produces measurable change in a single session.

Our providers are ART certified and continue training in advanced protocols. We do not call random soft tissue work ART. If we use it, we use it correctly.

ART is usually described as intense but productive. You will feel directed pressure on the treated tissue as you actively move through a specific range. The sensation eases as the tissue releases, and most patients notice immediate improvement in movement or pain after a single treatment.

Most soft tissue conditions respond within four to six sessions. We reassess at every visit and build ART into a complete plan that includes corrective exercise and a structured home program.

Book your performance evaluation today and find out whether ART is the right tool for your condition.