Running injuries are commonly attributed to faulty biomechanics and errors in training methods.

Faulty training techniques such as the rapid build up of mileage, running on worn-out shoes, or ignoring the body's messages and continuing to run through pain are all common causes of running injuries.

Although you should never ignore these important aspects of a running program, runners should also consider the cumulative effects that thousand of repetitive motions have on their body. Even with the right equipment, good biomechanics, and excellent training, runners are always exposed to a considerable amount of cumulative trauma.

As a marathon runner and triathelete for the past 20 years, I have at times felt the effects of cumulative stress injuries caused by running. Like many runners, I sometimes push myself over my limits, often without realizing it, and then pay the price with either an injury or inflammation of soft tissues. I love running, so there is nothing more frustrating to me than training for months for an event, only to have to cancel due to an injury. 

The problem is, that once an injury sets in many treatment techniques often require months to fully resolve injuries, if they ever do.  In most of these cases, these problems could have been resolved in about two weeks with the right treatment method.

About Soft Tissue Injuries

Injuries to soft tissue (ligaments, muscles, blood vessels, fascia and nerves) result in inflammation and swelling of the tissue. The body responds to this inflammation by laying down scar tissue (cross fibers on the tissue) in an attempt to stabilize the affected area. This scar tissue restricts motion, reduces circulation, inhibits nerve function, and causes ongoing friction and pressure, and usually results in the production of more cross fibers and adhesions.

Effective treatment of soft tissue injuries requires an alteration in tissue structure to break up cross-fiber adhesions and restoring normal function to the soft tissue. This procedure substantially decreases healing time, treats the root cause of the injury, and improves running performance. This is exactly what Active Release Technique (ART) does, and the reason I got involved in this procedure. It works!

 

Treating Soft Tissue Injuries with Active Release Techniques

Active Release Techniques (ART) is a patented, non-invasive, soft-tissue treatment process that both locates and breaks down scar tissue and adhesions that cause pain, stiffness, weakness, numbness, and physical dysfunctions associated with Repetitive Strain Injuries.

ART is used both for the treatment of RSI injuries, as well as for the improvement of athletic performance. ART has already been responsible for helping athletes win Olympic gold medals in both Canada and the United States. Active Release Technique has taken PGA elite golfers to never before achieved levels of performance, and has been responsible for more triatheletes finishing Ironman events than ever before.

ART is built upon a strong scientific foundation and is typically combined with many years of practical practitioner experience in the clinical treatment of soft-tissue injuries.

Active Release Techniques (ART) is classified as a multidisciplinary procedure, and is practiced by numerous practitioners from a wide range of medical professions and disciplines, including Chiropractors, Physiotherapists, Massage Therapists, Kinesiologists, and Sports Physicians.

How ART Works

During the ART treatment, practitioners often formulate their diagnosis and perform the treatment at the same time. Practitioners must consider tissue texture, tissue tension, tissue movement, and tissue function. Each of these factors can cause the ART practitioner to greatly alter their treatment.

Once the ART practitioner has identified the specific entrapment site, and has the lesion (scar tissue/adhesion) under specific contact with his/her hand, the Practitioner takes the tissue from a shortened to a fully elongated position, while moving longitudinally along the soft tissue fibers.

During the ART treatment, the tissue is moved by the practitioner, in a vector that follows the direction of the tissue fibers. At the same time the patient is asked to execute a movement that causes the tissue to either move with, or away, from the practitioner. When this happens, the practitioner can literally feel the tissues translate in one direction while the adjacent tissues move in an opposing direction. Almost immediately, the patient will feel a release. They will also feel a corresponding increase in function with all their physical activities.

The goal of ART is to:

§         Restore optimal tissue texture, tension, and movement.

§         Restore the   strength, flexibility, relative translation, and function of the soft-tissue.

§         Release any soft-tissue restrictions, entrapped nerves, restricted circulatory structures, or lymphatic restrictions.

Running Injuries and Running Performance

At our clinic we have used ART to effectively treat the most common injuries faced by runners including: Plantar Fascitis, Achilles Tendonitis, Runner's Knee/Iliotibial Band Syndrome, gait imbalances, shin splints, and back pain.

ART goes far beyond injury care. ART's second primary focus is on performance improvement.

ART can provide patients with a means to enhance their sports performance by identifying and releasing restrictions that reduce their performance in that activity. This typically occurs after the practitioner conducts a biomechanical analysis of the patient's motion.

During the biomechanical analysis and in the subsequent treatment, the practitioner:

§         Evaluates your gait, motion, and posture.

§         Identifies the biomechanical dysfunctions that are restricting your performance.

§         Finds the soft-tissue structures that are the primary cause of the biomechanical dysfunction as well as any other affected structures along the kinetic chain.

§         Treats each soft-tissue dysfunction with ART to restore full function to the affected structures.

Dr. Brian Abelson is the Clinical Director of Edgemont Chiropractic Soft-tissue Management Systems, in Calgary, Alberta. 

Dr. Abelson is a native Calgarian who attended the University of Calgary, majoring in Biosciences, before graduating from Palmer College of Chiropractic West, California with an award for Clinical Excellence. He holds advanced certification in all levels of Active Release Techniques, is trained in Biomechanics and ART, is an accomplished ART Instructor, and is licensed to the ART Elite Providers Network.

He is co-author of "Release Your Pain" the first book for the public about Active Release Techniques. He is also the co-author of the award-winning information websites: www.drabelson.com and www.activerelease.ca.