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- What is Performance Care? |
- How Can ART Affect My Performance? |
- Running |
- Golf |
- Swimming |
- Cycling |
- Triathlon
"Performance care is an invaluable tool to help athletes to achieve optimal performance and reach their training and racing goals"
What Is Performance Care
Performance Care works toward optimizing the function of the muscles, joints, and nerves of the body in an effort to improve an athletes� performance. Performance Care utilizes Active Release Techniques, as well as other manual therapies such as spinal stability training and joint manipulation to improve the ability of the muscles and joints to meet training and racing demands.
Training to perform our best requires a higher intensity, volume, and frequency of training than most other activities. Additionally, many events such as golf, swimming, running and rowing place asymmetrical stress on the body, which over time can lead to pain and injury. Although this type of training is necessary to make performance gains, this training will also place stain the soft tissues of the body.
This strain leads to microtrauma in the tissues. Essentially, microtrauma is very small-scale tissue injury and in the initial stages is not painful. Although this injury is small the body must still repair the damage. The body does this by laying down new connective tissue known as scar tissue. Over time scar tissue can accumulate and will form adhesions, which begin to affect the function of the tissues, resulting in
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Tissue tightness
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Muscles weakness
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Diminished endurance
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Altered biomechanics
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Reduced circulation
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Altered nerve function
How Can ART Affect My Performance?
ART stands for Active Release Techniques. It is a patented, hands-on, soft tissue treatment system designed to locate an treat the key link in soft tissue dysfunction � the scar tissue adhesions � that are inhibiting optimal function and performance.
As a result of its proven track record, many Olympic organizations and professional sports teams employ ART practitioners to keep their athletes functioning at an elite level.
Prior to treatment, the ART provider will assess the quality of your movements that are specific to your sport, and identify any movement restrictions that are limiting optimal performance. At that point the practitioner will feel the muscles, ligaments and fascia for the presence of altered tension and texture, indicating dysfunction of the tissue and the presence of scar tissue adhesions. Once the problematic area has been located, the practitioner can apply the specific ART protocols to release the adhesions and restore normal motion and function to the area.
As a result of its proven track record, many Olympic organizations and professional sports teams employ ART practitioners to keep their athletes functioning at an elite level. Additionally, ART has been a major part of the Ironman Triathlon series, providing thousand of treatment in the week leading up to the race to help the athletes achieve their best race performance. If you are serious about performing your best and staying injury free, consider making ART a part of you regular training program.
Running
Runners can greatly benefit from performance care by achieving and maintaining optimal muscle and joint function, but since the running is a sport with a high injury rate, it is essential that the runner is proactive in injury prevention. When injuries occur they not only interfere with training and racing but they will also pre-dispose the athlete to future injuries. Running injuries are commonly attributed to faulty biomechanics, rapid increases in training mileage, and improper footwear. These are certainly important aspects of injury, but for the runner it is essential to consider the repetitive nature of running, and the effect that running has on their body.
The evaluation and treatment of muscle and joint function should not wait until injury occurs
Throughout the running cycle, an athlete generates thousands of strides over the course of a run. This leads to what is known as a repetitive stress injury (RSI), which affects the muscles, joints, and ligaments. As a result, inflammation develops within the tissue, and the body responds by laying down scar tissue in an attempt to repair and stabilize the area. This scar tissue results in adhesions between the tissues. These adhesions restrict motion, reduce circulation, inhibit nerve function, and reduce the ability of the muscle to contract. All of these factors will interfere with optimal performance and predispose the runner to injury.
Due to the repetitive nature of running, even athletes who possess good biomechanics and a well-designed training plan will develop adhesions. Over time these adhesions will build-up and lead to injury, but long before symptoms appear the athlete�s performance will be affected. For this reason the evaluation and treatment of muscle and joint function should not wait until injury occurs.
Performance Care for the runner is centered on the identification of movement restrictions and soft tissue-adhesions that are placing excessive strain on the body and impeding optimal performance. Several aspects of body function will be evaluated as they relate to running. These include stride biomechanics, foot function, movement and flexibility of key joints, muscle strength and core stability, and the presence of scar tissue adhesions and soft tissue dysfunction. Once identified treatment will work to remove any dysfunction that has been identified. Many athletes will use Performance Care as part of their regular training program to stay injury free and help reach their performance goals.
For more information about Performance Care feel free to contact us by phone or email, or make an appointment to see how ART Performance Care can help you optimize your performance today.
Common Running Injuries
Golf
Throughout a round of golf or a practice session at the driving range, the golfer performs hundreds of the same swing motions over and over again. These repetitive motions can cause micro-trauma to the muscles, ligaments, and joints of the body and over time leads to what is known as a Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI). As a result inflammation develops within the tissues and in an attempt to stabilize the area the body lays down new connective tissue known as scar tissue. Over time this scar tissue builds-up and forms adhesions between and within the soft-tissues and joints. As adhesions form they result in a loss of flexibility, muscle weakness, and a loss of muscle endurance � all of which can affect the golf swing.
As long as these adhesions remain in the body, the function of those tissues and therefore the ability to achieve a proper golf swing will be compromised. For this reason, taking lessons and other attempts to correct the faulty swing often prove frustrating since the adhesions that are present do not allow the body to achieve the strength and motion necessary to a proper golf swing. Unfortunately, attempts at stretching or strengthening the tissue alone will usually gain poor results as it does little to treat the underlying adhesions. For the resolution of golfing injuries and to enable the body to achieve a proper swing the underlying scar tissue adhesions must be treated.
Many golfers will utilize Performance Care as part of their regular golf routine, to keep them healthy, injury-free, and playing golf at their optimal level.
As a result of the repetitive nature of the golf swing, there is an inherent exposure to repetitive stress. Even the athlete who possesses good swing biomechanics will inevitably develop adhesions, which can impact performance and predispose the golfer to injury. Over time these adhesions will build-up and lead to injury, but long before symptoms appear the athlete�s performance will be affected. For this reason the evaluation and treatment of muscle and joint function should not wait until injury occurs.
Performance Care is a unique approach to helping players perform at their maximum level and achieve an optimal swing, while actively working to prevent injury before it occurs. This process centers on the examination of several aspects of body function as they relate to the golf swing. These include swing biomechanics, movement and flexibility of key joints, muscle strength and core stability, and the presence of scar tissue adhesions and soft tissue dysfunction. Once identified treatment will work to remove any problems that have been identified. Many golfers will utilize Performance Care as part of their regular golf routine, to keep them healthy, injury free, and enjoying and playing golf at their optimal level.
For more information about how Performance Care can improve you golf swing feel free to contact us by phone or email, or make an appointment to see how ART Performance Care can help you optimize your performance today.
Common Golf Injuries
Swimming
When swimming, an athlete generates thousands of stokes during any given race or training session. This repetitive motion places stress and strain on the muscles and joints of the neck and shoulder girdle, which over time can lead to injury and altered performance. Due to the asymmetry of the swimming stroke the muscles on the front of the shoulder become overdeveloped compared with the muscles on the back of the shoulder. Over time this leads to an imbalance in the neck and shoulder region which not only makes movement less efficient, but will place undue strain on the muscles and joints of the region and pre-dispose the swimmer to injuries such as tendonitis and rotator cuff strain.
Many athletes will have existing muscle imbalances that will actually prevent them from obtaining a proper swimming stroke.
In terms of performance, proper stoke mechanics and form is essential to the swimmer. As muscle imbalance develops and begins to alter shoulder movement the athlete will be forced to compensate by moving the shoulder and arm differently. This will compromise stroke mechanics and lead to greater drag within the water. A destructive cycle sill be established where the swimmer will have to pull harder with the muscle to maintain speed, which will in turn accelerate fatigue and lead to further muscle strain and muscle imbalance. These types of muscle imbalances in the shoulder region are very common, especially for those with jobs requiring prolonged sitting. As a result of this many athletes will have existing muscle imbalances that will actually prevent them from obtaining a proper swimming stroke.
Performance Care for the swimmer focuses on the identification of movement restrictions and soft tissue-adhesions in the shoulder region that are placing excessive strain on the body and impeding optimal performance. Several aspects of body function will be evaluated as they relate to swimming. Once identified treatment will work to remove any dysfunction that has been identified. Many athletes will use Performance Care as part of their regular training program to stay injury free and help reach their performance goals.
For more information about Performance Care feel free to contact us by phone or email, or make an appointment to see how ART Performance Care can help you optimize your performance today.
Common Swimming Injuries
Cycling
Cycling is a sport that requires not only a high number of pedal strokes, but also requires the cyclist to hold the upper body in a static position for a long period of time � often for several hours.
The continuous leg motion can lead to repetitive stress and therefore repetitive stress injury (RSI). With his process, low-level inflammation develops within the tissue, and the body responds by laying down scar tissue in an attempt to repair and stabilize the area. This scar tissue results in adhesions between the tissues. This does not cause pain initially but it does affect normal function of the tissues, resulting in restricted motion, reduced circulation, altered nerve function, muscle weakness, and loss of muscular endurance. All of these factors will interfere with optimal performance and predispose the cyclist to injury.
Holding the upper body in prolonged postures can also lead to pain and discomfort in the neck and shoulders as well. As the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle are forced to maintain a contraction for prolonged periods, it will result in altered metabolism and reduced blood flow to the muscles. This will also lead to low-level tissue inflammation and promote scar tissue adhesions within the muscles.
Performance Care for the cyclist is centered on the identification of movement restrictions and soft tissue-adhesions that are placing excessive strain on the body and impeding optimal performance. Several aspects of body function will be evaluated as they relate to cycling. Once identified treatment will work to remove any dysfunction that has been identified. Many athletes will use Performance Care as part of their regular training program to stay injury free and help reach their performance goals.
For more information about Performance Care feel free to contact us by phone or email, or make an appointment to see how ART Performance Care can help you optimize your performance today.
Common Cycling Injuries
- Neck Pain
- Achilles Tendonitis
- Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome (ITBFS)
- Patellar Tendonitis
- Patella-Femoral Syndrome
- Back Pain
Triathlon
Since triathletes are training for 3 sports, training programs are often greater than those concentrating on a single event. For this reason they are prone to developing scar tissue adhesions that will prevent optimal performance. As a result of the adhesion formation triathletes are particularly vulnerable to repetitive stress injuries (RSI) and well. Refer to the individual sections on running, cycling, and swimming for more information.
Common Triathlon Injuries
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