How Active Release Technique Complements Sports Massage & Stretch Therapy

Learn why Active Release Technique makes stretch therapy and sports massage even more effective

Active Release Techniques (ART) is a powerful, non-invasive soft tissue treatment that breaks up adhesions, restores mobility, and reduces pain.

Yet, the benefits don’t stop there.

That’s because ART also complements other therapies, enhancing their effectiveness and helping you achieve better results faster.

Whether you’re an athlete looking to enhance your performance or recover from an injury, or you’re simply trying to move without pain, Active Release Techniques can play a critical role in your treatment plan. Let us show you how it enhances sports massage and stretch therapy, helping you maximize your results to feel and perform your best.

Why combining Active Release Techniques with sports massage, stretch therapy, and others improves results

Many people seek treatment for pain or limited mobility, while others want to enhance their athletic performance.

But regardless of their reason for treatment, people often find that just one treatment method isn’t enough to fully resolve their issues or get the results they’re looking for.

That’s why so many utilize the benefits of Active Release Techniques to maximize their existing treatment results. By using movement, sustained pressure, and tension, ART improves various therapies, optimizing their effects and helping individuals reach their goals faster.

Whether you’re an athlete, a health-conscious individual, or someone dealing with chronic pain, integrating Active Release Techniques into your treatment plan will dramatically improve your treatment results. Here’s how you’ll benefit:

Experience faster pain relief

Active Release Techniques directly targets the root cause of soft tissue pain, working alongside sports massage and stretch therapy to quickly reduce discomfort.

Fuller range of movement with greater ease

By eliminating adhesions, ART allows your muscles and joints to function as they should, complementing the effects of massage and stretch therapy.

Perform at a higher level

Whether you’re an athlete or just want to move without restriction, ART enhances the effectiveness of your current treatments, helping you reach peak performance.

Prevent future injuries

By addressing movement issues and restrictions while improving range and flexibility, Active Release Technique helps keep your body in balance, reducing the likelihood of recurring injuries or future issues.

Active Release Technique and Sports Massage
A winning combination for recovery and performance

Sports massage is a well-known therapy for athletes and active individuals looking to relieve muscle tension, improve circulation, and speed up recovery.

But even though sports massage is highly effective, it mostly focuses on muscle relaxation and blood flow rather than directly addressing adhesions and soft tissue restrictions. This is why Active Release Techniques plays a vital role in recovery treatments, enhancing the results from sports massage.

How treatment with Active Release Technique enhances sports massage:

Breaks up adhesions

Active Release Technique specifically targets adhesions and scar tissue within muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia. These adhesions can limit the effectiveness of sports massage because they restrict movement and prevent muscles from fully relaxing.

Because ART removes these restrictions, it allows sports massage therapy to work more efficiently.

Enhances muscle function

While sports massage promotes circulation and relaxation, Active Release Technique goes a step further by actively restoring healthy function to dysfunctional muscles and soft tissues.
When used together, ART ensures the muscles worked on during a massage are fully activated and performing optimally. This further promotes healing and restores function.

Speeds up recovery

By combining Active Release Technique with sports massage, athletes and active individuals experience faster recovery from training and injuries. ART reduces pain and inflammation while sports massage helps flush out metabolic waste and promotes relaxation, resulting in a complimentary and complete healing process.

Prevents injury recurrence

Active Release Technique corrects underlying movement dysfunctions, reducing the risk of overuse injuries. When paired with regular sports massage, this combination helps athletes recover while also preventing future issues by maintaining soft tissue health, range of motion, and flexibility.

These are just some of the ways that incorporating Active Release Technique will fully unlock the positive effects and results of sports massage, helping you feel looser, recover faster, and perform at a higher level with less discomfort

Active Release Technique and Stretch Therapy
Unlocking greater range of motion and flexibility

Stretch therapy is an excellent way to improve flexibility, enhance mobility, and reduce muscle stiffness. Many people incorporate stretching into their athletic or wellness routine to maintain joint health and prevent injury.

However, if you have restricted movement due to adhesions or tight fascia, traditional stretching may not deliver the results you’re looking for — unless it’s paired with Active Release Technique.

How treatment with Active Release Technique enhances stretch therapy:

Releases soft tissue restrictions

Stretching alone may not be enough to release deep adhesions and scar tissue within muscles and connective tissue. But because ART directly addresses these restrictions, it allows for deeper and more effective stretching.

Reduces pain and discomfort

Stretching can sometimes be uncomfortable, especially if adhesions are present. ART reduces pain by resolving soft tissue restrictions, allowing for a more comfortable and productive stretching experience.

Improves range of motion

Many people struggle with limited range of motion due to muscle tightness and adhesions. ART helps break down these restrictions to allow stretching to work more freely and effectively, leading to greater gains in range of motion and flexibility over time.

Enhances functional movement

Stretch therapy improves flexibility, but ART ensures that those newly gained ranges of motion translate into improved functional movement patterns.

This is especially important for athletes and individuals recovering from injuries, as these functional movement patterns are essential to help them regain their pre-injury performance.

Functional Movement & Wellness has seen countless clients who are already using stretch therapy enhance their flexibility and mobility by adding Active Release Technique. Let us help you unlock new levels of movement and comfort, making your stretching sessions more effective and rewarding.

Mobility theraphy and movement treatment that’s right for you

Functional Movement & Wellness provides effective treatments suited to your unique composition, history, and goals.

Our certified practitioners approach each client’s treatment with understanding and insight, providing you with the help you need to move and feel your best.

Let us use Active Release Technique to maximize the effects of your athletic or wellness routine.