Active Release technique verses Myofascial Release

[Love_to_Bodybuild]

Hey guys,

Back in september I went heavy on a bad hack squat machine Ive been using for a decade and didn't know it was bad for my knees. I felt it, although I got away with it, until i got up to 5 plates per side, and doing negatives the last reps having a spotter help me on the positive. Long story short, my left kneecap is swollen.

Its a tight,restrictive like somethings pulling . My Orthopedic said its arthritis. I think its some hard scar tissue forming. Has anyone gotten this better?

My insurance is paying for physical therapy and my pt has refused ultrasound at the end of my session, so Im going to try to switch pt's and try and get that bc I think that helps breaks up scar tissue some, and has seemed to help in the past.

My left knee has given out when I tried one legged squats. I can do some stuff like high rep leg press, high rep hack squats, and cable squats. I dont want to lose my leg size bc its one of my better bodyparts and its been three months since ive gone "heavy" Im going to try them today

Ive done active release back in 2009-2013 for a major elbow injury, a moderate shoulder injury and it worked well. The art therapist that helped me the most, and Ive tried a couple , lives two hours one way drive and Im not driving four hours once a week. There's one 45 mins away I may try; although anyone whos been to them know you must find a good one. Ive payed one a few times and he didn't help, and my insurance doesn't cover it.

There's a Myofascial release lady here, i've never tried it and she has good reviews.

does anyone has experience with both Active release and Myofascial Release that have gotten moderate to major injuries better, specially the knee cap, arthritis, scar tissue, adhesions, the tight pulling feeling, like maybe a broken rubber band?

No I havent had an MRI, thats the next step, if all of this doesnt work.

 

[11sh11]

I utilize both techniques in my practice, as well as receiving treatment in both. The ART is a great fit for site specific areas. Better for ligament and tendon issues, and scar tissue. MFR is great for fascial work, as the name indicates. Lengthening muscles, clearing up restrictions and adhesions. ART requires a greater degree of specialty education, so you're more likely to get a technical, dedicated, and knowledgeable practitioner. MFR can fly under the radar as little more than a weekend course taken by a practitioner of deep tissue work.

Based on your description of the joint instability, I highly encourage you to look into Prolotherapy. Can seem like one of those miracle treatments that sound too good to be true, but really is that good... especially for a joint area like a knee.
Good luck!

 

[Love_to_Bodybuild]

I utilize both techniques in my practice, as well as receiving treatment in both. The ART is a great fit for site specific areas. Better for ligament and tendon issues, and scar tissue. MFR is great for fascial work, as the name indicates. Lengthening muscles, clearing up restrictions and adhesions. ART requires a greater degree of specialty education, so you're more likely to get a technical, dedicated, and knowledgeable practitioner. MFR can fly under the radar as little more than a weekend course taken by a practitioner of deep tissue work.

Based on your description of the joint instability, I highly encourage you to look into Prolotherapy. Can seem like one of those miracle treatments that sound too good to be true, but really is that good... especially for a joint area like a knee.
Good luck!

Thank you. Ive had Prolotherapy (with fish oil if I remember right) injected into my elbows back in 2012-2013 and my injured one it made worse, ended up taking two years for it to get more better. I know quite a bit about this area of injuries since Ive been studying it, and getting Active release work done on my body since 2009.

Im thinking its a tendon. That said, theres some tightness and restriction and adhesions, it feels like. Maybe ill try both. Im being patient with my physical therapist, its been three months, and it feels like scar tissue is starting to form and get hard and want to knock it out before it gets any harder

 

[WhyIncision]

ART requires a greater degree of specialty education, so you're more likely to get a technical, dedicated, and knowledgeable practitioner.

Weekend seminar + $5000, not really that special. Waste of money IMO.

ART principle is simple, pin and stretch. Most of the students in my clinic are full body + spine ART certified. They do nothing I don't do and I'm not certified. You're paying for a name to advertise. Plus mandatory yearly re-certification screams scam.

I consider ART and MRT the same thing. You find the trouble areas pin/stretch, cross friction, etc. Main goal is to break apart scar tissue, diminish trigger points, and create local inflammation.

Just had a patient in today. Local cop, use to work in a factory for 3+ years prior to being on the force. He had one task at work and he used one arm to do it and it was like a rowing motion. I diagnosed him, after a failed attempt from the intern before me, and started to dig into his bicep. I palpated and found the mess of adhesions between the two bicep heads and started to dig. 5 minutes later he had remarkable improvement. All previous positive orthos became negative. He was able to fully contract his bicep again and the referred pain to the AC joint area was gone.