Active Release Techniques (ART) in Bay Shore & Wading River, NY | All Island Chiropractic & Physical Therapy Care
Soft tissue injuries, repetitive strain, and stubborn pain that won’t resolve with rest or basic stretching often have one thing in common: scar tissue and adhesions restricting normal movement. Active Release Techniques (ART) is a specialized hands-on therapy designed to break up these adhesions and restore healthy, pain-free motion at the source. At All Island Chiropractic & Physical Therapy Care, our team includes a fully certified ART provider, a credential held by only a small number of practitioners on Long Island. With two convenient locations in Bay Shore and Wading River, we proudly serve athletes, weekend warriors, and patients across Long Island who are ready to get unstuck and move better.
What Is Active Release Technique?
Active Release Techniques (ART), a patented, state-of-the-art soft-tissue treatment system, addresses problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves. Developed by Dr. P. Michael Leahy, ART is widely considered the gold standard in soft-tissue care and is used by professional athletes across the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and Olympic teams worldwide.
ART works on a simple but powerful principle: when soft tissues are injured, overused, or held in a shortened position for long periods, the body forms adhesions, dense, scar-like collections of tissue that bind muscles, restrict movement, compress nerves, and reduce blood flow. Over time, these adhesions create chronic pain, weakness, stiffness, and a frustrating cycle of injuries that never quite resolve.
ART treats these adhesions directly. During a session, your provider uses precisely directed manual tension while guiding the affected muscle, tendon, or nerve through specific movements. This combination of tension and motion physically breaks up adhesions, releases entrapped nerves, and restores normal sliding between tissue layers.
Unlike generic massage or stretching, ART is both diagnostic and therapeutic; your provider can actually feel the texture, tension, and movement of your tissue, identifying problems that imaging often misses.
Certified ART Expertise at the All-Island
Not every practitioner offering “soft tissue therapy” is qualified to perform Active Release Techniques. ART certification requires extensive post-graduate training and annual recertification to maintain the credential.
Dr. Craig Selzer, our chiropractor and clinic owner, is a fully certified ART Practitioner across four certification protocols:
- Upper Extremities — shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, and hands
- Lower Extremities — hips, thighs, knees, calves, ankles, and feet
- Spine — neck, mid-back, and lower back
- Nerve Entrapment — advanced techniques for releasing compressed and adhered nerves
This four-protocol certification covers the entire body and represents one of the highest credentials available in soft tissue care.
Conditions We Treat with Active Release Techniques
ART is remarkably effective for a wide range of soft tissue conditions, particularly those that have failed to respond to other treatments. At All Island Chiropractic & Physical Therapy Care, we commonly use ART to address:
Repetitive Strain and Overuse Injuries
Conditions like tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, and rotator cuff strain are classic adhesion-driven problems. ART releases the restricted tissue at the root of the pain, not just the symptoms, providing relief that often outlasts other approaches.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel symptoms often involve nerve compression not only at the wrist, but also anywhere along the nerve’s path from the neck. ART’s nerve entrapment protocol releases compression points throughout the upper extremity for comprehensive relief.
Sciatica and Nerve Pain
When the sciatic nerve is irritated by adhesions in the piriformis, glutes, or surrounding tissue, ART can release the entrapment and significantly reduce radiating leg pain, numbness, and tingling.
Plantar Fasciitis and Foot Pain
Stubborn heel and arch pain often responds beautifully to ART once tight, adhered tissue in the calf, foot, and fascia is properly released.
Sports Injuries
ART is the go-to treatment for athletes recovering from muscle strains, tendinitis, ligament sprains, and post-injury scar tissue. It accelerates recovery and helps prevent the chronic compensation patterns that lead to re-injury.
IT Band Syndrome and Knee Pain
Iliotibial band issues, runner’s knee, and patellar tendon problems often improve dramatically once the surrounding hip and thigh musculature is properly addressed with ART.
Shoulder Impingement and Frozen Shoulder
Restricted shoulder motion and impingement are frequently caused by adhesions in the rotator cuff and surrounding tissues. ART restores proper joint glide and motion.
Chronic Back and Neck Pain
When chronic back and neck pain doesn’t respond to adjustments or exercise alone, soft tissue adhesions are often the missing piece. ART addresses what other treatments leave behind.
Headaches Originating in the Neck
Tension headaches and cervicogenic headaches frequently stem from adhered, tight musculature in the upper neck and base of the skull. ART releases these restrictions at the source.
Post-Surgical Scar Tissue
After surgery, scar tissue can form in ways that restrict movement long after the incision has healed. ART helps remodel scar tissue and restore proper function.
Who Benefits from Active Release Techniques?
ART is highly versatile and effective for a wide range of patients, including:
- Athletes — from professional and collegiate competitors to weekend warriors and youth sports players
- Office workers dealing with repetitive strain, postural pain, or carpal tunnel syndrome
- Manual laborers and tradespeople with overuse injuries from physically demanding jobs
- Runners and endurance athletes are managing IT band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, or shin splints.
- Anyone with chronic pain that hasn’t fully resolved with rest, stretching, or other treatments
What to Expect at Your First ART Visit
New to Active Release Techniques? Here’s what your first appointment at All Island Chiropractic & Physical Therapy Care typically looks like:
- Health history and intake — we review your symptoms, prior treatments, medical history, and activity level to understand the full picture.
- Hands-on evaluation — your provider uses ART’s diagnostic component to physically feel the texture, tension, and movement of the involved tissues, identifying exactly where the restrictions are.
- Personalized treatment plan — based on your findings, we design a care plan tailored to your specific condition, goals, and lifestyle demands.
- Initial ART treatment — most patients receive their first treatment at this visit and leave with noticeable improvement in mobility and pain.
- Integrated care recommendations — when appropriate, your ART treatment is combined with chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, and home exercises for the most complete results.
Why Choose All Island Chiropractic & Physical Therapy Care for ART?
- Fully certified ART provider across all four major protocols (Upper Extremities, Lower Extremities, Spine, and Nerve Entrapment)
- Integrated chiropractic and physical therapy under one roof for fully coordinated care
- A sports and family practice experienced in treating everyone from professional athletes to weekend warriors
- Two convenient locations in Bay Shore and Wading River, NY
- Personalized treatment plans designed around your specific condition and goals
- A whole-body approach that addresses the source of pain, not just the symptoms
Schedule Your Active Release Techniques Appointment on Long Island
If you’ve been dealing with stubborn pain, a recurring injury, or restricted movement that just won’t resolve, Active Release Techniques may be the missing piece in your recovery. Contact All Island Chiropractic & Physical Therapy Care today to request an appointment at our Bay Shore or Wading River location and discover what certified ART care can do for you.