What is Injury Care

Active Release Technqiue is effective for all types of injuries. When it comes to soft tissue injuries the greatest percent of these injuries are Repetive Strain Injuries (RSI). In fact the cost of these injuries has over taken all other health care expendicures and are now the greatest drain on our health care system. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), repetitive strain injuries are the nation's most common and costly occupational health problem, affecting hundreds of thousands of north american workers, and costing more than 100 billion a year in related costs. Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) caused by cumulative trauma are now the major cause of injuries in the workforce. Statistics show that the number of patients suffering from cumulative trauma has now surpassed those suffering from back pain. RSI cases have increased at a phenomenal rate of 670 % over the last five years. Common therapies such as cross friction massage, heat, cold, electrical stimulation, rest, exercise, and surgery – have all failed to treat cumulative trauma effectively.

Understanding Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI)

Repetitive Strain Injuries are a result of specific, measurable, physical factors. To understand how repetitive strain injuries occur, it's helpful to review the Repetive Motion Formula(Copywrite Dr. Mike Leahy)

The following formula describes the impact of the various physical factors upon the tissues of the human body.

I = Insult to the tissue.
N = Number of repetitions.
F = Force of tension of each repetition as a percentage of maximum muscle strength.
A = Amplitude of each motion.
R = Time spent relaxing between repetitions (lack of pressure or tension on the involved
tissue).

The only way to decrease the incidence of “carpal tunnel syndrome” or CTD is to manipulate these four factors ( N, F, A, and R) to reduce the total insult to the tissues.

Weak and Tight Tissues    Repetitive effort, for example, tends to make muscles tighten. A tight muscle tends to weaken; a weak muscle tends to tighten. And on it goes.

Friction - Pressure - Tension    As a result of weak and tight tissues, internal forces rise. Friction, pressure, or tension can be present at the same time. If one or more of these factors is high, an acute injury and inflammation can result -- even without external forces being applied.

Decreased Circulation - Edema    Increased forces on tissues results in decreased circulation. Edema results if pressure is applied over one of the vulnerable, low-pressure lymphatic channels. External forces - in the form of a constant pressure or tension injury -- may also decrease circulation or cause edema.

Adhesion - Fibrosis   Adhesions can occur as a result of acute injury, repetitive motion, and constant pressure or tension. Cellular hypoxia, from restricted circulation, causes fibrosis and adhesions to occur between tissues. When the friction-pressure-tension factor is severe, or when an acute injury occurs, two additional factors come into play.

• Tear/crush syndrome.
• Inflammatory response.

Tear or Crush   The physical tearing and crushing of the tissues - microscopic or macroscopic - can occur when sufficient force is applied. This can be the result of an external force, result from acute injuries, or occur from internal stresses.

Inflammation   Inflammation is a result of any injury and begins the adhesion process. The cycle progresses from inflammation into the "weak-and-tense" phase.

There are many extrinsic factors which affect the cycle, but, they do it in predictable ways.

• Smoking and diabetes tend to decrease circulation and perpetuate the injury cycle.
• Thyroid deficiencies increase muscular tension and accelerate the “weak and tense” factors of the Cumulative Injury Cycle.
• Hormonal changes - due to excessive body weight, hysterectomy, and pregnancy lead to predictable alterations to affected tissues.

ART can help with these types of injuries

We use ART to treat a broad range of soft tissue injuries, including the following:

We have recently published the first book about Active Release Techniques, written specifically for the general public. Release Your Pain - Resolving Repetitive Strain Injuries with Active Release Techniques® (ART®) is an informative, easy-to-read book, that helps you to understand the true cause of repetitive strain injuries. Did you know that many common therapies (such as medication, physiotherapy, chiropractic treatment, massage, electrical muscle stimulation, rest, exercise, and surgery) have all failed to effectively resolve repetitive strain injuries. RSI sufferers are rarely able to find effective or complete treatment with these traditional treatments! Read Release Your Pain now to understand why these treatments often fail to solve your problem. Understand the true cause of your pain, learn how it can be resolved, then use the specially designed exercises included in this book to prevent its reoccurrence. Read our new book, Release Your Pain, to see how Active Release Techniques can help you with your injuries. Book an appointment!

Click here to book an appointment with us! To make an appointment at Kinetic Health in Calgary: Phone: 403-241-3772 Fax: 403-241-3846 email: [email protected]