I had my first ART appointment last Monday. ART stands for Active Release Techniques. It is a patented soft tissue treatment based on massage techniques. It treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. These tissues are treated through a combination of pressure (like massage) and movement. This breaks down the built-up scar tissue.
I had my hips and hamstrings worked on. My hamstrings have been really tight lately, particularly the right one. Last summer, I ramped up my mileage by about 60% in total defiance of the controversial 10% rule. My body sent me signs that I needed to stop and I ran through them. The biggest sign was that my hip flexors tightened so much that I could barely stand up straight. My right hip was especially tight, so a hamstring injury in the same leg a few months later is the next logical injury.
The LMT that worked on my legs said that my hip flexors were still really tight. He said that my hips had rotated anterior. Picture the hips as a bowl of water. Mine are dumping the water out down the front of my body. I heard from some other athletes that ART can heal your injury in one or two treatments. After one, I'm certainly not "healed" but I am going back this week for more. Thank god for the tax refund, because these treatments run $80 a session! Ouch! I really hope I can get these problems with my body sorted out soon because my ultra is in about 8 weeks and I need to be getting some long runs in now!
