A week or 2 ago I started a thread on Active Release Treatment, yesterday I received my first treatment. I have been dealing with semitendinosus (medial hamstring) tendonitis for about 2-3 months. Over the last month it has seriously hindered my running. I can honestly say that after one treatment, I feel significantly better. Not 100%, but definitely better. As a physical therapist I am typically skeptical of “new” treatments, and like to see things substantiated by randomized clincal trials/research before I jump on the bandwagon. I’m not 100% sold yet, but things are definitely looking up. Another treatment on Friday and maybe I’m back to running this weekend.
Now on to PRK. Haven’t had the surgery yet, but I go in for a pre-op consult Monday. Can’t say if I will have Lasik or PRK, but I will likely go with PRK. So hopefully within a month or so I will have the surgery and then it is goodbye contacts, adios glasses. No more fear of losing a lens during a frenzied mass swim start, no more banging my head on the pool wall 'cuz I can’t see the lane lines, no more wondering what time it is in the middle of the night 'cuz I can’t see the damn alarm clock…I could go on and on. Wish me luck, I will keep you posted on the results. 20/20 vision here I come.
“As a physical therapist I am typically skeptical of “new” treatments, and like to see things substantiated by randomized clincal trials/research before I jump on the bandwagon.”
I agree 100%. I’m always particularly skeptical when these “new” treatments are entrapreneurial based without any clinical trials to back up the claims of the people selling the seminars. As a chiropractor there is always somebody offering a “brand new this is it” technique seminar. I assume it’s probably the same in PT? I’ve seen a lot of them come and go in the 22 yrs that I’ve been in practice and have come to the conclusion nothing is really totally new.
I’ve haven’t taken the ART course, but there seems to be a lot of positive comments about it. I realize testimonials are a long way from clinical studies, but when you hear enough of them it’s probably safe to assume there is likely something worth investigating. I might check ART out sometime in the near future.
… did ya’ see monkeys? I did the first time I had a “treatment” of myofacial release therapy.
Being very skeptical myself… I tried it and guess what? Much to my suprise, it really did work. In fact, moreso than I expected. My lower back problem was pretty much eliminated. However, I don’t believe this sort of treatment is for everyone and everything… the best chiro would know when to use it and when not to. That I believe is the key to this form of therapy (heck, that’s probably true about any form of therapy).
At any rate… for a brief moments of pain sooo bad that I saw monkeys and actual ask the chiro if I owed him money or something… geees it was a big kick in the arse.
Is that what those were? I saw something, wasn’t sure what it was It was a rather painful experience, thankfully it only lasted 5 minutes or so.
I agree that even if this is the answer to my tendonitis, it’s likely not the only answer. It does appear to be a handy tool to have in the toolbox though. I’m considering checking out the course, although it is very pricey at about $2K per class not to mention the $600/year recert requirement. FWIW the chiro who performed my treatment says that prior to ART he did essentially no soft-tissue work at all and now he does ART w/ 90% of his patients.
It was a rather painful experience, thankfully it only lasted 5 minutes or so.