Active Release Techniques (ART) San Diego

What Is Active Release Techniques (ART)?

Active Release Techniques (ART) is a patented, state-of-the-art system for diagnosing and treating soft tissue injuries. It addresses problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves that develop from overuse, trauma, or repetitive strain.

When soft tissue is injured, the body forms scar tissue as part of the healing process. While necessary for repair, this scar tissue can bind tissues that should move freely, causing pain, stiffness, reduced range of motion, and weakness.

ART breaks up these adhesions with precise, targeted pressure combined with specific patient movements—restoring proper tissue function and eliminating pain at its source.

Conditions Treated

What ART Can Treat

ART includes more than 500 specific treatment protocols covering virtually every soft tissue structure in the body. Below is a representative overview — if your condition isn't listed, ask us. Chances are ART has a protocol for it.

Shoulder, Arm & Hand

Rotator Cuff Injuries Tears, impingement, and chronic tendinopathy of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor
Shoulder Impingement Syndrome Adhesions compressing the subacromial space, limiting overhead motion and causing pain with reaching
Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis) Fibrous adhesions within the joint capsule causing severe range-of-motion loss
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis) Adhesions in the wrist extensor tendons where they attach at the lateral elbow
Golfer's Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis) Scar tissue buildup in the flexor-pronator muscle group at the medial elbow
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Nerve entrapment of the median nerve — often caused by adhesions in the forearm and wrist, not just the tunnel itself
De Quervain's Tenosynovitis Inflammation and adhesion of the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist — common in new parents and repetitive grip workers
Trigger Finger Adhesion of the flexor tendon sheath causing the finger to lock or catch with movement
Biceps Tendinopathy Adhesions along the biceps tendon at either the shoulder or elbow attachment
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Compression of the brachial plexus nerves and/or subclavian vessels by surrounding soft tissue adhesions

Hip, Knee & Lower Leg

IT Band Syndrome Lateral knee pain caused by adhesions along the iliotibial band and its connection to the hip and knee
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome Kneecap tracking problems and anterior knee pain from quad and patellar tendon adhesions
Patellar Tendinopathy (Jumper's Knee) Scar tissue within the patellar tendon from repetitive jumping, squatting, or running loads
Hamstring Strains & Chronic Tightness Adhesions within hamstring muscle bellies or at proximal attachment near the sit bone — a common recurrent injury site
Hip Flexor Adhesions (Iliopsoas) Shortened, adhered psoas and iliacus muscles contributing to low back pain, hip snapping, and anterior pelvic tilt
Greater Trochanteric Bursitis Lateral hip pain often driven by underlying adhesions in the gluteal tendons and iliotibial band
Shin Splints (Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome) Periosteal irritation and muscle adhesions along the tibia from running and impact sports
Achilles Tendinopathy Collagen breakdown and adhesion within the Achilles tendon — both insertional and mid-body
Calf Strains & Tightness Adhesions in the gastrocnemius and soleus limiting dorsiflexion and contributing to downstream foot and knee problems
Plantar Fasciitis Adhesions in the plantar fascia and intrinsic foot muscles — often resolving faster with ART than with any other conservative approach

Neck, Back & Spine

Cervical Muscle Adhesions Scar tissue in the scalenes, SCM, suboccipitals, and levator scapulae — a primary driver of chronic neck stiffness and headaches
Tension Headaches & Cervicogenic Headaches Headaches originating from adhesions in the upper cervical musculature and suboccipital region — directly treatable with ART
Whiplash-Associated Disorders Post-trauma adhesion formation in cervical muscles, ligaments, and fascial planes following MVA or sports collision
Thoracic Stiffness & Mid-Back Pain Restricted thoracic extension and rotation from adhesions in the erector spinae, rhomboids, and thoracolumbar fascia
Low Back Pain Adhesions in the lumbar paraspinals, quadratus lumborum, and thoracolumbar fascia — one of the most common ART presentations
Piriformis Syndrome Adhesions in the piriformis compressing the sciatic nerve — often misdiagnosed as lumbar disc pathology
Sciatica Sciatic nerve entrapment at multiple possible sites — lumbar paraspinals, piriformis, hamstrings — each addressable with specific ART nerve-mobilization protocols
SI Joint Dysfunction Adhesions in the surrounding ligaments and gluteal musculature limiting normal sacroiliac motion

Repetitive Strain & Nerve Entrapment

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome Ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow causing numbness and weakness in the ring and pinky fingers
Pronator Teres Syndrome Median nerve compression in the forearm — often confused with carpal tunnel but located upstream
Posterior Tibial Nerve Entrapment (Tarsal Tunnel) Nerve compression at the inner ankle producing foot pain, burning, and numbness
Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) Cumulative adhesion buildup from keyboard work, assembly-line tasks, musical performance, or any sustained repetitive motion pattern
Post-Surgical Adhesions Scar tissue from surgical incisions that limits surrounding tissue mobility and contributes to chronic post-op pain
Myofascial Pain Syndrome Diffuse muscular pain and trigger points driven by fascial adhesions — often covering large regional areas
Nerve Hypersensitivity & Neuralgia Altered nerve mechanics from adhesive entrapment causing burning, tingling, or hypersensitive pain responses in surrounding tissue

Not sure if your condition qualifies? ART providers are trained in over 500 specific protocols — covering muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves throughout the entire body. The best way to find out is a hands-on evaluation. Call us at (858) 350-6290 to schedule.

How ART Works

The Treatment Process

01

Identify the Problem

Your provider uses their hands to evaluate the texture, tightness, and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, and nerves. Abnormal tissues are identified by feel.

02

Apply Precise Pressure

Using specifically directed tension, your provider applies pressure to the affected tissue while you perform specific movements that lengthen and release the adhesion.

03

Restore Function

As adhesions break up, tissues regain their ability to slide freely. Pain decreases, range of motion improves, and strength returns—often within just a few sessions.

Meet the Specialists

Our ART Providers

Active Release Techniques requires specialized training and certification. Our clinic features two of San Diego's most experienced ART providers.

Certified Athletic Trainer · ATC · 33+ Years

Dan Selstad

Dan Selstad is a certified athletic trainer and credentialed ART provider with 33+ years keeping athletes moving. He treats the full range of repetitive strain and stress-related injuries, working with professional athletes, amateur athletes, office workers, and musicians alike.

Dan's elite clientele speaks for itself — athletes including Kobe Bryant, Bill Walton, and Ironman World Champion Paula Newby-Fraser have trusted Dan to keep them performing at their best. His Performance Care practice is based right here at Sheppard Spine and Sports Clinic.

ATC · ART Certified · Performance Care

Visit Website →

ART Certified · CMT · 16+ Years Experience

Cory Harris

Cory Harris is one of San Diego's top Active Release Techniques practitioners, widely recognized in the ART community for his exceptional skill and results. With 16+ years of experience, he has built his career helping fellow San Diegans overcome muscle and nerve conditions — often succeeding where other treatments have failed.

Whether you're an athlete or a chronic pain sufferer, Cory's specialized approach enables full-body healing in conjunction with upper cervical chiropractic care, often delivering meaningful results within just a few sessions.

BA · ART Certified · CMT

Visit Website →

Both providers are fully credentialed by Active Release Techniques, LLC — completing extensive training in the more than 500 specific protocols that make up the ART system.

"Active Release Techniques is the treatment of choice for professional athletes around the world. It's fast, effective, and gets you back to performing at your best."

— Trusted by NFL, NBA, MLB, and Olympic athletes

The Root Cause

ART's Specialty Is Adhesions

Most chronic soft tissue pain has one underlying cause. Here's why adhesions form — and why they're so difficult to resolve without targeted treatment.

An adhesion is a dense band of fibrous scar tissue that forms when soft tissue is injured or repeatedly stressed. Think of it as internal "glue" — your body lays it down as a repair mechanism, but it bonds layers of tissue that were never meant to stick together.

Healthy muscle fibers, fascia, tendons, and nerves are designed to glide smoothly past each other with every movement. When adhesions develop in or between these structures, that free sliding motion breaks down. Tissues that should be supple and mobile become stiff, shortened, and restricted — generating pain, weakness, and limited range of motion that often feels like it came out of nowhere.

How Adhesions Form

Acute Injury

A sudden strain, tear, or trauma triggers an inflammatory response. The body rushes collagen fibers to the area to seal damaged tissue. This is healthy and necessary — but collagen deposits aren't precise. They bind indiscriminately.

Repetitive Strain

Low-grade, repeated stress — from typing, athletic training, or sustained postures — causes micro-tears too small to feel acutely. Each micro-tear triggers a small inflammatory response. Over months or years, cumulative scar tissue builds into significant adhesions.

Oxygen Deprivation

Sustained compression — from poor posture, tight muscles, or prolonged sitting — reduces blood flow. Oxygen-deprived tissue breaks down and triggers the same inflammatory, scar-forming cycle even without any movement or impact.

Why Adhesions Are So Problematic

Unlike a fresh injury that heals and resolves, adhesions don't naturally remodel back to healthy tissue on their own. They accumulate. A small adhesion in the rotator cuff alters shoulder mechanics, placing excess load on the elbow. That creates new micro-tearing. More adhesions form downstream. The pain migrates and multiplies — which is why so many patients with chronic soft tissue conditions have seen multiple providers without lasting relief.

Adhesions can entrap nerves that pass through or alongside muscle tissue — a primary driver of conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, and thoracic outlet syndrome. When a nerve is mechanically compressed by surrounding adhesive tissue, it generates pain, tingling, and weakness in areas far removed from where the adhesion actually lives.

Standard treatments like rest, ice, anti-inflammatories, and even conventional massage address symptoms but not the adhesion itself. The fibrous tissue remains — and the cycle continues.

Healthy Tissue

Layers glide freely — no restriction, no pain

Tissue with Adhesion

adhesion

Layers bound together — restricted movement, nerve compression, pain

How ART Breaks Down Adhesions

ART is one of the only treatment approaches that directly addresses the adhesion itself — not just the symptoms it produces. Here's the mechanism:

1

Precise Localization

The provider uses highly trained palpation to locate the exact adhesion — identifying the specific layer of tissue, its direction, and its density. This diagnostic precision is what distinguishes ART from general massage or foam rolling, which cannot target individual tissue interfaces.

2

Tension + Motion = Release

The provider holds a specific contact point on the adhesion with firm, directed tension. You are then guided through a precise active movement that lengthens the tissue through its full range of motion. This combination creates a shearing force across the adhesion — mechanically separating the bonded fibers in a way that neither passive pressure nor movement alone can achieve.

3

Breaking the Collagen Cross-Links

Scar tissue is primarily disorganized collagen. In healthy tissue, collagen fibers run in parallel alignment — like a well-organized rope. In adhesions, they're matted and cross-linked in multiple directions, like a tangled knot. The specific tension-and-motion protocol in ART disrupts these cross-links, allowing the body to remodel the collagen into more functional, aligned tissue over the following days.

4

Nerve Decompression

When an adhesion is binding around a nerve, the ART protocol mobilizes the nerve itself — using movements that tension and slide the nerve through the surrounding tissue while the provider works the adhesion free. Patients often feel an immediate reduction in referred pain, tingling, or numbness as the nerve is released from compression.

5

Restored Tissue Glide

Once the adhesion is released, the tissues can slide freely again. Joint mechanics normalize, muscle recruitment patterns improve, and the compensatory strain patterns that were building up downstream are resolved. The result is not just pain relief — it's a restoration of the functional movement the tissue was designed to produce.

Active Release Techniques (ART)