ART® Ironman
ART® Ironman Performance Therapy
Active Release Techniques (ART®) is a new and exciting approach for athletes to build and strengthen physical maintenance creating a foundation for injury prevention. It is a procedure that many top competitors utilise, including Ironman® champions, and other professional athletes.
ART® Ironman Performance Therapy at Lawlor Elite
Every session of ART treatment consists of two steps: examination and treatment.
Examination: The ART® trained professional uses their skilled hands to evaluate muscle texture, tightness and movement. They examine closely the movements of not only muscles, but also fascia, tendons, ligaments and nerves.
Treatment: When abnormal tissues are located, the technique used consists of a combination of precise pressure directed at the tension, along with very specific patient movements. This method helps to optimize soft tissue function improving mechanics and performance, and at the same time it helps to prevent cumulative trauma disorder.
Aligning treatment with goals
The techniques used are designed to help improve an athlete’s performance.
It also combines corrective strategies consisting of stretches, soft tissue improvement techniques, corrective exercise, muscle activation and warm-up routines that make the difference between merely performing and performing at your ultimate best.
It requires us to develop strong relationships with the athletes as we improve not only their performance, but align the treatment with their goals.
Why is this not more broadly known in the Ireland?
Performance therapy is new to Ireland and it is most often overlooked due to instructions and alternate programs from coaches who are unfamiliar with its benefits.
Coaches traditionally encourage athletes to seek physiotherapy only after an injury or problem, but rarely consider it a value as a preventative or strengthening measure.
The flaw in this approach is that many of the injuries and dysfunctional movement patterns could have been prevented or minimized with the use of performance therapy. Uncorrected, minor problems can build up and become major problems.
Performance Therapy in Professional Sports
The leading sports teams in the US and Canada use certified ART® providers as a preventive measure to endure the longevity of their athletes. They use optimisation performance therapy to keep their teams on the cutting edge of success.
In recent history we are beginning to see UK’s leading sports teams such as Everton, Tottenham, Manchester City and even organisations such as the United Kingdom Athletics introduce this into their training programs.
