Category: chiropractic

What Is Active Release Technique (ART)?

If you have struggled with tight muscles, chronic aches, or nagging overuse injuries, you may have come across the term Active Release Technique (ART). This specialized, hands-on therapy is widely used by physiotherapists and chiropractors to treat soft tissue problems that limit movement and cause pain. But what exactly is ART, and how does it work?

What Is Active Release Technique?

Active Release Technique is a manual therapy that focuses on soft tissue structures such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia. During treatment, the clinician applies targeted tension to the affected tissue while guiding the patient through specific, controlled movements.

This process helps:

  • Break down scar tissue and adhesions

  • Restore normal movement patterns

  • Reduce stiffness and improve mobility

  • Relieve pain caused by overuse or repetitive strain

Because ART works directly on the tissues that often cause tightness and discomfort, many patients notice results within just a few sessions.

What Does the Research Say About ART?

Although more large-scale studies are ongoing, research has consistently shown that the Active Release Technique can benefit people with a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions. Studies suggest ART may improve:

  • Range of motion in injured or stiff muscles

  • Pain associated with repetitive strain injuries

  • Function in patients with soft tissue restrictions

ART has shown particular promise in treating conditions such as:

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome

  • Rotator cuff injuries and shoulder pain

  • Chronic low back pain and tightness

  • Neck stiffness from poor posture or overuse

  • Sports-related overuse injuries

For patients looking for non-invasive, drug-free treatment, ART provides a safe and effective option to address both the cause and symptoms of pain.

Who Provides the Active Release Technique?

Active Release Technique requires specialized certification, and only trained providers can deliver it effectively. Both physiotherapists and chiropractors are eligible to certify in ART, making it a versatile treatment option in multidisciplinary settings.

At Advanced Health + Sports Clinic, ART is available across our three clinic locations in Nanaimo and Parksville. Our ART-accredited clinicians include Dr. Joe Foglia, Dr. Erica Dischifart, and Dr. Josh Carless-Jones. Their advanced training ensures precise application of ART techniques as part of a complete rehabilitation plan.

Why Choose ART at Advanced Health + Sports Clinic?

Many patients benefit from ART not only as a stand-alone treatment but also when it is combined with other physiotherapy or chiropractic services. At our clinics, ART is often integrated with exercise prescription, education, and other manual therapy approaches to maximize recovery.

This combined approach helps:

  • Relieve immediate discomfort

  • Improve long-term mobility and strength

  • Reduce the risk of recurring injuries

  • Support a faster return to work, sport, or daily activity

By tailoring ART sessions to each patient’s specific needs, our team ensures safe and effective outcomes.

The Takeaway

Active Release Technique is a proven and precise tool for relieving pain, restoring function, and improving movement. Whether you are recovering from an overuse injury, managing chronic pain, or seeking to optimize performance, ART can play a key role in your treatment plan.

Want to see how ART can help you move better and recover faster? Book an Active Release Technique session in Nanaimo or Parksville at Advanced Health + Sports Clinic today.

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COVID – 19 Update: Clinic Closed Until The End of March


Greetings valued patient,

Our team has been closely monitoring the developing COVID-19 situation and we are here to help assist you during this difficult time.  As a collective group, we decided that the most responsible and ethical way to support our patients and our community at large is to temporarily change the way we deliver healthcare.

From March 18 – 31st, Advanced Health + Sports Clinic, will not be offering in-person/hands on treatment to ensure patient and practitioner safety and to adhere to the Canadian Health Authorities recommendations for social distancing and to follow recommendations provided by our respective professional colleges.

In this interim period, we will be transitioning operations to offer services online via video conferencing. Maintaining continuity of care for our patients is paramount to us and by transitioning to services online, you will still have access to care and consultation from most disciplines including: physiotherapy, chiropractic care, and athletic therapy.

While we won’t be able to offer the hands on skills such as manual therapy and dry-needling we often use, we can still provide assessment, education, exercise instruction, coaching and advice. Certainly, these treatment sessions will look a little different than our typical appointments – but our team is still here to provide you with valuable support.

Please note
We will be offering in-clinic appointments for EMERGENCY cases ONLY, these will be decided on a case by case basis by the appropriate practitioner. If you have an emergency case (i.e. post-surgical, acute concussion, etc), please call us between 9AM and 3PM between Monday and Friday, Natalie and Tara will be able to take your request and process it accordingly.

Advanced Health + Sports Clinic places tremendous value on our communities health, happiness and safety and we want to make it clear that we are here for you. Hard times often necessitate hard decisions – temporarily closing our doors certainly was one of them, but we feel it was a decision made for the right reasons pertaining to safety and ethical considerations. During the next two weeks we will remain accessible via phone, email, and video chat to connect with you and help you in any way shape or form that we can.

How does Telehealth work?

You will be able to book “Virtual” assessments and subsequents via phone or via our JaneApp platform as of Friday March 20th, at 3PM . At your virtual appointment time, you will receive an e-mail invitation to Physitrack, all one has to do is press on the highlighted link and accept the prompt for the video call (very similar to Skype). We assure all our patients that Physitrack is HIPPA compliant and offers encrypted Telehealth/Video Calling to ensure your confidentiality.

  • For new patients, virtual assessments can be very valuable, please ensure to book a “Virtual Assessment” to ensure an hour block is reserved for your appointment.
  • For any returning patients that would like to check-in with their health care provider, to progress their exercise program for example, please ensure to book a “Virtual Subsequent”.
Please feel free to contact us for any inquiries.
Let’s grow together, learn together, take care of one another, and we are confident we can come out of this stronger and wiser. Have a wonderful rest of your week and we look forward to hearing from you.

Yours in Health,
The Advanced Team

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Run Into Spring: WITHOUT Plantar Fasciitis! Three Evidence Based “Injury-Hacks” to keep you on the move!

Spring is in the air! The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and the sun is starting to show its face more … what does all this mean? For us at Advanced Health + Sports Clinic that means running and hiking season is once again upon us! For those of us who have taken some time off over the winter months and have to “get back into it” we are speaking directly to YOU with this blog.

“Plantar fasciitis is the most common foot condition treated by health care providers. It has been estimated that plantar fasciitis occurs in approximately 2 million Americans each year and af­fects as much as 10% of the population over the course of a life­time.”
(Clinical Practice Guidelines, Journal of Sport Physiotherapy 2014)

 

When resuming running after a period of time off it is common to work through some mild discomfort as our muscles rebuild their strength and our cardiovascular system reconditions; however, experiencing significant pain that hampers our performance and cuts into our daily life is NOT something we want to encounter.

What is it? An irritation of the plantar fascia (or adjacent structures) on the plantar surface of the foot.

What are the main symptoms? Foot pain with weight bearing activities (running, hiking, walking) – particularly the initial steps after a period of inactivity (ie, after sitting at a desk for 4 hours) but also worse following prolonged weight bearing and often precipitated by a recent increase in weight-bearing activity (towards to end of a run or in the hours following).

What can I do about it?

1. STRETCH out your calves daily and feet daily! 

(2 sets, 30-60 seconds, twice daily)

2. SELF-MASSAGE techniques!

(1-2 mins, no more than 2-3 times daily)

What else?

Foot orthosis (orthotics):If there is a structural impairment of foot biomechanics which is contributing to ones symptoms (ex, collapsing arches) then using a device to keep the ankle and foot in a more balanced and neutral position can be quite helpful.

Load management: We need to use the ‘goldilocks principle’ when getting back into running – especially after an injury. We need to progressively add load to irritated tissues in a rational and step-wise fashion.

Too much too soon? NOT good … irritation awaits.
Too little and not enough? NOT good … no adaptation will occur.
Just Right? Intelligent progressive loading, with exercise adherence + rest days, with self management techniques = acceptable challenges to the soft tissues which results in strengthening, adaptation, and increased activity tolerance!

I’m already doing everything right but I’m STILL having difficulty!

When in doubt … get checked out!! An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Getting a thorough assessment from a: Physiotherapist, Chiropractor, or an Athletic therapist can be an incredible help not only for the treatments they provide but for the education and rehabilitation plan they will provide you with. We are passionate when it comes to keeping our patients moving forward and doing the activities they love. Knowledge is power and at Advanced Health + Sports Clinic this is a pillar of our identity – a well educated patient is a patient with POWER moving forward.

Carolyn is NEW to Nanaimo but is a familiar face in the world of physiotherapy as alongside her husband she ran Parksville Physiotherapy Clinic for the past twenty years. Carolyn specializes in assessing and treating vestibular disorders including vestibular neuritis, labyrinthitis, Meniere’s disease, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), migraine associated vertigo, cervical vertigo and postural instability. Additionally, Carolyn also has skills and experience treating patients with neurological and musculoskeletal problems.

Carolyn is excited for a fresh start and to bring her wealth of experience in treating vestibular disorders to Advanced Health and Sports Clinic. If you are experiencing dizziness, imbalance, or vertigo, don’t hesitate to contact our office and see if Vestibular Rehabilitation is appropriate for you!

We look forward to bringing you all more helpful tips, exercises, and management strategies in the months ahead. But in the meantime, we wish you all a happy Easter and a healthy spring full of laughs, exercise, and fresh air!
Yours in Health;
Advanced Health + Sports Clinic Team
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