By Kathryn Arbic, RMT
Registered Massage Therapist | ART® Certified Provider
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology — Candidate, Yorkville University
Have you ever noticed that the same area of your body seems to get tight or sore, even after you've tried stretching, massage, or taking a break from the activities that aggravate it? Perhaps your neck and shoulders always seem to carry tension, your forearm aches after repetitive work, or an old injury continues to affect how you move.
Sometimes, the challenge isn't simply that a muscle feels tight. It may be that the way the surrounding tissues move, the demands being placed on them, or the strategies your body has developed to manage those demands are contributing to the problem.
Understanding these relationships can help us take a more targeted approach to treatment.
Active Release Techniques® (ART®) is a specialized, hands-on treatment approach that combines specific soft-tissue contact with active movement. It can be used to address certain musculoskeletal concerns involving muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves, with the goal of improving comfort and function.
At Callisto Therapeutics, ART is one of the approaches that can be incorporated into treatment when appropriate. The aim isn't simply to work on the area that hurts, but to consider the tissues and movements that may be contributing to your symptoms.
What Is Active Release Techniques®?
Active Release Techniques® is a patented soft-tissue treatment system that uses specific patterns of practitioner-applied tension and patient movement to assess and treat areas of soft-tissue dysfunction.
Unlike approaches that rely primarily on passive pressure or general massage strokes, ART involves the practitioner applying targeted contact to selected tissues while guiding the client through a particular movement.
This combination allows the tissues to move beneath the practitioner's contact as the body part moves through a prescribed range of motion.
The treatment is individualized to the person's presentation, the tissues being addressed, and the movements associated with their symptoms.
Looking Beyond Where It Hurts
One of the challenges of musculoskeletal pain is that the location of a symptom doesn't always tell us everything we need to know about what is contributing to it.
For example, discomfort around the shoulder may involve the shoulder itself, but it may also be influenced by movement patterns, the demands of repetitive activity, or other structures in the surrounding region. Similarly, forearm discomfort may develop in the context of sustained gripping, repetitive computer work, or other activities that place repeated demands on the tissues.
This doesn't mean every symptom has a hidden cause somewhere else in the body. Rather, it reminds us that the body functions as an interconnected system, and that understanding the context of a symptom can be just as important as identifying where it occurs.
ART offers a structured way to assess and work with selected soft tissues in relation to movement. It can be particularly relevant when a musculoskeletal concern involves repetitive loading, restricted mobility, or persistent discomfort.
The goal is to take a thoughtful, targeted approach rather than assuming that every tight or painful area needs the same treatment.
How Does ART Work?
An ART treatment generally involves three interconnected elements.
1. Assessment
Treatment begins with understanding your concerns, relevant health history, and the activities or movements associated with your symptoms.
Your practitioner assesses the area, which may include looking at relevant movement patterns, tissue tenderness, and restrictions. Depending on your presentation, the assessment may also consider surrounding areas that could be contributing to the problem.
This information helps determine whether ART is appropriate and which tissues may be relevant to address.
2. Targeted soft-tissue treatment
The practitioner applies specific contact to selected tissues while guiding you through a prescribed movement.
This approach is intended to address restrictions in how tissues move and function relative to one another. Rather than relying on pressure alone, the technique incorporates movement as an active component of treatment.
The pressure and sensation vary depending on the area being treated and your individual tolerance.
3. Movement and reassessment
Movement is central to ART. You participate by moving the affected body part as directed while your practitioner maintains contact with the relevant tissues.
Your response helps guide the treatment and provides an opportunity to reassess comfort and mobility.
Treatment is not about pushing through pain or forcing the body to change. Communication and attention to your response are important throughout the session.
What Conditions Might ART Help With?
ART may be considered as part of a treatment plan for certain musculoskeletal concerns, particularly those associated with repetitive activity, physical demands, previous injury, or restricted movement.
Examples include:
Neck and shoulder tension: Discomfort or restricted movement associated with sustained postures, repetitive work, or physical activity.
Headaches: Some headaches have a musculoskeletal component that may benefit from appropriate assessment and treatment of the neck and surrounding tissues.
Shoulder mobility restrictions: Soft-tissue-related discomfort or limitations affecting reaching, lifting, or overhead movement.
Elbow and forearm pain: Symptoms associated with repetitive gripping, computer use, manual work, or racquet sports.
Wrist and hand symptoms: Certain overuse conditions involving the soft tissues of the forearm and wrist.
Back and hip discomfort: Musculoskeletal symptoms associated with physical demands, repetitive movement, or restricted mobility.
Repetitive strain and overuse concerns: Problems that develop when tissues are repeatedly loaded without adequate recovery.
Soft-tissue restrictions following injury: Selected cases where hands-on treatment is appropriate as part of a broader rehabilitation approach.
ART is not a universal solution for every source of pain. Musculoskeletal symptoms can have multiple contributing factors, and the effectiveness of a particular technique varies depending on the condition and the individual. Some concerns require medical assessment or a different treatment approach.
The decision to use ART should be based on your presentation, your goals, and whether the approach is appropriate for your needs.
How Is ART Different From General Massage Therapy?
Massage therapy encompasses a broad range of techniques and treatment approaches. Some sessions focus primarily on relaxation, stress reduction, and general muscular comfort. Others are more targeted, with treatment directed toward particular symptoms, movement restrictions, or functional goals.
ART differs in its structured approach to assessment and its use of specific soft-tissue contact combined with active movement.
Rather than treating an entire region in a general way, the practitioner works with selected tissues and movements that are relevant to the presenting concern.
Neither approach is inherently better than the other. They serve different purposes, and there can be considerable overlap between them.
Depending on your needs, a massage therapy session may incorporate ART alongside other appropriate techniques. The goal is to select an approach that makes sense for you, rather than relying on one technique for every concern.
Sometimes a more targeted approach is appropriate. At other times, broader treatment, relaxation, movement strategies, or a combination of approaches may better support your goals.
What Can You Expect During an ART Treatment?
Your appointment begins with a discussion of your symptoms, relevant health history, activity levels, and treatment goals. This helps establish what you are experiencing and whether ART may be appropriate.
Your practitioner will assess the area and explain the proposed treatment.
During ART, you will generally be asked to move a body part through a specific range of motion while the practitioner maintains contact with the relevant tissues. You may notice pressure, stretching, or a concentrated sensation in the area being treated.
Treatment is adapted to your comfort and response. More pressure is not necessarily better, and you should communicate if a technique feels excessively painful or produces concerning symptoms.
After treatment, you may notice changes in movement, discomfort, or tissue sensitivity. Responses vary, and improvement is not always immediate or complete.
Depending on your presentation, your practitioner may also discuss movement, activity modification, or other strategies to support your goals between appointments.
The intention is to consider not only how the area feels during treatment, but also how it responds afterward and how that relates to the activities that matter to you.
A Personalized Approach to Treatment
No two people experience pain or tension in exactly the same way. Two clients may describe similar symptoms but have different histories, movement patterns, physical demands, and treatment needs.
For this reason, I believe it is important to approach treatment with curiosity rather than assumptions.
A tight muscle isn't necessarily a problem that needs to be forced to relax. Discomfort isn't always an indication that more pressure is needed. And treating the place where a symptom occurs doesn't automatically address everything contributing to it.
Effective treatment begins with listening, assessment, and an understanding of the person behind the symptoms.
ART provides one structured approach for working with soft tissues and movement. When appropriate, it can be incorporated into a broader treatment plan that considers your symptoms, activities, goals, and response to care.
The aim is to help you move toward greater comfort and function, while recognizing that meaningful change may involve more than a single treatment or technique.
Continuing to Develop My Practice
My approach to massage therapy continues to evolve through clinical experience, ongoing education, and an interest in understanding the relationships between soft-tissue function, movement, and pain.
I am an Active Release Techniques® Full Body Level 1 Certified Provider, and ART is one of the approaches I can incorporate into treatment when appropriate.
In 2027, I will also be undertaking RAPID NeuroFascial Reset (NFR) Upper Body training to expand my manual therapy skill set. RAPID NFR is a separate treatment approach that emphasizes neurological input and its relationship to muscular and fascial tension.
Continuing education gives me opportunities to explore different approaches to persistent tension, discomfort, and movement restrictions. It also reinforces the importance of considering each person's presentation individually, rather than assuming that one technique will meet every need.
My goal is to bring together clinical assessment, hands-on treatment, and an understanding of how the body responds to its physical demands to help clients work toward their individual goals.
Interested in ART?
If you're experiencing recurring muscular discomfort, restricted movement, or symptoms associated with repetitive activity, ART may be worth exploring as part of your massage therapy care.
An appointment provides an opportunity to discuss your concerns, assess your needs, and determine whether this approach is appropriate for you.
Book a massage therapy appointment with Callisto Therapeutics to discuss your treatment goals.
Active Release Techniques® is a registered trademark of Active Release Techniques, LLC. RAPID NeuroFascial Reset is a separate treatment system. ART is not appropriate for every condition, and treatment outcomes vary between individuals.
References
Active Release Techniques, LLC. (n.d.). Active Release Techniques®. Official ART website
Barnes, P., & Rivera, M. (2022). The effect of Active Release Technique® on clinician and patient-reported outcomes: A systematic review. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, 31(3), 331–336. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34999574/
© 2026 Kathryn Arbic / Callisto Therapeutics. All rights reserved. Ottawa-Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada.
