Hockey Pain? Ease the Stress with Active Release Therapy

It’s that time of year again: NHL teams are out there battling on the ice for the highly coveted Mr. Stanley. Players work their butts off both on and off the rink to stay in shape to perform at their best. Inspired by the big-leagues, this is also the time of year when fans and amateur players head out for a game of pick-up or organized league face-off. So what do all of these players have in common, no matter their level of play? The pain that is often inevitable when it comes to playing hockey!

Even though hockey can be dangerous because of the level of contact and intensity, much of the hockey related pain players suffer is caused by overuse – pain that slowly develops over time as a result of repetitive stress on different parts of the body, specifically muscles, tendons, bones, and joints. In the initial stages these injuries may not seem super difficult to deal with (often players just attribute them to an overly forceful game or not enough stretching), but if left untreated they can just get worse.

So, what can you do to treat these overuse injuries? Active Release Therapy.

What is Active Release Therapy (ART)? ART is an advanced form of massage therapy that uses over 500 different patented moves to reduce or eliminate pain most often caused by injuries due to overuse. The combination of movement and massage works to treat pain in nerves, tendons, ligaments, muscles and other connective tissue in your body. ART isn’t a treatment that just anyone can perform.  The training is extensive and you have to be a licensed practitioner to put these techniques to use.

And ART is not like a typical massage – there are no soothing melodies or hot stones here. It isn’t meant to be relaxing, it’s meant to relieve pain. The whole idea behind ART is that scar- tissue on or between the muscles causes them to shorten and become weaker, thereby leading to pain and discomfort. ART identifies that scar tissue and works to break it up, allowing for a much greater degree of movement.

Regardless of whether you play professionally or just enjoy a competitive game of shinny on the weekend with friends, sudden hockey injuries or those resulting from overuse can wreak havoc on the body. This time, why not try something different? You might be surprised at how effective ART is at easing those aches and pains.

Why let pain take the excitement out of the game you love?

For more information about how Active Release Therapy can help you overcome hockey related pain contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine by calling 1 (416) 800-0800.