My First Experience with Active Release Technique.

Yesterday, I had an appointment with Advanced Rehabilitation, a therapy clinic here in Austin that caters to athletes and performs Active Release Technique therapy. I was referred there by my tri coach, Andrea Fisher, to help me with the knee pain I'd experienced at Buffalo Springs Lake 70.3.

I must admit that I had a little trepidation about going. I didn't know much about it, but everyone I talked to highly recommended it. It's not cheap either. They do take my insurance, but I have to get a referral from my PCP in order to justify it to HealthSelect. Since my PCP got dropped last week from the network, I didn't have one to refer, so I have to pay out of pocket until I can get in a visit to my new PCP and get a referral. The cost was something that had me thinking I might not go. I'm glad I didn't trust THAT instinct.

I had an 8:15 AM appointment with Dr. A.J. Zelinski. That guy is great! Younger than I expected and very, very knowledgable. All the literature (and wall decorations) in his office are a testament to his experience. He's been treating endurance athletes for several years, and has been an official ART therapist at the Hawaiian Ironman World Championships in Kona a few times, too.

So, when I got there, I had some forms to fill out and had a short wait. While I waited at least two other Texas Iron athletes came in. I recognized them and chatted with them both a bit. One of them, a woman named Summer, who is in my Wednesday swim class, told me that A.J. jokingly refers to his clinic as the "Texas Iron Triage Center."

When I got back to the examination room, I chatted briefly with A.J. about my main problems: the knee and the fact that my back was still tight and sore more than a week after the race. He asked a few pointed questions about what I'd done to prep for the race, whether I'd changed anything on the bike, etc., and then did a manipulation to release the muscle tightness.

It wasn't at all like I expected. The name makes it sound so imposing, but it's really applying pressure to specific points in the muscle and actively moving the affected body part in a certain way to stretch the muscle and "release" the tension. A.J. worked on my leg for about 5-10 minutes, and then had me go out into the main area to do some work with some rollers to massage the leg muscles.

The manipulation was incredible! It didn't hurt and only felt mildly uncomfortable in some instances. I felt immediately better afterwards and was really thinking this might be the greatest thing ever! The rollers were also good. I found some pretty tight knots in my calves, quads, and hamstrings. I probably should get some of those for use at home. I'm sure A.J. will recommend that!

So, after I did the rollers, they had me lie face down on a bench and applied electricity and ice to my left leg at the knee. They also had a technician apply ultrasound therapy to my left gluteal muscle. That all took about 15 minutes, and then I was finished.

When I got to the office that day, I had no pain in my leg at all. As the day wore on, though, my muscles tightened up a little more and I was beginning to think maybe I'd been hasty on my praise for ART. Oh no! Not at all. Although the immediate benefits faded a bit, this morning, I woke up with no back pain or discomfort at all! My knee was a little achy again, particularly behind the knee and at the bottom of the knee cap (not places I'd had pain during the race) but the muscles in my calf and hamstring didn't even feel tight anymore. I had a little bit of tenderness (as A.J. said I would) from the manipulation, but the pain was pretty much gone!

I have another appointment on Thursday, July 5, so I'm looking forward to continued improvement! IMoo, here I come!