Active Release Therapy in Lindenhurst, NY
A hands-on technique built to evaluate, remove and prevent muscle pain and injury. Pressure applied while you move, which is what reaches scar tissue that stays put otherwise.
What It Is
Hands, not needles
Active Release Therapy is a hands-on technique designed to evaluate, remove and prevent muscle pain and injury. Manual technique is used to locate and treat soft tissue adhesions, the tough spots in muscle and connective tissue that cause pain, stiffness and restricted movement.
The distinguishing feature is movement. Your practitioner applies pressure to muscles, tendons and ligaments while you move the affected part through specific ranges of motion. That combination is what breaks down scar tissue, and it is why ART reaches things that static pressure does not.
It is non-invasive, nothing is prescribed, and the effect on blood flow, joint mobility and flexibility is the reason athletes were early adopters and why so many patients arrive having been sent by one.
Your Session
How an appointment runs
Four stages. This advances on its own, or step through it yourself.
Advances every six seconds. Click any stage to jump.
What It Treats
Conditions we see most
ART treats a wide range of soft tissue problems. These are the ones that come through the door.
- Back pain that has stopped responding to everything else
- Headaches driven by tension through the neck and shoulders
- Tennis elbow and other repetitive strain injuries
- Plantar fasciitis and foot pain that returns every morning
- Sports injuries and the restriction left behind by them
- Post-surgical scar tissue limiting range of motion
Where headache is the main complaint rather than a symptom, acupuncture for migraines goes at it from a different angle. Where the problem is broader than one restriction, ART usually sits inside a pain management plan rather than standing alone.
Why It Holds
Breaking the cycle rather than interrupting it
ART reduces pain and muscle tension, and it improves range of motion, flexibility and blood flow into injured tissue. What matters more is the mechanism behind that: returning normal mobility to an area breaks the cycle of pain rather than pausing it.
Pain restricts movement. Restricted movement builds more adhesion. More adhesion produces more pain. Treatments that only address the pain leave that loop running, which is why relief from them tends to have a shelf life.
It is also a preventive tool. Athletes and active people use it to maintain physical health and stay ahead of the next injury rather than waiting to be sidelined by one.
ART is booked by phone, not online
Active Release Therapy is performed by Michael D'Antona, L.Ac. Because every session begins with an evaluation and is built around your specific restriction, it is not booked through the online system. Call the office on 631-309-2242 and the front desk will schedule it properly.
ART is a specialized technique that requires extensive training and education. Not every practice on Long Island offers it, and it is worth asking who is performing it wherever you go.
On Its Own Or Combined
Two ways to have it
ART by itself
The full session focused entirely on the release work. Suited to a specific restriction, a known injury, or maintenance for someone training regularly.
With acupuncture first
Point work relaxes the body before the release work begins, which makes the techniques easier to perform and reduces the discomfort. That combined session is here.
Alongside other work
Where tissue responds better to being drawn out than pressed on, cupping goes in instead or as well. Massage therapy covers the general tension around it.
Common Questions
Questions we get asked
Does Active Release Therapy hurt?
It can feel uncomfortable and at times painful, and we would rather say that plainly than have you find out in the room. Keep communication open with your therapist throughout so they work within your tolerance. Tell them when it is too much and they will adjust.
How is ART different from massage?
Massage applies pressure while you stay still. ART applies pressure while you move the affected part through a range of motion, and that combination is what breaks down scar tissue and adhesion. They solve different problems and often run alongside each other.
Why can I not book it online?
Every session starts with an evaluation and is built around your specific restriction rather than a standard appointment length. Booking by phone lets the front desk match the appointment to what you actually need. Call 631-309-2242.
Do I have to be an athlete?
No. Desk workers make up a large share of who books it, because long hours seated and repetitive motion produce the same adhesions a sports injury does. It is also used after surgery and for chronic soft tissue problems.
Is ART covered by insurance?
Coverage depends on your plan and what is being treated. Submit your details through our intake and insurance page and we will verify benefits before your first visit.
Patient Reviews
What our patients say
★★★★★I played sports my whole life, pushed through the pain, tried everything. Michael is knowledgeable, thorough, and has a true gift for this work. He listened to my history, understood the underlying issue immediately, and delivered results that years of other treatments never came close to.
John Ciejka, Google
★★★★★Had back surgery. 3 tier fusion. Started 4 treatment. Feeling good. Dan is great.
Thomas Mckigney, Google
Individual results vary. Outcomes depend on your condition, history, and treatment plan.
Related Treatments
Treatments that pair with this
Get Started
Call to schedule
ART is booked by phone. Call 631-309-2242 and the front desk will schedule you with Michael. If you would rather send a message first with what is going on, use the form and we will call you back.