I am going to start with complete transparency. I am NOT ART certified. I HAVE taken the ART courses with Dr. Leahy but I do not do the annual course to be on the Certified ART Practitioner list because honestly, it’s a complete money grab.
I DO practice ART in my Massage Therapy practice and I find it incredibly effective in relieving acute and chronic pain as well as speeding up recovery from acute injuries. I describe ART to clients as applying a pressure (thumb, elbow, forearm, fist) on a muscle/tendon/ligament then moving that structure through its range of motion in a repetitive motion. I typically add ART into a session as part of the massage. Depending on the area you’re working on and the position the client needs to be in I will do the ART at the end of a session when they are fully clothed. I find this more comfortable for the client.
ART is a close second to Cupping for being my favorite tool to use in a massage session!