Your Most Asked Questions
What should I expect during an ART session?
Every ART session is actually a combination of examination and treatment. The ART provider uses his or her hands to evaluate the texture, tightness, and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Abnormal tissues are treated by combining precisely directed tension with very specific patient movements. While ART is often associated with sports therapy, it is highly beneficial to non-athletes as well.
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These treatment protocols – over 500 specific moves – are unique to ART. They allow providers to identify and correct the specific problems that are affecting each individual patient. ART is not a cookie-cutter approach.
What should I wear?
ART requires skin on skin contact so please wear comfortable and loose clothing. If the area to be treated includes the hip, lower back, or lower extremities, please wear loose shorts. For shoulder and upper back issues, please wear a tank top.
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Is the treatment painful?
ART is non-invasive, very safe, and has virtually no side effects. It comes with a record of very good results. In the beginning, treatments can be uncomfortable during the movement phases, (depending on the severity of the condition and the patient's pain tolerance). The discomfort is temporary, however, and subsides almost immediately after the treatment. It is common to feel a duplication of your symptoms during the treatment, a good indication that the problem has been identified.
Mary Anne D.
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA
I started seeing Cory for an acute episode of neck pain following a skiing accident. This pain was impacted by long standing upper back and neck tightness. Cory was able to work on both the acute and chronic soft tissue providing pain relief and improved flexibility. I felt better than I did before the acute injury!
Doris R.
Encinitas, CA
Cory is very capable, professional, and personable. My spinal stenosis pain is gone! I actually enjoy my appointments with him.
How do overuse conditions occur?
Over-used muscles (and other soft tissues) change in three important ways:
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acute conditions (pulls, tears, collisions, etc)
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accumulation of small tears (micro-trauma)
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not getting enough oxygen (hypoxia)
Each of these factors can cause your body to produce tough, dense scar tissue in the affected area. This scar tissue binds up and ties down tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped. This can cause reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a nerve is trapped you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness.
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Can I benefit from ART even if I'm being evaluated and treated by other doctors and specialists?
Only a provider experienced and trained in ART can determine if you might benefit from this treatment. Many cases seen by ART providers are patients who have been treated by other health care providers unsuccessfully. Most of these patients are happily surprised when they experience an improvement in their condition after just one or two treatments.​
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Once my problem has been corrected, what are the chances of my symptoms returning?
The likelihood of the condition recurring is very low. Dr. Leahy reported a recurrence rate of only 4% in his carpal tunnel study, of which half (2%), had not followed through with their exercises. Once the ART practitioner has released the restrictive adhesions between tissues, post-treatment exercises become a critical part of the healing process and act to ensure the injury does not return.
Why haven't I heard of ART before?
ART has been known throughout the elite and professional sports world for years as an excellent tool for rehabilitation and athletic performance enhancement. Other than the sports world, there have not been enough people trained in ART to make a big impact. Proficiency at ART takes time to develop, with a substantial commitment of effort and resources to become a provider. There is a small, but growing, number of providers that have been personally trained and credentialed by Dr. Leahy, the developer of the technique.
Jon P.
Clairemont, CA
I've had 7 back and surgeries that have left me very inflexible and often in pain. Cory, through the ART technique, has helped me become a very functional athlete at 58 years old. I am now able to play vigorous paddle-ball, bike and lift weights with very little pain. This stuff works!