I only heard of ART practitioners from these forums. What is the difference between them and AK doctors ?
SeanJos
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I’ve had both, and there’s no comparison. AK (Applied Kinesiology) really does not impress me at all. The first ART guy I went to was also an AK practioner and was much more into the AK, which frustrated me.
From what little I know, the AK treatments try to reset and balance muscle tension through muscle spindle responses. For example, AK practitioners will place their thumb and forefinger on a particular spot in the muscle and either squeeze the fingers together or spread them apart. They do this to either remove or add tension to the muscle spindles. Leon Chaitow’s book on Positional Release Techniques has some discussion of this.
The big problem I had was that this stuff just doesn’t hold. Whereas ART has a long term effect on structure of the soft tissue, the neuromuscular responses produced by AK are too subtle and transient and just do not hold up under loading. It’s like Bowen therapy, good for coach potatoes but too weak for athletes.
is an awesome tool in the right hands. Guys like Mike Prebeg, Mark Scapaticci, Steve Radovich, etc. They are all super experienced. Radovich is in Windsor, I will drive an hour each way for his help. He does a lot with Red Wings. AK seems a little off. Just researching it, I found it to be too much that didn’t sit right with my knowledge of tissue. ART is like super precise myofascial release. I would use ART and Graston before AK. Thats just my opinion though.
I think some elements of AK, specifically the muscle spindle manipulations, might be useful if blended with massage as a way to reset muscle tone. In fact, I’ve seen these techniques covered in books on massage and soft tissue therapy. But AK’s not something I would go out of my way to see a specialist for. All the mumbo jumbo about diagnosing, e.g., pancreatic or thyroid function from the tension in certain skeletal muscles is just nonsense.
AK does not serve the same purpose as ART or other forms of myofascial release, which are more structural in their effect rather than neurological.
Thats what loses me in AK is the wild claims. Munbo Jumbo might be a better description. I like that ART practioners who are good will tell you that ART is just one tool in the box. I have personally watched Mike Prebeg work on a couple of friends. I was blown away but not only his knowledge, but his vast array of treatment tools. He is a guy who gets great outcomes often. Sometimes, I think practioners fall into the trap of thinking that there is one ALL inclusive system. Seems that the best therapists don’t limit themselves with theoretical boundaries.
ART is overrated. I’d nearly go as far as to call it a scam.
Don’t get me wrong the techniques work, - but they are not exclusive techniques, many therapists use and have been using similar techniques and get the same if not better results for many many years also the whole costings and licenesing stuff is not value.
AK may be very powerful - and is not 100% mubo jumbo … but like ART the therapist is the Key.
That is the biggest thing - Do not go for the treatment go for the therapist.
You can’t speak about ART vs AK (I like the term kinesiology much general as concept), because ART is pure structural/fascial work, Kinesiology works on CNS and his reflexes (actually the term CNS is masked from the term “energy”).
If you have a tissue degeneration, Kinesiology isn’t useful, but can help structural work as ART or similar.
If you haven’t any tissue degeneration (adhesion/fibrosis) Kinesiology can keep you in balance and you will be free from any injuries! (this is my experience).
Kinesiology as muscle test or other kind of biofeedback test, help pratictioner to find the places of interference, a great advantage for a fast long lasting fix!
I work as Kinesiologist and use much correction tools, from manual work, LLLT, ARP, but without the indications of muscle test I can work only with trial and error approach.
ART is a great tool, but there are much new ideas, theory, techniques can work better and faster.
We are too much anchored to structural work and western vision of acupuncture, stretching, EMS, all great therapies, devices, but there are others thing on the planet today, i.e. see the great work of J.Spencer DC, or the concept of energy medicine.
my2cent
I can see where you’re coming from but ART has helped me resolve a ton of issues that static stretching, MET, PNF, chiropractic, foam rolling, etc couldn’t address.
If there is something a lot better that works alot faster, I haven’t found it and would like to know about it.
ART is superior to MET, PNF, foam, because you work directly (with your hand) on soft tissues, but i.e. vibration + stretching in my opinion can give you much results in brief time without create other low grade inflammation.
What’s the point?
Fascial system is always seen from a mechanical point of view and not from an electric or biochemical point.
ART works on biomechanics, but you can have same or superior results with other approach (from another point of view).
I.e. I work with ARP and scar tissue melt in minutes.
Why scars disappear after few day in adductor and glutes when you reposition an anterior head of femur?
Scars disappear too when you work with ART, or ARP, or vibration machine or LLLT or enhance O2 and lymphatic drainage of the side of problem.
Keep in mind, I’m a big fan of ART and similar hands on work, but in my experience, when you have to work 3-4 time a day with a problem for a fast recovery, ART is non the best choice, healing is first neurological/energetic and then structural.
Thanks for the response. Are there any other good methods that don’t require the use of expensive equipment (ARP, lasers, vibration platforms)?
In USA some equipments are very expensive other cheap, in Italy or Europe you can find good laser under 1000 USD.
I.e. erchonia is a great laser, but you pay the brand, you can find same laser for half price or less.
Ditto for vibration device (not platform).
ARP is expensive, but you have probably one of the 2-3 best device in the world as therapy tools.
What are the other 1-2 Jami?
This is the best laser out there by far.
I have one and it’s been the best tool for my athletes. And no this isn’t a paid advertisement, I really believe in it.
Really good…there is a similar product, its name is Handy Cure (about 300 USD).
I’m working a lot with Kinesiotaping as supportive neuromuscular/drainage taping after therapy work or for recovery between therapy sessions.
What is the difference between the $300 handy cure and the almost $2000 TerraQuant portable? One of those situations where you’re paying for the name? And the difference between those and the elite models is just power, coverage area, and modes?
I have been treated by the Terraquant solo. It worked extremely well for me. I had a MD friend get me one from overseas and it $500 US. I would love to try ARP but don’t know of anyone around me(Detroit) who has one. You guys have been helpful in clearing questions I might have had. Thanks
So it looks like the TerraQuant Solo is the HandyCure at ~4x the cost? (in the US)
They are the same, change the brand, change the “case”, but have the same characterists/modes/power.
Don’t ask me why, I don’t know…