WHEN you were younger, you probably secretly wished for a symptom‑free fever or sprained ankle so you could stay home from school. Today, the very thought of a sports injury drives most fitness fanatics into a frenzy. It isn't fun being sidelined.

IFBB fitness professional Kelly Ryan found this out firsthand. Last February, Ryan was training for the Arnold Classic following an impressive showing at the Ms, Fitness Olympia. If that wasn't enough, she was also trying to get a new home in shape since she had recently moved to Las Vegas. Choreographing and practicing a new routine coupled with the stress of her cross‑country move caused Kelly to injure her leg in a way that made it impossible to lift it, much less train four hours each day.

It was almost serendipitous, then, that she met Dr. Jon Petrick, a 30‑year‑old chiropractor who also specializes in a new, patented soft tissue therapy called Active Release Techniques, or ART. "I had always gotten chiropractic work and basic massage, but nothing prepared me for the treatment with

ART," says Ryan. "When I got introduced to ART I knew immediately that this was the path I needed to follow."

ground work

ART was developed and patented by Dr, Michael Leahy, a chiropractor who also­ had ‑a background in weight training. Although it looks a little like massage and has elements of physical therapy, ART is completely different. It works by breaking up scar tissue that binds muscle fibers together to create pain, swelling and reduced movement.

"Think about your muscles as a paint brush. If you have scar tissue or thickening of the muscle it's like someone's left that brush with paint in it," says Dr. Petrick, who treats Kelly Ryan. "The bristles ‑ your muscles ‑ start to stick together. When muscle fibers stick together they lose their ability to utilize and maintain correct levels of oxygen and nutrients. The muscle just locks up."

ART professionals can break up the scar tissue by separating it from healthy muscle fibers using their hands and fingers. During a

"Dr. Petrick isn't a whack‑and‑crack doctor. If he doesn't reed to see you he doesn't want to see you," says Ryan. 'ART isn't about being totally dependent on a doctor's care. It's about living a pain‑free life,"

The best part? ART can be used for almost any soft tissue injury with a surprising amount of success. "ART is used to treat problems with muscles, nerves, tendons and fascia, As you might guess this includes hundreds of different conditions like whiplash, carpal tunnel and back pain," says Dr Leahy. "It works by changing the basic structure of the soft tissues and establishing proper motion and tension between soft tissues."

In Kelly Ryan's case, Dr. Petrick used ART on her hips, lower back and legs. Within six weeks, she was back on the stage competing. "ART is the fastest turn‑around I've ever had, " says Ryan. "This has been the best thing I've ever done

Ryan isn't alone, Today, thousands of fitness professionals including runners, weight lifters, soccer players and football players are visiting more than 2,000 ART providers in North America. The trend started in the upper echelons ‑ several National Football League teams have ART providers on staff and ART is also practiced at the Olympics and the Ironman Triathlon ‑ and is used in every major sport now,

"There are many ART providers with professional team contracts. It has gotten to the point that, in some sports, the only provider the athlete wants is an ART provider," says Dr. Leahy. "As [Oakland Raiders] linebacker Bill Romanowski put it, 'ART gives the best bang for the buck and if I had to choose one thing to keep me performing well it would be ART'"

Regular couch potatoes are also becoming converts, using ART to treat repetitive strain and stress injuries, leftover pain from car accidents and chronic back pain.

Although there isn't a lot of medical research out there supporting Dr. Leahy's claims, there have been a few studies that point to its effectiveness. Dr. Vert Mooney, MID, a clinical professor of orthopedics at the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine published a research paper In 1999 that says ART is more effective for soft tissue Injuries than other modes of treatment

"We compared ART with massage and physical therapy on upper extremity overuse injuries such as carpel tunnel and tennis elbow," says Dr. Mooney. "Those patients with active release did significantly better ‑60 to 70 percent better," he says.

ART providers report even better results  Dr. Durlan Castro, an ART practitioner and Instructor from Massapequa Park, New York, says he sees immediate improvement 90 percent of the time Dr. Petrick reports similar results "It's taken my [chiropractic] practice from 50 to 60 percent success rate to 80 or 90 percent success rate,” he says.

A six‑month‑old rotator cuff injury‑ and his assignment brought me into the office of Dr. Dorian Castro, a chiropractor and Active Release Techniques provider in Massapequa Park, New York. I looked at the experience as kismet.

I was training for my black belt test and my injury, which first reared its ugly head during a hook punching drill, was flaring up. With the test only weeks away, I was desperate to try anything.

I was startled when I first walked into Dr. Castro's office. I noticed immediately that my athletic body‑ I work out about 90 minutes a day and teach yoga twice a week ‑ was by no means an exception. Everyone in the waiting room fell into the super‑athletic category. In fact, everyone except myself and a slightly overweight gentleman was a bodybuilder, fitness professional or team sport Participant. And everyone was extremely enthusiastic about ART treatment. 'It's such a great way to deal with injuries. You're feeling immediate relief and you can go right back to competing," explained bodybuilder Dave Palumbo, who placed third at the National Physique Committee (NPC) USA Championships in July.

This can't be that bad, I mused to myself. The wait wasn't that bad, either. After 10 minutes, during which time I filled out a questionnaire about my medical history and specific problem that brought me in, I was whisked into a bright, friendly room by the doctor. Still skeptical, I asked Dr. Castro the million dollar question: 'Can you really get rid of this injury in a week or so?"

According to Dr. Castro, he could. We discussed my injury and its symptoms ‑ pain, limited range of motion and a tendency for my shoulder to pop out. After chatting for another five minutes, the doctor had me lie facedown on the table so he could palpate my shoulder and feel the condition of my rotator cuff muscles. "There's definitely a thickness in the muscle and a tightness," he explained "We can fix this."

The treatment took all of 10 minutes. I felt Dr. Castro pressing and holding the back of my shoulder is lie directed me to move my arm retailing it forward and LIP As I moved, I could feel him holding on to an area that felt tight and painful When he let do of my arm at [lie top of the range, I felt a release. He repeated the exercise  four times, each time zoning in on another painful adhesion point ‑ an area of scar tissue that keeps the muscle from moving freely

When he was done, he took my hand, helping me to sit up. When he grabbed my hand, I winced Earlier in the week I bent my thumb back while holding a kicking shield in karate class. "We can fix this, too," he said And he (III, doing through the same grabbing, holding and releasing procedure. Since this injury was only a few (Jays old, the process was fairly painful. Very painful, actually. Still, when Dr. Castro was done, pain relief was as immediate. My shoulder felt like it was floating in its socket. In fact, it felt looser than

it had in months It was so relaxed it actually felt slightly ticklish In addition, my finger, hand and wrist weren't throbbing anymore. I almost wanted to laugh out loud. I left the office that day with almost full range of ‑‑‑ ‑ my shoulder and significantly I‑, pain III my hand

I saw Dr. Castro twice more for my injuries. Each time, I gained a little more motion in my shoulder and lost a little of the pain that had been plaguing me.

Although I am usually very skeptical about new treatments, after spending time in Dr. Castro's office I can honestly say I'm a convert. I liked his approach and the  fact that he will send a patient out of his office to a more conventional  provider such as an orthopedic surgeon if he suspects a tear or break. I also liked that after four visits he protrounced me cured. Most importantly, I liked that I have my hook punch back, right in time for my black belt test. ‑ KJB

critics circle

Still, some doctors and chiropractors are skeptical about the treatment and certification. There are four ratings that a provider can attain, level one through four. Providers pay up to S2,000 for a three‑day course that only certifies them for one extremity at a time and Level 3 providers can spend up to $20,000 on an education that takes place in a hotel. In addition, other critics blast the fact that people who aren't doctors take the courses, Massage therapists, physical therapists exercise physiologists and athletic trainers can be certified.

But people who have been treated by ART say providers are helping those who might not have other pain management or treatment options other than Surgery, which often doesn’t work.

"ART is an aggressive form of therapy." says Ryan "ART providers understand how the body works. You walk out of the sessions feeling immediate relief."

To reach Dr Petricks's pain relief center call 702‑948‑2520 or email him at. doctorpetrick@yahoo.com