Struggling with Low Back Pain?

How Active Release Technique (ART) Can Help You Move Better and Feel Stronger

Low back pain is one of the most common complaints among active individuals—and one of the most frustrating. Whether you’re an athlete, a weekend warrior, or someone just trying to get through the workday comfortably, chronic or acute low back pain can stop you in your tracks.

But there’s good news: you don’t have to rely on rest, pain meds, or temporary fixes to feel better. Active Release Technique (ART) is a powerful, hands-on treatment that targets the root cause of low back pain—helping you move better, perform stronger, and return to your active lifestyle, pain-free.

Why Low Back Pain Happens

Low back pain can be caused by a variety of factors, but it’s often linked to soft tissue dysfunction—tight or inflamed muscles, fascia, ligaments, or nerve entrapments in and around the lower back.


Common causes of low back pain include:

  • Prolonged sitting or poor posture
  • Lifting with poor technique
  • Repetitive movements or overtraining
  • Weak core or glute muscles
  • Muscle imbalances or tight hip flexors and hamstrings
  • Lumbar spine degeneration or disc irritation


The key is that many of these issues stem from tissue restriction and overuse patterns—and that’s exactly what ART is designed to treat.

What Is Active Release Technique (ART)?

Active Release Technique is a manual therapy that specifically targets tight, overused, and injured soft tissue. An ART-certified provider uses a combination of precise tension and guided movement to break up adhesions, restore normal function, and free up restricted nerves and muscles.


It’s not a massage. It’s not passive. It’s a strategic, active approach to resolving pain and dysfunction at the source.

How ART Helps with Low Back Pain

1. Releases Tight Muscles That Pull on the Spine

Tight muscles in the lumbar spine, hip flexors, glutes, hamstrings, and QL (quadratus lumborum) can restrict movement and compress the lower back. ART works to release these areas, restoring mobility and relieving pressure on the spine.

2. Breaks Up Scar Tissue and Adhesions

Overuse and past injuries can lead to micro-tears and scar tissue buildup, limiting flexibility and creating pain. ART breaks up these adhesions, allowing muscles to glide smoothly and reducing stiffness that contributes to low back strain.

3. Frees Entrapped Nerves

When nerves (like the sciatic or femoral nerve) get trapped by tight muscles or fascia, they can cause sharp, shooting pain or tingling down the leg. ART is highly effective at identifying and releasing these entrapments, restoring normal nerve function.

4. Improves Pelvic and Spinal Mechanics

Low back pain often involves poor hip and pelvic mobility. ART helps restore balance and alignment by treating not only the lower back, but surrounding structures like the hip flexors, piriformis, glute medius, and thoracolumbar fascia.


Better alignment = better movement = less pain.

5. Supports Long-Term Recovery and Performance

By restoring soft tissue health and correcting movement patterns, ART doesn’t just relieve pain—it helps optimize performance. Whether you're lifting weights, running, or playing a sport, ART can help you move more efficiently and avoid future flare-ups.

ART + Functional Rehab = Lasting Results

While ART is highly effective on its own, combining it with a targeted rehab program leads to even better outcomes. This might include:
Core strengthening

  • Hip and glute activation
  • Postural retraining
  • Mobility and stability drills


Together, ART and corrective exercise form a comprehensive strategy to get you out of pain—and keep you there.

Who Can Benefit from ART for Low Back Pain?

  • Athletes with recurring back tightness or strain
  • Lifters dealing with stiffness after deadlifts or squats
  • Runners with hip or lower back discomfort
  • Desk workers with posture-related pain
  • Anyone with chronic low back tension or poor mobility

Final Thoughts: Don’t Let Low Back Pain Limit You

Low back pain is incredibly common—but it doesn’t have to become your norm. Active Release Technique is a proven, effective way to target the true cause of your pain, restore normal function, and help you return to your sport, your workouts, or your daily life—stronger than before.