A muscle therapy used by mixed martial arts fighters and
triathletes is now being offered in Morgan Hill with the opening of
Active Spinal and Sports Care.
Morgan Hill – A muscle therapy used by mixed martial arts fighters and triathletes is now being offered in Morgan Hill with the opening of Active Spinal and Sports Care.
Owner Dr. Armen Agacanyan, who uses the active release technique to treat such conditions as tennis elbow, planter faciitis and back pain, said he is hoping to offer something more than just a crack of the back.
The technique is used to help muscles regain flexibility.
Agacanyan, who has been a chiropractor since 2003, said that wear-and-tear of the muscles produces scar tissue that makes them behave more like “a leather belt.”
“When soft tissue such as muscle is injured, or repeatedly used, microscopic tears develop,” Agacanyan said. “The muscle ‘gets sticky’ with scar tissue that the body lays down.”
As a result, Agacanyan said, parts of the muscle get “bound up” or “glued together”, which restricts blood flow and oxygen to the muscles.
The technique aims to break that scar tissue apart and restore flexibility and circulation to the affected muscles.
Agacanyan was introduced to the technique while attending school at Palmer West College of Chiropractic, which he began attending after graduating from Santa Clara University.
Agacanyan took over the Irwin Chiropractic practice July 5 and also opened another practice in San Jose.
He is splitting his time between the two offices – Monday, Tuesday and Thursday in Morgan Hill and Wednesday and Friday in San Jose.
Agacanyan moved to Morgan Hill two years ago while he was working for Janzen and Janzen Chiropractic in San Jose.
Opening a new office in Morgan Hill was a matter of simple logistics.
“I live three minutes away,” Agacanyan said.
But Agacanyan added that the Morgan Hill community lends itself well to his type of practice.
“Morgan Hill is an active community,” Agacanyan said.
We went on to say that no one else offers the technique in the area.
Agacanyan said his main goal is to help people get to the point where they are not completely reliant on him.
He said he offers “functional rehabilitation,” which helps treat people with the idea that they can learn how to treat themselves at home.
He said that he tries to teach people certain tricks, such as proper posture, that allows them to reduce chronic pain.
Active Spinal and Sports Care is located at 88 W. Second Street in downtown Morgan Hill.
Details: (408) 779-3565.
Cheeto Barrera is an intern for the Morgan Hill Times. He can be reached at cb******@*************es.com.
