Mountain Biking in Bend? Here’s How Active Release Technique Keeps You Riding Strong

Pedal Harder, Hurt Less

It’s no secret—Bend, Oregon is known as a premier mountain biking (MTB) destination. Our reputation isn’t a surprise, when we have Phil’s Trail, Wanoga, and Mrazek, just to name a few.

Mountain bikers in Bend (from beginners to elite) know MTB can take a toll. Quad fatigue, IT band tension, and hip and knee pain can quickly slow any biker down.

At Power Performance Chiropractic (PPC), mountain bikers and cyclists looking for the best recovery tools for MTB and functional recovery after trail riding in Bend have sought Active Release Technique (ART) therapy, a targeted soft tissue solution that keeps riders on the trail.

Keep reading for the science and success stories of ART therapy and sign up for our mailing list for more expert insights, recovery tips, and performance hacks straight from your trusted sports chiropractor in Bend.

Why Mountain Biking Beats You Up

Mountain biking is exhilarating, but it can take a serious toll on the body, especially on muscles, tendons, and connective tissue. Riders often experience common MTB-related soft tissue problems including quad tightness, IT band syndrome, low back stiffness, and wrist or forearm fatigue. 

These issues arise from the repetitive motions of pedaling, gripping, and navigating trails, as well as the prolonged flexed positions your body maintains on your bike and poor recovery. Over time, soft tissue can take a hit, compromising your ability to pedal harder.

Many riders find traditional stretching or foam rolling isn’t enough.

Standard recovery methods often don’t reach deep enough into the soft tissue. Without targeted intervention, discomfort can persist, worsen, or lead to compensatory injuries elsewhere.

How to recover from mountain biking soreness and prevent mountain bike knee pain requires sports chiropractic care for cyclists. By pairing appropriate soft tissue work, functional rehabilitation, and advanced therapeutic modalities, riders can reduce pain, improve circulation, and restore mobility, helping you stay on the trails longer and ride stronger.

What Is Active Release Technique (ART)?

Active Release Technique (ART) is a hands-on therapy that targets muscle adhesions and nerve entrapments that limit movement and cause pain. Unlike general massage, which primarily relaxes muscles, ART addresses soft tissue dysfunctions with intent, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves.

During an ART session, a certified practitioner first assesses the affected area to pinpoint and evaluate restricted tissue. With their hands, ART practitioners apply a combination of precise pressure and guided movement, moving the patient’s body through specific ranges of motion while working directly on the adhesion. This process helps with musculoskeletal disorders, overuse syndromes, chronic pain, and scar tissue.

What sets ART apart is its specificity and real-time results.

The practitioner can feel restrictions under their hands and adjust techniques accordingly, while the patient actively participates in the movement, ensuring that the release is effective and lasting. Many patients notice improvements immediately, whether it’s increased flexibility, reduced pain, or improved range of motion.

For mountain bikers, ART provides a targeted, results-driven approach that helps you recover faster and hit trails with more resilience and comfort.

How ART Helps Mountain Bikers Ride Longer & Recover Faster

Mountain biking is demanding on the body, and over time, repetitive motions, sustained postures, and trail impacts can lead to tension, soreness, and reduced performance. ART offers a targeted, hands-on approach to address these issues, helping riders move better, ride longer, and recover faster.

ART can aid in the recovery of quad tightness and forearm pain from mountain biking, hip mobility issues for mountain bikers, and IT band pain from cycling Bend, making the technique ideal for mountain bike injury recovery.

Specifically, ART helps with:

• Quad Relief: ART releases overused quads, restoring flexibility and improving pedaling power without discomfort.

• IT Band Tension: ART frees up lateral tension that causes knee/hip pain, enabling smoother, pain-free rides.

• Hip Mobility: ART improves range for more efficient climbing and cornering, allowing for more powerful, fluid movements on mountainous terrain.

• Forearm & Wrist Relief: ART helps with grip fatigue and “arm pump” caused by sustained grip and trail vibrations.

Beyond these benefits, ART reduces delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), allowing riders to tackle rides without lingering fatigue and enhances circulation and tissue hydration post-ride, speeding recovery.

For riders looking to enjoy longer, more adventurous rides with speedier, deeper recovery, ART is a game-changing tool that keeps the body ready for whatever trails are ahead.

ART at Power Performance Chiropractic: What to Expect

At PPC, an ART session begins with a thorough, movement-based assessment. Dr. Chandler, an ART-certified practitioner, evaluates your body for muscle adhesions and nerve entrapments that limit movement and cause pain.

During the session, Dr. Chandler applies precise, hands-on pressure to the affected tissue while guiding you through specific movements. This combination of pressure and motion allows adhesions to release effectively, improving flexibility, range of motion, and overall function. Targeted treatment comes with immediate feedback, right in Dr. Chandler’s office.

ART at PPC can also be paired with chiropractic adjustments or functional rehab as needed, creating a comprehensive approach that supports healing and enhances performance. Sessions are fully personalized, ensuring each patient receives the right combination of techniques for their needs.

PPC always strives to provide a personalized, effective, and results-driven treatment that gets you moving again—doing what you love, mountain biking included.

Why Choose PPC for Soft Tissue Therapy in Bend

PPC shines in Bend because of Dr. Chandler’s combination of expertise, technology, and personalized care.

Dr. Chandler’s extensive background in sports chiropractic equips him to treat athletes of all levels with precision and insight. With a deep-rooted passion for athletics, he is committed to helping all athletes enhance their performance—even mountain bikers—with first-rate, advanced treatments. His goal is to empower patients to move better, feel better, and achieve their highest potential.

At PPC, patients receive one-on-one care, with no rushed sessions. Every session is designed to address your specific issues, whether it’s chronic tension, injury recovery, or performance enhancement.

Unlike other clinics, PPC is the only practice in Bend that combines ART, chiropractic adjustments, Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training, and WinBack TECAR therapy for a complete recovery solution. This integrated approach makes sure all your concerns are addressed, all in one place.

Mountain biking is demanding—but you don’t have to live with the pain. We live in one of the best MTB spots in the world and you shouldn’t miss out on the thrills because of injury.

At PPC, we help mountain bikers and all athletes move better, recover faster, and stay pain-free all season long. ART is a proven, effective, and fast way to stay mobile, powerful, and consistent on the trail. Don’t wait until pain slows you down, schedule a proactive assessment today.

Visit your trusted Bend chiropractic clinic for expert athlete injury prevention.

Schedule your ART session at Power Performance Chiropractic in Bend