Welcome — these are the questions patients ask us most often. If your question isn't answered here, give us a call at (704) 550-3233 or schedule a consultation.
About the Practice
What is Adhesion Release Methods (ARM)?
ARM is a six-step manual therapy system that identifies and treats adhesion — dense, fibrous soft tissue restriction that limits movement and can trap nerves. Each visit follows a test, treat, retest format so you can see measurable change in the room before you leave.
Who is a good fit for care at Resolve STS?
Patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain lasting six months or more who have already tried PT, chiropractic, injections, or surgery without lasting relief. We work best with people whose pain has a clear mechanical pattern — pain that's worse with certain movements, activities, or postures, or pain that comes back in recurring episodic patterns even after periods of feeling better. Most of our patients have already seen three or more providers.
Do you treat Emma's patients differently from Zac's?
The methodology is the same. Emma trained extensively under Zac in Adhesion Release Methods and follows the identical six-step protocol. New patients starting fresh with Resolve STS in 2026 will see Emma. Existing patients continue with Zac.
The Treatment Itself
Does adhesion show on MRI?
No. Adhesion is a soft tissue restriction that does not have the density contrast imaging is built to detect. Many of our patients have completely normal MRIs and significant adhesion driving their symptoms.
How is this different from physical therapy?
Most PT works on an insurance-based model where what gets done is heavily dictated by what insurance reimburses. PTs are running businesses, and that business model shapes treatment decisions — visit length, modality choice, what gets prioritized. This is an overgeneralization and there are many excellent PTs in the field, but most of the patients who find us have already cycled through the typical insurance-based PT model without lasting relief.
The other piece is that conventional PT tends to ignore tissue quality. It moves straight to strengthening and stretching to restore movement, without first addressing whether the soft tissue itself is capable of moving properly. If adhesion is restricting how a muscle or nerve glides, strengthening that system just adds force to a restricted structure. The exercise feels productive but the underlying problem doesn't change.
ARM addresses tissue quality first. We find and release the adhesion that's limiting how your tissue moves. Once the restriction is gone, strengthening and movement work becomes significantly more effective. Many patients benefit from doing our prescribed corrective exercises and no longer need PT intervention.
How is this different from chiropractic care?
Chiropractic adjustments restore joint motion. ARM addresses soft tissue restriction between, around, and through joints. Joints can move better after an adjustment while the surrounding adhesion stays unchanged — which is why symptoms often return after adjustments alone.
How is this different from massage?
Massage doesn't break down adhesion. Massage compresses tissue but can't break adhesion down. It moves fluid, reduces muscle tone, and helps with relaxation. Most patients feel better for a day or two after a massage and then the pain comes back — because the underlying restriction was never addressed.
ARM is much more specific and targeted, producing durable changes over a series of visits. We retest your movement after every treatment to verify the tissue actually changed. The results are structural rather than relaxation-based.
Is the treatment painful?
Most patients describe it as uncomfortable but tolerable. The discomfort is during treatment, not after. Pain levels are calibrated to what each patient can handle, and we adjust based on your feedback throughout.
Timeline and Expectations
How many visits will I need?
Typically 12 to 20 visits over three to four months. Frequency is usually twice a week for the first few weeks, then weekly, then a maintenance schedule. Complex or post-surgical cases run longer.
When will I feel better?
Most patients begin to feel noticeable improvement within 2 to 3 visits. The movement test we do at each visit improves before the pain fully resolves — that test improvement is the leading indicator that the underlying problem is changing.
What if I'm not seeing improvement?
We follow what we call the 5-Visit Rule. If we're not seeing measurable change in your movement tests by visit five, we tell you. We either change direction in treatment or honestly reassess whether ARM is the right approach for your case. We don't continue care that isn't working.
Do I need maintenance visits after treatment?
Many patients do, especially those with chronic patterns. Maintenance typically means one visit per month after the initial treatment plan resolves the primary issue. Adhesion can rebuild without it.
Conditions We Treat
What if I've had back surgery?
We treat post-surgical patients regularly. The surgery often did exactly what it was supposed to do structurally. But adhesion that was loading the spine before surgery is still there, and surgery itself adds new scar tissue. Addressing both is what produces lasting change.
Can you help with sciatica or nerve entrapment?
Yes — sciatica and nerve entrapment are among the most common conditions we treat. Adhesion in the piriformis, hamstrings, scalenes, and other nerve pathways can compress or restrict nerves even when imaging looks fine. Read more about how we approach sciatica.
Do you treat athletes?
Yes. Athletes often develop chronic soft tissue restriction from training loads. ARM can help with performance plateaus, recurring strain patterns, and post-injury issues that haven't responded to standard rehab.
Cost and Logistics
Do you accept insurance?
No. Insurance creates barriers to treatment, layering in administrative complexities that hinder recovery and add costs we'd pass on to patients. Cash-pay lets us deliver the kind of care chronic pain actually requires.
What forms of payment do you accept?
Cash, check, major credit cards, health savings accounts (HSA), and flexible spending accounts (FSA). Many of our patients use HSA/FSA funds successfully.
How much does treatment cost?
A 30-minute consultation is $75. Treatment session costs are discussed during your consultation and depend on case complexity. Total treatment cost for an average case runs into the low four figures over three to four months.
Do I need a referral?
No. We do not require a physician referral. You can book directly. Many of our patients come on referral from physicians, friends, or family, but a referral is not required to access care.
How do I reschedule or cancel?
Reschedule online through our Jane booking page, or call or text us at (704) 550-3233. Cancellations need at least 24 hours notice.
What should I wear?
For lower back, hip, knee, or foot/ankle treatments, please wear shorts. For shoulder or neck treatments, please wear a tank top. If you need to change, arrive 5 minutes early to use our space.
