Running Shoe recommendations 2010

Every year the Postural Restoration Institute compiles a list of good running shoes. Here is the latest:

Copyright 2010 © Postural Restoration Institute™
RUNNING SHOES
PRI Recommendations: (in alphabetical order)
1. ASICS 2150 (S-M)
2. ASICS Cumulus (S-M)
3. ASICS Evolution (S-M-L)
4. ASICS Foundation (M-L)
5. BROOKS Defyance (S-M)
6. BROOKS Dyad (M)
7. BROOKS Glycerine (S-M)
8. NEW BALANCE 850 (M-L)
9. SAUCONY Echelon (M-L)
10. SAUCONY Stabil (L)
Underline = neutral shoe considerations for orthotics
Italics = light lateral calcaneal give
Qualities of a good shoe:
1. Solid heel counter
2. Excellent calcaneal support (no lateral heel give)
3. Patient can feel arches of shoe
Sign of a good shoe:
PRI tests are negative (pick a few):
Adduction drop, SLR and HGIR (frontal, sagittal, &
transverse planes)

If you are a runner and have questions, ask Jean, one of our Physical Therapists who  is  trained in Postural Restoration.

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categories general | April 26, 2010 | comments Comments (0)

Top Ten Recommendations for Runners

These Recommendations are reproduced from the website of the Postural Restoration Institute to celebrate springtime

Lori Thomsen, PT, PRC

Hruska Clinic – Restorative Physical Therapy Services

1. Keep your hamstrings strong, especially on the left. (4 & 5)

2. Avoid overstretching your hamstrings (90o straight leg raise at the hip with the

knee straight). Have the ability to stand and bend over and slightly touch toes

(palms to the floor is too much).

3. Occasionally walk slowly up the stairs backwards to keep your glutes

symmetrical. (1 & 4)

4. Properly stretch your Achilles tendon, your toes, and your low back.

a. Heel to floor in the squat position (8)

b. Ankle stretch with shoes on and knees bent (7)

c. Pull great toe up

5. Concentrate on striding out with your right leg and left arm when running. (6)

6. Try to find and feel your right arch when running to assist with shifting to the

left. (4)

7. Perform Standing Resisted Wall Reach to stretch your back, latissimus, and

pectoral musculature. (3 &

8. Stand and shift your body weight over your left leg regularly, keeping weight

shifted through you heel. (4)

9. Keep your left lower abdominals “alive” by performing sidelying activity. (2)

10. Wear correct footwear. Wear shoes that support your heels and that have good

arch supports. Avoid wearing flip flops, sandals and wearing shoes that are

untied during the running season.

Copyright © 2007 Postural Restoration Institute™

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New Introductory Postural Restoration Class Starting on April 26th

New Introductory Postural Restoration Class starts on Monday, April 26th at 6 pm to 7 pm. This is an 8 week series, beginning and ending with an objective assessment. It is taught by Susan Henning, PT, PRC.  Space is limited to at the most 8 people. It costs $120. Please call 932 7266 to register.

categories classes | April 15, 2010 | comments Comments (0)

Stroke Recovery Treatment

My stroke/brain injury was many years ago, can therapy still help me?

The 1990’s were “The Decade of the Brain”.  In the 90’s, there was more funding for brain research than at any other time in history.  What we learned, is that there is a use it or lose it phenomenon in the brain.  We also learned that the brain is capable of changing and adapting depending on the stresses or influences placed upon it.  What this means for you, is that regardless of when your stroke or brain injury occurred, it is still possible to make changes.  But once you start to make those changes, you will have to practice, practice, practice so that you can integrate what you are learning so it can become a part of you.

If your injury was a long time ago, you will have challenges to overcome.  If muscles and other soft tissue are tight and contracted or bones have changed shape, it may impact your ultimate outcomes.  From a movement perspective, while we may be able to make a change in the way that you move during your therapy session, carry over to your life outside of therapy will depend on how and how much you practice on your own.  This is true even if your injury was a short time ago.  But if you have been compensating with your less affected side, you will have to work hard to change habits and ways of moving that have been a part of you since your injury.  It will take discipline and dedication, but it can be done.

Katie Stephens,  PT, NCS

categories general | April 13, 2010 | comments Comments (0)

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is a case in point. It is so complicated, involving the pelvis, back, ribcage, breathing, etc, that it can serve as a  test for a good bio-mechanical understanding of the body.

I only know of two approaches that try to get to the causes of scoliosis, the Schroth Method and Postural Restoration. All other attempts deal  with the symptoms of scoliosis and they don’t need a thorough understanding of it.

Katharina Schroth suffered from scoliosis herself and she developed an exercise program based on her intuitive understanding of what helped. The Schroth Clinic in Germany, since the middle of the last century, has been very successful, even with older people with significant curves.

Postural Restoration provides a bio-mechanical understanding of the causes of scoliosis and the very precise exercises  are based on that understanding. The exercises help diminish the curvature, particularly among young adults or teenagers. The main difficulty is to get teenagers to do these exercises religiously on a daily basis.

The younger the people and the less pronounced the curve, the easier it is to re-balance the body and get rid of the curve. However, young teenagers are the hardest to motivate.

One of  our therapists, Susan Henning, is hoping for or dreaming of a regular screening  at schools for scoliosis, because the imbalances and the suffering that follows for a whole lifetime, could be avoided.

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categories general | April 8, 2010 | comments Comments (0)