Uncategorized - Advanced Motion Physical Therapy

What: Come in shorts and walking shoes ready for a 1.3 mile walk with 3 learning stations and the finish line at the recreation center. Learn what benefits are gained from walking, what shoes should I buy, how hard do I need to walk and how often should I walk.

How: As you walk towards the health fair you will have 4 information booths; 1) Magna Water: stay hydrated and learn about shoe wear, 2) AMPT: How do I find my target heart rate and determine how fast I should walk, 3) AMPT: What stretches are needed to keep me walking healthy, and 4) AMPT at the finish: What benefits do I gain from walking and free T-shirts for the first 75 walkers.

Stay at the Recreation Center from 9:00am to 1:00pm for the 10^th Annual Magna Healthy Community Fair

Februaryis upon us, and this year has been great for getting out and walking. We are trying to work on a partnership between our clinic and the Magna Health Fair to sponsor a walk in May. So this particular healthy tip is slightly early but helpful in reminding us all to get healthy.

The Benefits of 30 Minutes or More of Daily Brisk Walking

Benefits

Please join a monthly healthy tip on our website at www.advancedmotionpt.com and tell your friends to “like” us on Facebook to receive healthy tips through the year.

A New Year means resolutions. Mine begins with at least a monthly note for healthy living sent to all our Facebook friends. So far this winter has not brought much snow; but we all know that it is right around the corner. Dan and I see a fair amount of back pain from snow shoveling, especially on those wet snow days. I thought it would be great to review some basics of back care to save some of you the pain that comes with improper movement patterns.

The information I have used is referenced by the APTA association.

Snow shoveling is a repetitive activity that can cause muscle strain to the lower back and shoulders. Follow these tips to avoid injury:

Lift smaller loads of snow, rather than heavy shovelfuls. Be sure to take care to bend your hips and knees rather than your back.
Use a shovel with a shaft that lets you keep your back straight while lifting. A short shaft will cause you to bend more to lift the load. Using a shovel that’s too long makes the weight heavier at the end. Step in the direction in which you are throwing the snow to prevent the low back from twisting. This will help prevent “next day fatigue.”
Avoid twisting because the spine cannot tolerate twisting as well as it can tolerate other movements. Keep your back straight and try and rotate through the hips to avoid back strain.
Take frequent breaks when shoveling. Stand up straight and walk around periodically to extend your back.
Backward bending exercises while standing will help reverse the excessive forward bending of shoveling: stand straight and tall, place your hands toward the back of your hips, and bend backwards slightly for several seconds.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing back pain, come in and see us at Advanced Motion Physical Therapy. We can help you regain your mobility and your life.

Remember this information is not meant to take place of medical treatment. Consult your doctor or physical therapist if needed.

Have a Healthy New Year and tell your friends to “like” us on Facebook to receive healthy tips through the year.

Lance Dougher DPT, MTC

For weekend bicycle enthusiasts and competitive Tour riders alike, the risk of a bicycle-related injury may increase with an ill-fitting bicycle, says the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

According to APTA member Erik Moen, PT, CSCS, “Good bike fit promotes good posture with muscles and joints working in harmony. If this doesn’t exist, riders will likely experience pain and be predisposed to injury.” Moen, an “Elite-level” coach through the United States Cycling Federation and director of physical therapy at PRO Sports Club Seattle, says, “The first thing I ask any patient complaining of bicycling-related pain is to bring the bicycle in to check for a proper fit. In most instances, a poor bike fit is at the root of the problem.”

Only 1 percent ofAmerica’s cyclists are elite racers, Moen notes, so the majority of his patients are recreational cyclists. But he says that the same advice holds true for everyone. “It doesn’t matter if you’re Lance Armstrong preparing for an unprecedented sixth Tour victory, an athlete training for the upcoming Olympic Games in Athens, or a leisure cyclist, bicycle-fit is an individual matter that reflects a person’s coordination, flexibility, strength, and skeletal parameters.” He adds, “A properly fitted bicycle should allow the rider to maintain common riding positions with an acceptable level of comfort and the greatest pedaling economy.”

Moen, who races on the road and in an indoor cycling arena called a velodrome, says that the most common bike fit errors include excessive saddle height (high and low), excessive handlebar reach (long and short), and misalignments of the pedal and shoe. He recommends that cyclists do the following to ensure that they have proper bike fit:

Be sure that the saddle is level for endurance and recreational riding. If you are sliding too far forward from a forward-tilting saddle, too much weight is being placed on your arms and back. If the seat is tilted backwards, posture will be compromised and you may place undue strain on your lower back and possibly experience saddle-related pain.

The location of handlebars will be determined by a person’s height, strength, coordination, and functional goals. Higher handlebars will have you put more weight on the saddle. Generally, taller riders should have lower handlebars in relation to the height of the saddle. If handlebars are too far forward, you’ll be putting strain on your back.

Moen notes that riders should re-examine their bicycle fit after bad falls or crashes, due to possible re-orientation of handlebars, brakehoods, cleats, or the saddle.

Equally important to proper bike fit is a rider’s physical condition, observes Moen. “Good flexibility of the hamstrings, quadriceps, and gluteal muscles is crucial because these muscles generate the majority of the pedaling force and must move through the pedal-stroke in an ideal 80-90 revolutions per minute.” He adds, “Proper stretching, balance, and flexibility exercises help with coordination of cycling-related skills such as breaking and cornering.” Moen also cautions that changes in riders’ strength and flexibility affect the ability to attain certain positions on the bicycle and may also require them to re-examine their bike fit.

Moen also points out there are bicycle accessories on the market, such as softer handlebar tape, shock absorbers for the seat post and front fork, cut-out saddles, and wider tires, that help to bring comfort to the sport.

“Cycling should be about enjoyment, not pain,” concludes Moen. “Proper bicycle fit will minimize discomfort and possible overuse injury, maximize economy, and ensure safe bicycle operation. Proper bicycle fit will make your ride a lot more pleasurable.”

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is a national professional organization representing nearly 65,000 members. Its goal is to foster advancements in physical therapy practice, research, and education. For more information about APTA and physical therapy, please visit www.apta.org.

AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION’S TIPS
FOR AVOIDING BIKE-FIT RELATED INJURIES

“We believe that staying on top of cutting edge education is part of our responsibility to help our patients. Both myself (meet lance)and Dan (meet Dan) have finished attending the following course.

Robert C Manske PT,DPT, MEd, SCS, ATC, CSCS from Witchita State, who will be doing a lecture on the knee, “Advances in Examination and Treatment of Orthopedic and Sports Related Knee Injuries: With Additional Focus on the Patellofemoral Joint. An Evidence Based-Course.”

This course provided updates for surgical and non-surgical examination and treatments for knee conditions. Updates on meniscus, collateral ligament, ACL ligament, muscular coordination, patellofemoral, many other conditions were reviewed.”

Over the past several year one question that is constantly asked is how to choose the right shoe. Whether you are preparing for the Boston Marathon, Salt Lake Marathon, or just a casual neighborhood run your choice of shoes will make a big difference.

In determining how to choose a shoe, your choice of shoes can make the difference between having a good or bad experience, functioning in comfort or pain, and, most importantly, whether you stay healthy or get injured.

Every foot is different, so the first step in buying a good running shoe is to examine your foot to determine what characteristics you want in a running shoe. You need to determine your degree of pronation. If you tend to over pronate, your foot turns in, you will have flat arches and the soles of your shoes will show more wear on the inside edge. If you under-pronate, your foot turns toward the outside, you will have high arches and the soles of your shoes will show more wear on the outside edge. If you do not either under or over pronate you will have normal arches and the soles of your shoes will show equal wear on both the inside and outside edge. An easy way to determine your degree of pronation and your arch type is to take the “wet foot test”.

Pronation is the rolling of the foot from heel to toe through the foot strike. A proper or neutral pronation is hitting the outside of the heel and up to ball of your foot evenly across the front. This is how your footreduces the stress of impact.

Underpronation is not enough evening out so the outside of your foot takes most of the shock instead of finishing in the neutral position.

Overpronation is too much roll across from the outside to the inside of your foot.

To determine your level of pronation, look at your shoes you walk or run in. Most everyone will begin on the outside of the heel, the real indicator would be the wear on the forefoot.

Another method of determining pronation and, ultimately, foot type is by checking your arch height. The easiest way to figure out your arch height is by using the Wet Test. To take the test, wet the bottom of each footand stand normally on a paper bag. After a minute or so, step off and observe the imprint left by your foot. (Trace the outline with a pencil if you want to look at it later.)

There’s a distinct curve along the inside of your foot with a band a little less than half the width of your foot connecting the heel and toe. (Choose Stability Running Shoes)

There’s not much of a curve along the inside of your foot and your imprint shows almost the entire foot. People with low arches are more likely to overpronate (roll too far inward), which can lead to overuse injuries. (Choose Motion-Control Running Shoes)

There’s a very sharp curve along the inside of your foot and your imprint shows a very thin band between your heel and toe. People with high arches typically don’t pronate enough. (Choose Cushioned Running Shoes)

Once you have determined the unique characteristics of your foot, you will know what features to look for in a running shoe. Three main features to examine are the amount of cushioning, the degree of stability and the amount of motion control. If you have a high arch (you over-pronate) you will want to look for a shoe with more cushioning. If you have a moderately flat arch, you will want to look for a shoe with more stability. If you have severely flat arches (meaning you are severely over-pronating, then you want to look for a shoe with good motion control. If you have normal arches, you will want to look at shoes in terms of the amount of cushioning and/or stability. See the buying guides in the resources listed below to get more guidance on examining a potential shoe for these features.

Now that you’ve determined your foot type and degree of pronation, one other important characteristic you’ll need to look for is shoe shape. You can see the shape most clearly by looking at the bottom of the shoe.

Typically, running shoes come in three shapes (straight, semi-curved and curved) which correspond to the three types of prints revealed by the wet test. Most experts believe that:

If you have flat feet and overpronate, choose a Motion-Control running shoe. Motion control shoes prevent your foot from rolling in too far, have a straight shape that gives maximum support to your foot and are the most rigid, control-oriented running shoes.

If you have high-arched feet and underpronate, you should choose a Cushioned running shoe. Cushioned shoes allow your feet to roll inward (absorbing shock), have a curved shape to encourage foot motion and have the softest midsole with the least medial support.

If you have normal arches and pronate normally, choose a Stability running shoe. Stability shoes offer a good blend of cushioning, medial support and durability. They often have a semi-curved shape and don’t control foot motion as strictly as motion-control shoes.

Make sure you are buying a properly fitting shoe. There should be a thumb’s-width of space between the end of your toe and the tip of the shoe. There should be enough room in the toe box to wiggle your toes. Buy good, moisture wicking socks, and be sure that you are wearing the socks you will normally wear when you try on your shoes. Walk around the store a bit to make sure the shoes are comfortable. If you need help determining your proper size or a proper fit, go to a store that still has trained shoe-salesmen that wait on you and size your foot. These are not as common as they once were, and you may have to go to a store that specializes in foot orthotics to find this type of service. They will of course want to sell you their most expensive prodouct, which is a custom orthotic, but that doesn’t mean you have to buy them! These stores also sell upper-end shoes as well.

A proper fit is THE most important step in finding the right running shoe. A shoe that fits will be snug but not tight. A common mistake that’s a killer is to buy shoes that are too small.

Consider buying two pairs of shoes and rotating then to avoid undue wear or irritation. Replace them when the soles start to look worn.

Once you’ve found a running shoe that works for you, stick with it. New models are tempting but the right running shoes will help you avoid injury.

If you know which running shoes are right for you and are ready to shop online, take a look at the following running shoe merchant.


Right Foot	Severe Overpronation: The outside of the heel strikes the ground first and the foot rolls inward excessively which means the foot and ankle cannot properly stabilize the body.The best running shoes for moderate to severe Overpronators are *Stability* shoes or *Motion Control* shoes depending on the severity of overpronation.
Right Foot	Mild Overpronation: The outside of the heel strikes the ground first and the foot rolls inward slightly absorbing the shock more effectively which allows the foot and ankle to properly support the body. This is the most common foot type.The best running shoes for Mild Overpronators are *Stability* shoes.
Right Foot	Neutral: The middle to slightly outward part of the heel strikes the ground first and the foot rolls inward slightly absorbing the shock more effectively which allows the foot and ankle to properly support the body.The best running shoes for Neutral runners are *Neutral Cushioning* shoes for feet that are more rigid.
Right Foot	Supination: The outside of the heel strikes the ground first but the foot does not roll inward during the gait cycle. Instead it stays on the outside causing the impact to be concentrated on a smaller portion on the lateral side of the foot.The best running shoes for Supinators are more flexible *Neutral Cushioning* shoes.