PEAK Physical Therapy presents Runners Corner Q&A with Tony Harden, PT

Q - What's new in the PEAK PT world with helping runners stay healthy?

A - ASTYM and Power Plate.  The combination of ASTYM (soft tissue mobilization) and Power Plate (stretching and strengthening) for ITB, Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles Tendonitis and Anterior knee pain has been a great tool in battling these nagging runners conditions.
We call it SCRAPE - RATTLE AND ROLL! 
Meaning ASTYM, Power Plate and keep you running.
(click on the links on the left for more detail on both).

Q - What's the biggest mistake you see runners making in dealing with their injuries?
A -

• If an injury is more than 6 weeks old and keeps reoccuring it is not a tendonitis but a tendonosis.  These do not respond to rest and ice RICE, but rather need more active care such as ASTYM, stretching, muscle reeducation.
• Many causes of injuries are actually 1 - 2 joints away.  Meaning if I am having foot pain, my hip may be the cause and not the foot itself and vice versa. 
• We see many times the over correcting of the foot problems with hard and expensive custom orthotics or an orthotic that is not matched with the proper shoe.
• Most female knee and foot pain is due to poor lateral hip and glute strength.
• Most male foot and ankle pain is secondary to poor proximal hip flexibility and poor rear foot function with eversion.

Q - When cross training what gym exercises should runners AVOID
A - MACHINES, MACHINES, MACHINES!  Knee extension machines, HS machines, hip abduction machines, hip adduction machines.  These give the muscle the wrong input as to what you are trying to tell them to do during running. 
For the more technical runners: The machines are training the muscle concentrically not eccentrically and in an open chained environment.  Running is primarily an eccentric activity in a closed chain environment.

If you have further questions please contact Tony Harden, PT
at tony@peakptaz.com

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