Running Skills: A Talent Or Ability That Comes From Training And Practice - By AJ Sobrilsky & Jason Lunden

By AJ Sobrilsky
aj@excelptmt.com

Who’s ever picked up a golf club and tried to knock it stiff from 130 yards out? That’s a tough feat to accomplish; a skill one might say. In fact, I’d argue that consistently hitting a golf ball where you want it to go and how you want it to look is one of the most difficult skills to develop.

That’s probably why most professional golfers, and high caliber athletes across the sports world, spend more time practicing and developing the skills of their specific sport than they do truly competing and playing. In fact, in David Epstein’s book “The Sports Gene,” there is a lot of discussion about practice, talent, and the genetics surrounding athletic performance. This is a highly recommend read or listen to if you’re looking for a good new book and it might help us all understand a little better our true capabilities and athletic realities (He also has a lot of podcasts as well as a Ted talk. Click here to listen.

In the running world, there are those few individuals born with a unique physiological make up and a somewhat specific set of anatomical ingredients that lend them performance capabilities. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t specific contributors to performance and skill development that can’t be modified, practiced, and fine-tuned to become your own best version of yourself. Sure the best runners are the ones spending a lot of time running and logging a lot of miles. Which leads a lot of us to come to the conclusion that in order to be our own best we need to run a lot. While increasing volume will improve your economy and times to some degree, it’s ultimately not the best solution.

The old fallacy of more is better doesn’t hold true, at least not always. We can put time and effort into developing a bigger engine (cardio system, stronger muscles, more resilient mental game), but if we can’t control that engine and the forces it’s willing to produce, it’s useless. For instance, it’d be a bad idea to strap a jet engine onto a paper airplane or try to shoot a cannonball from a canoe. We need the right structure, skillset, and control to put these ingredients and tools to effective use.

What do the best athletes in the world have in common (beyond the best genes)? They train, refine, retool, and practice the skills required for their specific activity. Unlike a lot of other sports, running doesn’t have a whole lot of diverse movements like soccer or climbing. This ultimately confines our exposure to different movements and limits our breadth of exposure and adaptability to forces outside the confines of the running gait. On the other side it also means we have a pretty consistent recipe or set of instructions for developing the best gait pattern and running movement strategy (all relatively dependent on our own unique set of factors).

Jay Dicharry, a leading physical therapist and biomechanics researcher, delivers this message well when he says, “There are a lot of things that all runners of all abilities should be doing outside running to improve their running. If you want to run better, you need to move better”. Essentially that the winner isn’t always the one who stacks up the most Strava KOM/QOM’s but rather the ones who have put time into developing and practicing the essential movement skills; allowing them to avoid injuries and ultimately providing optimal consistency in training. 

Running is essentially a fluid series of single leg jumps. The ability to produce enough force to drive your leg into the ground and propel yourself up and forward. To then coordinate the appropriate movements in the flight phase (while you’re going from step to step) in preparation for landing. And to then absorb 2-3 times your body’s weight through one leg, restoring that energy, and preparing to do it all over again in less than 0.4 seconds for each and every step throughout the duration of the run. 

So yes, running is a skill. What can you do to move better and become a more skilled runner?

Before we dive into the specifics on the ingredients and tools required to address the skills of running, here are a few key essential components to practice during your next few runs:

Don’t Overstride: A lot of runners make the mistake of overstriding: putting their foot out too far in front of their center of mass. When a runner overstrides or reach, they increase their braking impulse and essentially slow themselves down with each strike. This is an inefficient way to run and significantly increases the amount of impact your body has to absorb. Therefore, overstriding can often lead to injury.  To avoid overstriding, avoid reaching your leg forward and try to strike just in front of your center of mass.

Cadence: Cadence is the number of steps you take while running. A slower cadence (or taking fewer steps per run) can be indicative of overstriding. Therefore, working on your cadence can be one way to improve your efficiency and reduce overstriding. Every runner will have a different cadence, but in general efficient runners run with a cadence between 176-188 steps/min. To work on your cadence, use a metronome app or setting on your watch and try and time your foot strikes to the beat of a metronome for 2-3 minutes. Then relax into your run for 2-3 minutes. Repeat 3-5x throughout your run.  Remember this is a drill to improve skill, so use it as a drill and don’t perform with every run or for your entire run.

Try not to bounce:  Much like overstriding, a bouncy gait is inefficient and can lead to injury. If you have a bouncy run, you are wasting energy pushing up rather than pushing forward. This also means your mass is landing from a higher height, increasing impact.  To avoid a bouncy gait, drive your leg back pushing you forward and not up. Centering your gaze on a landmark ahead of you and as you run try and keep the landmark as still as possible .

Drive from the hip and push from the ankle: The gluteus maximus is the biggest muscle in the human body. This is a big ingredient in the recipe to effectively and efficiently drive us forward with each step.  Sometimes runners rely too much on their calves and quads to propel them. This typically leads to overstriding and the bouncy gait described earlier. Therefore maximize your running efficiency by driving from the hip using the gluteus maximus; making sure not to arch at the lower back. Practice striding by driving/pushing from the glutes while stabilizing through your core to avoid your back from arching.

Here at Excel PT, Our running physical therapist team works with runners every day in our Running Clinic. It’s like a specialized clinic within a clinic. We’re here to help you develop these strategies to help improve your running skills and performance as well as help you prevent injury.

AJ Sobrilsky, DPT, OCS is a Physical Therapist and Orthopedic Clinical Specialist in our Bozeman clinic. AJ specializes in the rehabilitation and prevention of orthopedic sports related injuries with a specific interest in the management of those involving the upper and lower extremities. AJ has been a lifelong athlete, competing in cross-country and track through college and then racing competitively post collegiately. As a result of his personal experiences and passions, AJ has focused his continued education and clinical development around the athletic individual with an emphasis in: running, skiing, and climbing related injuries. AJ has had the opportunity to provide care for an array of athletic populations including youth sports teams, high school and collegiate athletes, and those competing at professional and Olympic levels.

Jason Lunden, DPT, SCS specializes in the rehabilitation and prevention of sports-related injuries, with a particular interest in the biomechanics of sporting activities – running, cycling, skiing, snowboarding and overhead athletics in our Bozeman clinic. Jason is a Specialist in Sports Physical Therapy and serves as a physical therapist for the US Snowboarding and US Freeskiing teams, along with the US Paralympic Nordic Ski Team, and is a local and national presenter on sports rehabilitation and injury prevention topics. Jason is a Certified Clinical BikeFit Pro Fitter and co-owner of Excel Physical Therapy.

Our COVID-19 policies • In-clinic & Telehealth appointments available

By Tiffany Coletta
tiffany@excelptmt.com

However you need us, we are here.

Whether by in-clinic or telehealth appointment, phone or email, your Excel physical therapist is ready to help you. We realize there is a spectrum of how people feel during this moment. For those that feel comfortable to attend in-clinic appointments, we are seeing patients given certain restrictions (see below). And for those that who don’t feel comfortable to do that, we have telehealth appointments available for you from wherever you are. Excel Massage is open with the same precautions in place and you may schedule appointments in our Bozeman clinic here.

Our leadership has put consistent and specific safety precautions in place in our clinics for you and our staff. We will continue to implement safety precautions as best practices and guidelines emerge.

Whether you are in pain and want a non-medication, long-term solution, or an athlete who desires returning to your sport stronger and better equipped, Excel Physical Therapy’s highly trained practitioners and advanced therapy philosophies can help you.

The value of team.
Our team specializes in specific body areas and treatment disciplines to provide you with the best care outcomes available in the Gallatin Valley. To do this, Excel Physical Therapy intentionally invests in nationally recognized advanced training and holds weekly sessions amongst our physical and massage therapy team members to exchange specialized knowledge. This collaboration allows us to utilize evidence-based progressive treatments to better reunite you with pain-free comfort, functionality, and performance.

Next year, Excel Physical Therapy will be celebrating two decades serving the Gallatin Valley. Over the years, we’ve achieved and fine tuned an expansive and innovative expertise that allows us to lead patients in a consistent, dedicated and trusted manner.

To our community, thank you for being the best part of Excel Physical Therapy. However you need us, we are here for you.

Our Bozeman and Manhattan clinic COVID-19 Precautions for us all to stay safe and healthy.

Thank you for your patience and accommodation with these polices.

We are:

Suggesting all patients wear a face covering when attending in-clinic appointments. Here’s some CDC mask handling t ips.
Wearing face coverings as staff members each day.
Disinfecting patient, therapist and staff contact surfaces vigilantly on an hourly basis and after each patient interaction.
Screening patients regarding any illness symptoms and travel. We ask our screening questions when scheduling appointments on the phone and as soon as you arrive for your in-clinic appointment.
Asking anyone who’s returned to Gallatin Valley after travel outside Montana to self-isolate for 14 days before attending in-clinic appointments.
Checking patient temperatures before each in-clinic appointment at check in.
Checking staff temperatures before each shift.
Not allowing any individuals to enter our clinic with ANY illness type symptoms or symptoms of COVID-19.
Having our patients and therapists wash their hands thoroughly before and after each visit.
Following social distancing guidelines in the clinic.
Not allowing visitors to attend in-clinic appointments with each patient (unless the patient is a minor, then only one parent/guardian please).

Please let us know if you have any concerns or questions as we all proceed together through Governor Bullock’s phased reopening of Montana. Your feedback and suggestions are welcome and appreciated. Please direct your inquiries and comments to i nfo@excelptmt.com.

✶ In-Clinic Appointments available at our Bozeman and Manhattan clinics.
✶ Telehealth Appointments available to you from where ever you are with all of our Physical Therapy providers.
✶ Massage Appointments available at our Bozeman clinic with James Beaudry, LMT. Brittnee Harper, LMT is back in the clinic July 1st, 2020.

Schedule Massage Online 》

Subscribe to our new Youtube channel. Help us share our channel with your tribe ➛

See what our team has been doing to help near and far during quarantine. Climbing and running injury prevention videos are available from our speciality pt teams.

We’re also sharing our running injury prevention talks done in our Bozeman clinic that would have been held at Uphill Pursuits during recent quarantine months. We’ll be sharing more episodes soon. We also hear a Bike Fitting video is rolling soon 🙂
#supportlocal #excelptmt

Tour the latest Blog articles written by Bozeman clinic’s AJ Sobrilsky, DPT, OCS and Manhattan clinic’s Megan Kemp, DPT, ATC, CSCS:

》Treating Chronic Pain by Megan Kemp, DPT, ATC, CSCS
》The Balancing Act of Avoiding Running Injuries by AJ Sobrilsky, DPT, OCS
》The Answer Is Load, What’s The Question? by AJ Sobrilsky, DPT, OCS
》click for more articles on more topics

★★★★★
Recent Google Feedback:
“I have been working with AJ Sobrilsky for several months prehabbing before knee surgery. He and the entire support staff at Excel are kind, friendly and easy to work with, and I have been beyond pleased with my progress. AJ does a great job of balancing proper care with the right amount of pushing my limits so that pre-surgery I was back on (easy) hiking trails and road biking at normal spring levels.

Excel has been great at keeping everyone safe during this pandemic and I’ve never felt unsafe or worried about cross-contamination in their facility as I see staff constantly sanitizing all surfaces and equipment. Highly recommend AJ and the Excel team.”
–A.F., Bozeman patient

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The Answer Is Load, What’s The Question? by AJ Sobrilsky, DPT, OCS

By AJ Sobrilsky
aj@excelptmt.com

What unique times and circumstances we find ourselves in as climbers. The climbing gyms are closed, all the home gym products are sold out, and as a community we’ve put others best interest ahead of our passion and stayed local respecting the pleas to avoid traveling to popular climbing destinations. So it seems like no better time to take care of some essential preparation in our personal climbing dojos. What better time to begin or continue training, hone and establish an armor of strength, or finally address that “insert nagging climbing related ache here” you’ve had going on for months now. Whether you’re using a hangboard to strengthen those fingers, campusing to develop some power, or taking to the kettlebells and theraband to recover it all boils down to loading. 

Loading simply is stress applied to a tissue or structure (muscle, tendon, bone) that results in some type of adaptation (stronger, stiffer, smarter). Load can be a good and a bad thing. Load in excess goes beyond the tissues capacity to remodel and adapt and could potentially result in a reactive response or injury. In fact there really is no injury; acute, chronic, or traumatic that simply doesn’t boil down to loading beyond capacity. But uniquely enough in this situation the problem or cause is also the answer and solution.

There are many types, strategies, and forms of loading depending on our desired response: rehabilitative loading, adaptive loading, stimulus loading, and reactive loading. While for the purpose of this specific post we’ll solely reference load as a physical stimulus we must remember that load stimuli is also psychological (more on that in a future post). So the answer to both improving your climbing performance, taking care of that nagging injury, and building up that armor of injury resilience is loading. Rest is not the best, and yes if you don’t use it you will lose it (however there is a caveat and exception for acute traumatic injuries: ACL repairs, grade III pulley ruptures, or Rotator cuff and SLAP repairs where we need to respect a typical tissue healing timeline). But if you’re still convinced rest is what you need here’s a simple guide to help you with that. https://www.climbing.com/skills/unsent-how-to-be-injured/

Loading isn’t always an exact science. A lot of factors and contingencies are at play when it comes to determining the amount, type, duration, and frequency of loading. For instance, your current training phase, training age, training history, injury history, and long term goals will influence how we’d load differently from one climber to another. Whether you’re 2-3wks into an acute injury or 3-4months of consistent aggravating complaints would also impact the loading program.

Hopefully, this post provided some insight to continue, progress, or adjust your current training. Or maybe it was just a quick break between burns on your home board that you’ve finally had time to finish (or start building). So with all that here is a final few tips, key concepts, and strategies to consider when loading:

Gradually and slowly progress load – Probably the most important one!
Variables to consider modifying with loading: volume, velocity, duration, loading positions (different grips)
Vary the surface or position you’re loading in: tension block, flash board, hangboard, single rungs, different board systems or walls. 
Respect the recovery required to adapt from a specific training session and/or training cycle.
Develop climbing specific skills: climbing is a unique sport with an ever changing set of parameters required to complete and thus ever changing and adapting set of skills required to be successful. It’s one thing to be strong but it’s another to know how to harness that strength to achieve desired goals.

Here at Excel Physical Therapy, we are ourselves climbers and patients as well as climbing research, training, and rehabilitation specialists. So we get it.  We understand what you’re going through, and we can help you figure out how to take the steps towards those climbing goals. We’d love to have you in person in the Excel Climbing Lab for a climbing evaluation, evaluate and establish a plan for that nagging injury, or consult for injury/performance questions via an in-clinic or telehealth appointment. We’re here for you and we’d love to keep providing more and more information on all things climbing so please let us know if there is anything specific you’d like to hear and learn about.

AJ Sobrilsky, DPT, OCS is a Physical Therapist and Orthopedic Clinical Specialist in our Bozeman clinic. AJ specializes in the rehabilitation and prevention of orthopedic sports related injuries with a specific interest in the management of those involving the upper and lower extremities. AJ received his Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from Carroll University (Waukesha, WI). Following the completion of his DPT degree he participated in an Orthopedic Residency through Evidence in Motion at Bellin Health in Green Bay, WI providing him with advanced training in orthopedic manual therapy, clinical decision making, and patient centered treatment. Following completion of his residency AJ became an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) through the American Physical Therapy Board Association and received advanced training in dry needling for spine and extremities.

AJ has been a lifelong athlete, competing in cross-country and track through college and then racing competitively post collegiately. As a result of his personal experiences and passions, AJ has focused his continued education and clinical development around the athletic individual with an emphasis in: running, skiing, and climbing related injuries. AJ has had the opportunity to provide care for an array of athletic populations including youth sports teams, high school and collegiate athletes, and those competing at professional and Olympic levels.

AJ’s treatment philosophy emphasizes a collaborative patient centered approach. Structured around the patient, supported by current best evidence, and coupled with specialized exercise/techniques, AJ hopes to educate the patient on their current issue and provide them with the best course of treatment to return to their previous/desired level of activity.

When AJ isn’t working he is usually pursuing his next adventure: rock climbing, skiing, mountain biking, or running.

The Balancing Act of Avoiding Running Injuries by AJ Sobrilsky, DPT, OCS

By AJ Sobrilsky
aj@excelptmt.com

While it’s become a common flex in the running community to log lots of mileage, vertical gain, or cherry picking all the local strava segments (I mean if you don’t post about it, did you actually run it?) it’s important to make sure we’re doing so responsibly.

Lifts are closed, the days growing longer and the weather improving, not to mention, most of us have more time to recreate on our hands due to a global pandemic. We at Excel PT, like most of the local community, have taken to putting in some time on the pavement and trails. However, despite all this new found time and psych, it’s essential we harness our urges and make sure we don’t push beyond our capacity landing ourselves in a needed/forced time off of running because of an injury. We’ll discuss some of that balance required in order to be smart about our training, and make sure we’re all ready for when we can once again gather as a community at a start line or beer tent (hopefully both) after a local race.

We’re all guilty of it. That common belief that running more will make us faster. While there is truth to some degree in that statement, there does become a point of diminishing return and a balance between running more and running better is required. Unfortunately in the even that we decide to just run more, and more, we’ll eventually exceed our tissues capacity to tolerate that amount of running. Capacity in this situation is reflected in our bodies ability to tolerate loading, more specifically: how much running can we perform before we have an injury?

Let’s start by pointing out that our bodies are incredibly smart and adaptable. Let’s also be sure that we all understand that running is a skill, and skills require practice. Practicing skills with poor form and technique will only reinforce those poor patterns. In the case of running, sometimes our lack of skill leads to a pattern that overloads a tissue. It is true that lack of skill can be adapted to, but at some point of the loading process, we exceed the capacity for adaptation and a painful reaction occurs = injury. 

The trick in this whole equation is finding the balance between loading and our capacity. So what all goes into determining the amount of load: volume, duration, frequency, intensity, rate of change, lifestyle habits, etc.,? What determines our own unique individual levels of capacity: strength, control, mobility, skill performance, previous injury, training history, sleep, life stress, diet, etc.,? As you can see, there is A LOT to account for and when we stack up lots of load, we have a potential to exceed our own bodies physical limits of capacity: injuring tissues. 

So how do we mitigate overloading these tissues and work towards preventing running injuries? We work to improve our own modifiable individual capacity factors while strategically and gradually loading. Here are some of our top tips to make sure you’re appropriately managing your running:

Keep a log: this is a great place to write down distance, intensity/effort, vertical changes, who you went with, what the weather was like, and even if you started to feel a little pain or ache. This is also a great outlet for a runner to reflect and be mindful about their training. We are big on mindfulness here as a team.
Vary your running pace/intensity: adding in tempo runs, intervals, or hill workouts is a great way to slightly add variance to the loading/demand on tissues. This will make sure their stress isn’t always constant and also make sure the tissues are ready for the demands of upcoming runs and races.
Vary your terrain and routes: running the same loop everyday might be your thing but I know for me personally and my body, that if I’m providing it some different stimulus not only am I mentally relieved but again my body is prepped for variability in the future. If you’re primarily trail running, throw a few road miles in. If you’re a road running, throw a few single track miles in. 
Listen to your body: this is probably the most important one. Making sure your body gets the sleep, nutrients, and care it requires is essential to long term running and mental health. I continually need to remind patients (and myself a lot of times) that the only time we can actually adapt and recover is when we are resting. So to go out and chase the Strava records, while being at max effort everyday, you will only be left in a hole/deficit. You will be unable to tolerate the day to day stresses and your body won’t function at its highest level.
Gradually load: strategically increase volume. Common rule of thumb is no more than 10%increase in volume from the week before and allowing for a “down” week following 2-3 weeks of increased volume. If you don’t feel you’re capable or able to do this there are a lot of great running coaches and physical therapists out there who can help build, guide, and modify for your individual needs.
Improve your skill set: “Sharpen your sword”. There are a lot of modifiable factors that can be addressed to improve your capacity – stay tuned for upcoming posts with specifics on these!

If you were looking for the answer to the holy grail question of how to avoid getting a running related injury here it is: don’t run. But since you made it this far in this article, I doubt that’s an option for your nor do we at Excel PT want that to be the answer to your questions.

Unfortunately this singular article probably won’t answer all the questions about running injuries, form, and training that you have. At Excel Physical Therapy there are many physical therapists who are professionally and personally invested in understanding, managing, and treating running related injuries and we are here to help you with any question or concern. Please feel free to reach out for a running evaluation in our running lab, or discuss a running related complaint via an in-clinic or telehealth appointment.

Stay tuned for more blog posts to come. Leave a comment and let us know what topics you’d like to learn more about!

AJ Sobrilsky, DPT, OCS is a Physical Therapist and Orthopedic Clinical Specialist in our Bozeman clinic. AJ specializes in the rehabilitation and prevention of orthopedic sports related injuries with a specific interest in the management of those involving the upper and lower extremities. AJ received his Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from Carroll University (Waukesha, WI). Following the completion of his DPT degree he participated in an Orthopedic Residency through Evidence in Motion at Bellin Health in Green Bay, WI providing him with advanced training in orthopedic manual therapy, clinical decision making, and patient centered treatment. Following completion of his residency AJ became an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) through the American Physical Therapy Board Association and received advanced training in dry needling for spine and extremities.

When AJ isn’t working he is usually pursuing his next adventure: rock climbing, skiing, mountain biking, or running.

Treating Chronic Pain by Megan Kemp, DPT, ATC, CSCS

By Megan Kemp
megank@excelptmt.com

Are you currently living in pain? Have you in the past? If so, you are not alone. 50 million American adults have chronic pain and chronic low back pain is the leading cause of work limitations in the United States. It is generally well known that physical therapy is used following surgery or an injury. Unfortunately, it is much less commonly known that physical therapy is an effective and successful option for treating chronic pain.

Typically, when people are in pain their first thought is to stop moving. This is often magnified when an individual has been in pain for months, or even years. So, if movement hurts, how can you reduce pain by moving? In order to understand this, it is important to first outline some important principles.

Our bones and soft tissue structures operate under two important laws: Wolfe’s law and the SAID (Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands) principle. These laws both imply that our body will adapt to the specific loads you place on it. If you overload the structures, you will have pain. However, if you optimally load the structures (e.g. bone, muscle, tendons), they will improve in strength. By improving your body’s strength, you will in turn be able to move with less pain.

Physical Therapists are also the experts on identifying faulty movement patterns. Everyone has specific ways they move to accomplish basic daily tasks – walking, getting up from a chair, etc. Unfortunately, our movement patterns are not always optimal. This may be due to muscle imbalances, poor motor control of stabilizing muscle groups or pain. By optimizing your body mechanics, you will be able to reduce microtrauma on certain structures and in turn reduce your pain.

The physical therapists at Excel Physical Therapy are highly trained in manual therapy techniques. For certain types of pain, a hands-on approach of soft tissue massage and joint mobilization and/or manipulation is indicated to reduce your pain.

Regardless of the type of pain you may have, we take on an active role in helping you achieve your goals in reducing your pain. Our goal is always to empower every patient that walks in our clinic and help them achieve their goals of pain-free living. We provide a specialized approach to physical therapy that provides the most effective treatments, allowing our patients to return to their highest level of function as quickly as possible.

We have been proudly serving the Gallatin Valley in both Bozeman and Manhattan since 2001. Call us today to schedule an appointment so we can help you too.

Megan Kemp, DPT, ATC, CSCS is a Physical Therapist, Certified Athletic Trainer, and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist in our Manhattan clinic. She’s a Gallatin Valley native and graduate of Manhattan Christian High School and received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Montana. She graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California and is a board-certified athletic trainer through the National Athletic Trainer’s Association. Megan also completed training from the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. She has served as an adjunct faculty member at Point Loma Nazarene University in their Masters of Kinesiology program. Prior to obtaining her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, Megan worked as an athletic trainer at Point Loma Nazarene University.

Megan specializes in the treatment of upper and lower extremity athletic injuries, with clinical experience treating both high school and collegiate athletes. Megan is passionate about helping athletes of all ages return to their desired activity and strives to use the most current evidence-based practice medicine coupled with her knowledge of biomechanics to help her patients reach their goals.

Nikki Kimball's Training At Home Advice

By Nikki Kimball
nikki@excelptmt.com

Nikki Kimball ‘s PT training at home advice: Don’t forget the core! We are lucky in Bozeman, Montana to have enough space to continue walking, running, biking and skiing, at safe social distances, outside. That said, our ability to perform outdoor sports and activities can always be improved through exercises that can be done at home. Use this time to make a lasting habit of core exercise, sport-specific drills or body maintenance work (think foam rolling).

For runners, Molly Huddle has some great ideas in a recent Runner’s World online article: https://zcu.io/vPQ0

Nikki Kimball, MSPT is a member of the Excel Physical Therapy running specialist PT team. Click here to learn more about the Excel Running Clinic.

COVID-19 - our updated policies and Virtual PT Visits Now Available

By Tiffany Coletta
tiffany@excelptmt.com

We are committed to you now and always since 2001.

Dear valued clients and community partners,

Our leadership team continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation on a daily and often, hourly basis to make decisions regarding our practice. Our promise to you is to keep a safe and clean environment for those who need our services the most. We understand this is a very difficult time for everyone.

Our Bozeman clinic is OPEN in agreement with the March 26th directives from the Gallatin Valley Health Department and the MT Office of the GovernorPhysical Therapy is considered an essential critical infrastructure and massage therapy-when provided in a physical therapy clinic-are under this directive. As a healthcare facility, we are currently one of the few options for those who are suffering due to cancelled surgeries, chronic pain, and other issues during this unprecedented time where healthcare has suddenly become a precious commodity.

In the state of Montana, we have direct access for physical therapy care, which means a patient can be treated without needing a doctor’s prescription. Almost all insurance plans cover PT under direct access. Call our friendly front office team and we can check your plan for you.

Virtual Physical Therapy Appointments Our goal is to make sure to we are available for our patients and anyone else who needs us at this time while options remain limited. We are offering virtual physical therapy appointments for those who are unable to come into the Bozeman or Manhattan clinics. Virtual PT appointments involve easy video conferencing on your computer, tablet, or smart phone and Switchback Healthcare to seamlessly deliver your custom exercises in a video format. It’s as simple and secure as clicking on an email link from us. Some insurance companies are paying for telehealth and, for those that are not, Excel is offering a discounted prompt pay rate of $70 per virtual PT visit. Our therapists and patients are finding online appointments very useful in efforts to provide a “next best option” to in-person appointments.

Our Precautions and Prevention Policies We have implemented COVID-19 policies per CDC guidelines to further increase precautions and prevention. All policies apply to both staff, patients and anyone entering our facility. Thank you to all for your patience and accommodation with these polices, which include the following:
We are:

Screening patients on the telephone when making appointments and in the clinic before an appointment regarding illness and travel. Anyone having returned to Gallatin Valley after visiting a CDC community spread state or country with a CDC travel warning is asked to self-isolate for 14 days before attending in-clinic appointments.
Often checking temperatures.
Not allowing any individuals to enter our clinic with ANY illness symptoms or symptoms of the virus.
Not allowing any individuals to enter our clinic with concerning potential exposure while in Bozeman or with recent travel.
Having our patients and therapists wash their hands thoroughly before and after each visit.
Spreading out our patient appointments and reducing in-clinic staff to have a very low-flow clinic environment.
Not allowing visitors to attend in-clinic appointments with any patient (unless the patient is a minor).
Tirelessly disinfecting patient and therapist contact surfaces.

We are here for you!  As always, your physical therapist is available through email or phone and we encourage you to communicate with them regarding your care. Our PT team is able to schedule a virtual visit for you directly as well. Reach out to our front office team too with any questions at info@excelptmt.com or to also schedule a virtual PT visit.

Please be safe, stay active and healthy. We are here for you as we navigate this situation. Let us know if you have any questions.
With much love and appreciation,
David, Jason and Tiffany
along with the whole Excel PT and Massage team

Bozeman team: 406-556-0562
info@excelptmt.com

Our COVID-19 Policy Requests-Precaution and Prevention

By Tiffany Coletta
tiffany@excelptmt.com

Dear valued clients,

Your health and well-being are of the utmost importance to us at all times. Excel Physical Therapy and Massage is carefully monitoring local and national COVID-19 developments, which have moved us to implement  policy in an effort to do our part for our clients, staff and community. 

Here are our two COVID-19 policy requests:

If you are sick for any reason, with a fever, cough or are sneezing, then we ask you to not return for clinic appointments until your symptoms fully resolve.
If you travel to high-risk regions per the CDC, inside the US with specified community transmission (after clicking on the link, scroll down and then expand the plus sign next to States) or outside of the US that have a Level 3 Travel Health Notice (widespread, ongoing transmission), we are asking you to postpone attending clinic appointments until 14 days after your return date to  the Gallatin Valley.  This requested 14-day waiting period exists for symptom-free patients and is based on the current average of 5.1 days for the incubation period for symptoms to appear.  Possible COVID-19 symptoms include fever, coughing, shortness of breath, or any combination of these complaints.   If either of these requests create a hardship for you, please call us so your physical therapy provider can create a solution for you.

Excel Physical Therapy and Massage already has an existing best practice of frequent hand and wrist hygiene before and after each patient encounter, sanitizing and disinfection of equipment, all common areas, and hard surfaces several times per day throughout both clinic locations. We are  further increasing  our vigilance in these efforts for all staff members and following CDC guidelines.

Here are the CDC’s recommended preventative protocols for additional precaution and prevention:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/stop-the-spread-of-germs.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention.html

For the vast majority of people, COVID-19 results in a mild illness. However, there are certain populations with underlying health issues that can experience a more impactful illness. Because we have some patients who are more vulnerable, the above policies being implemented are for their safety.

We are here for you! Our Bozeman and Manhattan teams are happy to help you with all of your physical therapy and massage therapy needs. As always, your physical therapist is available through email or phone and we encourage you to communicate with them regarding your care.

Appointment planning. If you need to postpone future clinic appointments because you are sick for any reason or because of our high-risk travel quarantine request policy, then please call us at your very earliest opportunity as we have clients on our waiting list for appointments. More than 24 hours’ notice for canceling is preferable, but less than 24 hours will be accepted during this time.

Thank you for your patience with our precautionary efforts. We are in this together.
Take good care,
All of us at Excel

Bozeman team: 406-556-0562
Manhattan team: 406-284-4

Welcome Nikki Kimball, MSPT to the Excel PT Team!

By Tiffany Coletta
tiffany@excelptmt.com

Excel Physical Therapy team is proud to welcome Nikki Kimball, MSPT to the team. One-on-one specialized physical therapy with the ultra running expert dedicated to helping people.

Nikki Kimball is a Physical Therapist, Runner’s World Health Advisory Board Member, 2008-2016, Professional Runner, and a RRCA Certified Running Coach.

Nikki specializes in the treatment in running injuries and has been treating runners since 1999. She graduated with her MS degree in physical therapy from Arcadia University in 1998 and won the school’s Health Sciences’ Alumni Achievement Award in 2017 for her work integrating professional running, physical therapy and advocacy for people with mental illness. She is certified in ASTYM soft tissue mobilization and in dry needling. She has been an expedition physical therapist for running events in Africa, China and India.

Prior to her professional running career, Nikki was a cross country skier and biathlete. She raced NCAA Division I for Williams College where she won the Alumnae Ski Award two times. In 2018 she won the Distinguished Alumni Award at Holderness School for her using her athletic achievements as a platform to provide service “for the betterment of humankind” in areas of advocacy for health care and gender equity. She is a three-time North American Ultrarunner of the Year and three-time United States Track and Field Association Ultrarunner of the Year. She has won 11 National Championship titles and has been named to 14 US National Teams across three athletic disciplines.

Nikki presents on exercise prescription and physical therapy at psychiatric and adventure sports medicine conferences on the west coast and Rocky Mountain states. She has spoken professionally about running and injury prevention on three continents and at the US Embassy in Beijing, China. She has published articles in major print sports magazines in Asia, Europe and the US, including 13 pieces on injury prevention for Runner’s World. She has appeared in various films including a starring role in the regional Emmy winning feature, Finding Traction

Her treatment philosophy is to combine her physical therapy training and continuing education with decades of practical experience as a high-level competitor and coach to achieve the best possible results, particularly in the realm of complex running injury. When not working or adventuring, Nikki enjoys archery, wire sculpting, and cooking at home with her friends and pets.

Call the Excel Physical Therapy Bozeman office, 406-556-0562 to schedule your physical therapy appointment with Nikki.

"Understanding Dizziness & Vertigo: How Vestibular Physical Therapy Can Help" @ Bozeman Public Library

By Bobby Bemis, DPT, COMT, DIP. MT, FAAOMPT
bobby@excelptmt.com

Understanding Dizziness & Vertigo: How Vestibular Physical Therapy Can Help

presented by Bobby Bemis, DPT, COMT, Dip. MT, FAAOMPT

Join us to learn about how you can stop your (or your loved one’s) dizziness and vertigo symptoms. Excel Physical Therapy’s Bobby Bemis is a Cervical Spine Physical Therapist Specialist and Emory University Certified Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapist. He will host an informative talk about how to treat vertigo, dizziness and other vestibular issues with the latest research-based treatments. Learn how specialized training and treatment approaches, along with state-of-the-art equipment can help you.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

6:30-7:30pm

Bozeman Public Library Community Room

Follow this event on Facebook!

You will learn:

What is the vestibular system and how does it work?
What is the difference between dizziness and vertigo?
Specialized physical therapy treatment for: migraines, BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), anxiety, vascular events, Menier’s disease, Vestibular Neuritis, cervicogenic dizziness, motion sickness, vestibular hypofunction and more.
Demonstration of how infrared goggles are used for examination and treatment.
Bring your questions! Question and answer period with Bobby after the talk.

Click Here to learn why Bobby’s chose to become a Vestibular Specialist at Excel Physical Therapy

Bobby Bemis, DPT, COMT, DIP.MT, FAAOMPT is a fellowship-trained physical therapist at Excel Physical Therapy. Bobby specializes in orthopedic manual physical therapy of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine. Although the spine is his specialty, Bobby has a high level of training in all regions of the body. After receiving his undergraduate degree, Bobby earned a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, became a Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist (COMT), Diplomat of Manual Therapy (Dip. MT), as well as becoming certified in trigger point dry needling. Bobby then went on to become Fellowship trained and was then designated as a “Fellow” with the American Academy of Manual Physical Therapy (AAOMPT) after passing a rigorous oral and practical exam. Only a very small percentage of physical therapists achieve this elite status. The “Fellow” is a physical therapist who has demonstrated advanced clinical, analytical, and hands-on skills in the treatment of musculoskeletal orthopedic disorders and is internationally recognized for their competence and expertise in the practice of manual physical therapy. Bobby achieved an Emory University Certified Vestibular Specialist designation due to advanced training and examination from the Emory University Vestibular Rehabilitation Competency-Based Course.

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"Megan was awesome to work with and didn't mind answering my questions. She explained why each exercise and move mattered." --Bozeman Patient" -- Bozeman Patient

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