A few months ago I met A.J. Grzesiak, PT, DPT, OCS of STEPRIGHT™ Stability System at The American Physical Therapy Association’s Combined Section’s Meeting. He has created a piece of functional training equipment that I believe could be of value for our clients who struggle with the structural instability that can contribute to pelvic pain and pelvic floor weakness. I have invited him today to introduce you to his company and perspective on functional training.
Welcome AJ!
Treating Pelvic Dysfunction in a Functional Way
Whether talking about raising a family, starting a business, or initiating a diet there needs to be a strong foundation to build upon. The same holds true for our bodies in that we require a stable base, or foundation to create and execute appropriate movement patterns. In human anatomy the pelvic girdle is the keystone that bridges the gap between the primary need for stability while allowing for appropriate levels of mobility to efficiently perform daily tasks and higher level activities.
Pelvic pain or dysfunction causes a disruption in the body system that can ignite focal impairment or create a trickledown effect into other areas of our bodies. The causes of pelvic pain are varied and range from pelvic joint problems, muscle weakness or imbalance in the pelvic floor or trunk, poor coordination of muscles that control bowel and bladder, and pregnancy or childbirth to name a few. No matter the origin, issues stemming from the pelvis can make people highly uncomfortable, self-conscious, and affect their quality of life in many ways.
Treatment is dependent on the type of pain or dysfunction present, and the underlying components leading to a crack in the “foundation” of our bodies. As physical therapists we strive to educate our patients throughout the process as we work to restore and normalize body alignment, muscle activity, and movement strategies. Initially setting our patients up for success to build confidence allows us to progress to more challenging tasks. As we work to reintegrate the patient back into their normal routines we know the value of functionally specific training and utilize the concept of specificity to help patients achieve their ultimate goals.
The STEPRIGHT™ Stability System is a new training device geared at enhancing sensorimotor coordination in weight bearing positions to improve overall functional performance. The unique slip over the shoe design takes unstable surface training to a whole other level while allowing the user to maintain rearfoot/forefoot weight distribution, independent lower extremity control, and the ability to perform reciprocal movement patterns as seen with gait. Improving body awareness, timing of muscle contractions, and feedforward motor responses are crucial in treating pelvic dysfunction. STEPRIGHT™ allows you to work on abdominal bracing techniques and kegel exercises from a variety of static foot positions as well as progress toward dynamic, translational movements into the surrounding environment. Enhancing the patients muscle activation patterns will help to make the difference in rebuilding their “foundation” and living a happy, highly functional life!
For more information or to inquire about purchasing the STEPRIGHT™ Stability System please visit www.steprightstability.com