Through an evaluation of the foot and ankle, biomechanical assessment of your stance, walk and running pattern, custom orthotics are designed and fabricated to control abnormal motion within the lower extremities. The goal of orthotic therapy is to minimize the abnormal motion at the foot & ankle (i.e. excessive pronation) which may have consequential effects on the joints all the way up to the spine. Optimal alignment at the lower extremities will help prevent cumulative injury cycles incurred with activities such as hiking, running or cycling.

Call or e-mail us to inquire about our packages and/or pricing, or schedule a complimentary 15 minute consultation to find out if you’re a candidate for custom orthotics. Sometimes simply buying a pair of store-bought insoles such as “superfeet” or “powerstep” is all you may need.

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Participation in action sports has grown tremendously since the mainstream media has showcased annual events such as ESPN’s X-Games, NBC’s Gravity Games and CBS’s JEEP King of the Mountain Series.

It’s no mystery why participation in action sports drops off as we get older; family responsibilities, increased workloads, less tolerance for the risks involved and more significantly, the potential aversion developed after sustaining an injury are influential factors.

While “Flow and Grace” may sound like two roommates from a sitcom, they are universal characteristics needed to have fun and stay SAFE while taking part in action sports.

At Action Sports Medicine we are not only experts in physical rehabilitation but also training experts to groom the traits we all have within us – strength, balance & coordination – in order to help you succeed in your respective sport with “flow & grace.”

Strength
The influence of gravitational force on our daily lives is undeniable. The wide array of forces that we encounter on a snowboard descent through the trees, on packed powder with flat light, are capable of laying a rider out. Velocity, the bounce off a hardened snow bank, the unexpected mogul and the last second avoidance of a tree stump are all force vectors a rider must handle in order to stay in control on the run. At Action Sports Medicine, dynamic core strengthening is taken to levels mimicking the gamut of vectors encountered in sports. Our training approach is far removed from traditional strengthening approaches. Targeting the central nervous system and its sub-components is emphasized with Vector Resistance Training and Pilates in order to achieve optimal neuromuscular efficiency.

Dynamic Core Strengthening
Stability and control of movement are critically dependent on the coordination of all the muscles that make up our “core.” The core can be thought of as a box or our natural corset with the abdominals in the front and sides, back extensors and gluteals in the back, the diaphragm as the roof and the pelvic floor & hip musculature as the bottom. Our core is the foundation for all limb movements. A properly developed core allows for improved force output, neuromuscular efficiency and decreased incidence of overuse injury.

Neuromuscular Efficiency
Our Central Nervous System (CNS) is the command center that controls and regulates all of our movements. It directs preprogrammed patterns that can be groomed to react effectively against the forces of momentum, gravity and the numerous vectors encountered in action sports (i.e. moguls). The unconscious reaction & speed of contraction are the most important components of functional stability--not necessarily gross strength.

Balance & Coordination
In order to optimally maintain body stability while on a dynamic device such as a mountain bike, we depend on the integrity of 3 sensory systems and coordination of balance strategies to maintain “edge control.”

Edge-control
In order to successfully perform a turn with precision and flow, the individual’s center of mass must be stabilized in order to minimize significant losses of speed or become susceptible to crashing at the apex of the turn. Whether it’s the corner knobbies of a mountain bike tire or the edge of a ski, edge control can be applied to any action sport.

Our body utilizes 3 sensory systems to maintain balance:
1. Vision
2. Vestibular System (inner ear)
3. Proprioceptors in our joints and muscles, which relay information to our brain regarding the position of our extremities

Whether we’re simply crossing a creek on slippery moss-covered rocks or carving a turn on a road bike with loose pebbles on the road, our balance is constantly challenged in our active endeavors.

Maintaining a high level of skill in balance activities requires constant challenge & practice. Inactivity or underdeveloped balance strategies create CHAOS when our equilibrium becomes disrupted, which in turn causes fear and avoidance of athletic progression---i.e. edge control.

Our dynamic core strengthening approach is accomplished with balance and coordination in mind. With our knowledge of rehabilitation and cutting edge training methods we can provide a controlled environment that offers customized degrees of challenge to balance skills and progressively break the cycle of fear and inactivity at any age.

Video Sport Analysis
When needed, we can utilize video sport analysis to assist us in observing your sport performance and therefore search for irregularities that lead to compensatory patterns or movement dysfunctions. At Action Sports Medicine, no stone is left unturned to help you achieve success.

Cumulative Injury Cycle
This occurs when one segment of the kinetic chain (i.e. foot/ankle alignment) is not functioning efficiently; consequently the other components of the chain must compensate, leading to tissue overload, premature fatigue or faulty movement patterns. For example, a common side-effect of excessive pronation during loading of the foot in running is altered knee cap mechanics, thus changing the normal neural feedback to the central nervous system (CNS). Ultimately, neuromuscular efficiency is compromised, which leads to poor movement patterns, inducing premature fatigue and causing injury at an area besides the foot---i.e. patello-femoral syndrome.

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