Clinicians

Clinically Proven to Control a Major Contributing Cause of Back, SI Joint, Hip and Knee Pain

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Chronic Knee, Hip or Back problems including pain and limited function?

These patients may be prescribed a Protonics Neuromuscular Device for long term usage at home or in conjunction with a clinic program.

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Occasional Knee, Hip or Back problems including short-term pain and limited function?

These patients may be prescribed an in-clinic therapy program that includes use of a Protonics Neuromuscular Device in conjunction with the clinic protocol.

Clinician Information

The Protonics™ Therapy Program uses the clinically proven Protonics® Rehabilitation Device and proprietary therapy methods to allow patients to improve functional neuromuscular activation patterns and influence proper postural alignment.

Using the Protonics Rehabilitation Device, patients have the ability to inhibit and activate certain muscle groups during functional activities and gait. By influencing proper neuromuscular activation during gait and activities, patients are able to control a major contributing factor to knee, hip, SI joint and/or low back pain, and not just treat the symptoms.

Patients appropriate for the Protonics™ Therapy Program are those who demonstrate excess neuromuscular activation of certain muscle groups (Quads, Hip Flexors) during function that promote improper patterns of movement. This can force an internal rotation of the femur, and/or a forward tilted pelvis in addition to pain due to increased friction, tension and sheer throughout the Lumbar-pelvic-femoral complex.

To decrease friction, tension and sheer throughout the Lumbar-pelvic-femoral complex in addition to influencing postural position, you must inhibit over-activating muscles while activating the hamstring muscle during function. By using the Protonics® Rehabilitation Device in conjunction with the patient's therapeutic protocol, patients can now influence hamstring activation at certain points during motion, while inhibiting over-activity of other muscles. Over time, patients muscles are retrained to activate properly with only periodic usage of the Protonics Rehabilitation Device needed to maintain proper functional activation.

How Protonics Works

Protonics® was designed to address the signs and symptoms related to Pelvic Instability, and specifically Anterior Pelvic Tilt (APT), which can be an important contributing factor to lower extremity kinematics. APT promotes an overuse of the hip flexors, forward pelvic rotation, internal rotation of the femur, external rotation of the tibia, medial displacement of the femoral range of rotation, genu valgus, genu recurvatum, subtalar eversion, and forefoot or rearfoot pronation. These pathokinesiologic effects on the lower extremities can manifest in pain, which may occur in the knee, hip and lower back.

Recent studies suggest that the most effective approach to repositioning and stabilizing the pelvis, is through the activation and strengthening of the hamstrings, external abdominal obliques, and the gluteus maximus. The hamstrings, which attach to the ischial tuberosities, help to rotate the iliac bones backward relative to the sacrum and provide stability. Protonics® patented resistance not only targets the activation of the lateral hamstrings, but also relaxes/lengthens the opposing hip flexors. This promotes a reduction in pelvic tilt and femoral internal rotation. Studies show that a reduction of internal rotation of the femur and the rotation of the tibia optimizes alignment and eases the lateral pull on the patella.

Maintaining the pelvis in its balanced position and retraining the hamstrings can eliminate the reoccurrence of this condition. Wearing the Protonics® device during activities (retraining) is an essential part of reaching this goal and can provide stability to an unbalanced pelvis.

Protonics® resistance is different than current isotonic and isometric resistance, allowing changes to occur at a neurological and muscular level, activating and inhibiting muscles at the same time. In addition to activating the hamstrings, there is a mutual improvement to the knee flexion response time of the vastus lateralis and knee extension response of the quadriceps.

Protonics® has a programmable module that allows resistance to be set at the appropriate level for each patient. The varied resistance, which operates independently of velocity and gravity, promotes proper muscle activation through the range of motion. This neuromuscular activity allows positive changes to occur to a body that has been compensating due to physiological challenges. With proper use, Protonics® can help undo compensatory patterns allowing the rehabilitation process to occur in a balanced state.:

Walking on Beach

Protonics^® Dynamically Control Muscle Activation and Posture