Treatment at the Hruska Clinic – Initial Evaluation

For part 2, click here.

For part 3, click here.

“Do you produce enough saliva?”

That was the first interview question Ron Hruska asked me; something I will never forget.

I went to Lincoln, NE for almost a week to take a course, get treated, and observe PRI in it’s purest form.

I wanted to see Ron out of curiosity and because I cannot achieve neutrality on my own. I have done most every exercise that could be thought of and been “worked on” by my fellow comrades and a couple PRI instructors in courses; nothing could budge.

I knew I needed some type of orthotic to get somewhere; the question was which one?

Subjective Complaints

I do not have any pain really. My only complaints are a tight neck and I can’t seem to deadlift without feeling most of the effort in my back.

I don’t see this deadlifting problem as a form issue necessarily. Interning with Bill Hartman at IFAST cleaned that up, and for a long time I could feel glutes and hamstrings all day when I deadlift.

But not now.

Other “issues” I have

• Left TMJ clicks; nonpainful.
• Clench jaw at night.
• Eye strain after reading on a computer too long (duh).

By PRI standards, I am a classic PEC. I have no pathology anywhere, but I am limited in almost every motion.  I knew this and so did Ron.

Objective Exam

 First Ron had me walk and was pointing out some things to my student-to-be Trevor, and then got me up on the table to check my hips.

“Here’s your problem.”

My hip external rotation was about 70 degrees on the left, 40 on the right.  He then checked my hip abduction, which was a solid 30 degrees bilaterally.  The next test followed in a logical progression…

He gloved up and checked my bite.

He noted I had a type I occlusion bilaterally and noticed my chipped front tooth. He wanted to show me which tooth was grinding on that, so he asked me to move my jaw forward.

I couldn’t do it.

He gave me a mirror to help see what I was trying to do.

I couldn’t do it.

He put a towel over my eyes and dimmed the room.

I easily contact my front teeth, gain 30 degrees of hip abduction on both sides, had equal hip external rotation, and for the first time ever had a negative thomas test.

We figured out what I needed.

The Needed Orthotics

Ron concluded that I was a tongue thruster, had a very narrow/crowded mouth, and my visual system was patterned enough to drive my nervous system into extension. He also explained, which blew my mind, that a reason I always put my hands in my pockets is to provide a reference center for my very active hip flexors.

My right hand is my TFL, my left hand is my psoas.

The next process was to contact his dentist to fit me for a Gelb splint and set me up with a day at PRI vision.

Before chatting with the dentist, he checked my mouth one more time just to make sure he had all the information he wanted to say. It was this second look that Ron noticed that I still have my wisdom teeth.

“How far do you want to get into this?”

Stay tuned for day 2.

For part 2, click here