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Using AIS to Restore Full Function Rehabilitation treatment is always a personalized process, since the goals depend heavily on the individual's lifestyle and patterns of activity. One client we interviewed began receiving AIS work in the aftermath of a horseback riding accident in Costa Rica; the horse had lost its footing and actually landed on him, leaving him with a broken wrist and severely damaged knee (including a torn meniscus and tears in many surrounding ligaments and muscles). At the time he had a very active lifestyle—living on a farm and staying fit with running, biking, skiing, and working with a personal trainer. It became clear that he would need reconstructive surgery to regain full function in his knee, but the surgeon said he would not recommend it for someone his age (48 years old); he performed the procedure primarily on competitive athletes and other highly active younger people. Intent on getting his joints back, this client persisted and went ahead with the surgery. "I'm 48, not 84," he said. He received intensive AIS stretching and strengthening work both before and afterward, three to four times per week. The results exceeded both his and his surgeon's expectations. His knee is now at 100 percent, and he has been able to resume all of his normal physical activity. (AIS work with his wrist also restored full flexibility and strength to that area.) Now, he tells us, aside from a scar on his knee, you would never know he had any problem with it at all. It's as good as it was before the accident—and maybe even a little bit more flexible. regimen accordingly. Because AIS is so specific, we can make targeted adjustments that isolate the precise areas that need the most work. One final consideration is the need to combine strength with endurance. It's possible to be strong enough to lift a relatively large amount of weight, but lack the endurance to carry it for any length of time. In AIS, we simultaneously build endurance and strength by performing many repetitions of an exercise, very slowly, with a relatively low weight. The gentle, repetitive motion enhances metabolism within the soft tissues, improving nutrient delivery and the circulation of blood and lymph. 5. RESTORING FULL FUNCTION All the work we do in the first four stages lays the groundwork to prepare clients for whatever training is necessary to resume their normal level of activity, which will be somewhat different for each individual. At this point, a lot of the progress may be made outside the treatment room, sometimes with the help of a physical therapist, personal trainer, or coach. For instance, in working with a runner, we'd get that person ready to go back to track practice. We can provide some guidance on how to proceed (e.g., starting slowly and building up gradually), and then it's the process of actually running and doing training drills that will ultimately restore full function. In A muscle is generally much weaker at the end of its range of motion, in a full stretch. To limit the risk of injury, it is important to start with very light weights when building up strength from this position. connect with your colleagues on massageprofessionals.com 93