Meet our team: Integrating the fields of
Optometry|Dentistry|Podiatry|Physical Therapy

Continue to read below to learn more about each of the disciplines and what their role in the PRIME program is.

If you would like more information on what each team member brings to the program look through the slider below.  If you want more specific information about and part of the program feel free to clink through to each team members section.

PRIME Integration Specialists

What Role does the PRIME Clinical Integrative Specialist(TM) play in the Program?

  • Works as case manager to coordinate communication of information and goals between disciplines, referral sources and patients before, during and after treatment.  This coordinated information helps the PRIME team formulize a specific approach and establish guidelines that are unique to each and every patient.
  • Offers consultation and recommendations to the patient, family members, significant others and various health care providers which incorporates the sensory changes and support provided by the other disciplines
  • Ensures body position is maintained and facilitated with each practitioner seen throughout treatment while at PRIME during orthotic fabrication
  • Facilitates communication on progression, return to clinic and answers questions as needed after each patient leaves PRIME
Learn More

PRIME Optometry

What Role does Vision and an optometrist play in the PRIME program?

The visual system is strongly utilized by your brain to make decisions of how to hold yourself up against gravity.   Therefore it is highly involved in upright postural patterns.  We can utilize this system, that may be wrapped up in improper patterns of posture, to assist in relearning new more efficient means of holding yourself up.  The integration of on optometrist and a physical therapist will allow these 2 things to be utilized together with the other tools used within the PRIME program.

This integration will result in the following:

  • The visual system may be the catalyst needed to change the activity of muscles even when other methods have been unsuccessful. This is due to the sensory dominance of vision in the brain; changing visual input to the brain through eyeglass lenses can change the messages that the brain sends to muscles of the body in all 3 planes of movement of which the human body is capable.  
  • One or more prescriptions for training eyewear to accomplish this goal will be given. This sets the neurological “new position” for the other disciplines to integrate with and provide needed support.
  • Recommendations and guidance for visual clarity needs that are integrated with the physical needs of the individual patient.
Learn More

PRIME Dentistry

What Role does the PRIME Dentist make to the PRIME program?

  • Our Postural oriented dental team first identifies any occlusal or dental related issues that are contributing to cervical and postural patterns. This may include objective imaging of neck structures and teeth as needed.
  • Specific mouth appliances are fabricated by the PRIME dentist to assist the PRIME team to keep the patient in an aligned position at the head and neck, that will match and support the neurological message established by PRI Vision intervention, during a period of time where new movement patterns are being learned and experienced.
  • Appropriate reference and sensory input from the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ), is maximized by positioning the body, neck and head in a state called “neutrality” while occlusion is assessed and stabilized.
  • If necessary long term management of the airway, to allow one to sleep and work without losing appropriate diaphragmatic function, may be necessary.
  • Long term consultation and assistance in management of occlusion through orthodontia will be provided on a case by case basis if needed
  • Having a PRIME dentist work directly with our Integrative Specialists on-site allows us to ensure proper position established through PRI-Vision is maintained through quick and objective information.
Learn More

PRIME Podiatry

What Role does the PRIME podiatrist have with the PRIME program?

  • The PRIME team including the podiatrist will analyze the impact each patients feet and gait have on the patient’s overall postural health
  • Along with input from the rest of the PRIME team, appropriate footwear recommendations will be made to improve sensory awareness of the floor as identified during PRI-Vision treatment.
  • As necessary the podiatrist will build sensory driven, biomechanically correct, custom arch supports to help influence the sensory input received by the brain from the foot, ankle, knee, and hip and/or to stabilize the foot, ankle, knee, and hip.
  • Consults with the therapists to ensure the orthotics compliment the patient’s ongoing therapy program.
Learn More

PRIME Physical Therapy

What Role does the Hruska Clinic Physical Therapist have on the PRIME program? 

  • Provides patients with a postural health assessment and treatment, along with the skills necessary to manage their chronic conditions
  • Develops and instructs patient in integrative interventions, and their progression, that meet the specific needs of the patient.  These sensory-motor activities will incorporate input from all of the above disciplines, and their orthotic use.
  • Successful use of the input given by the other disciplines to make long-term change is only able to happen with new appropriate patterns of movement and muscle use is learned.  Long term need for support from other disciplines will be minimized or eliminated as the patient masters and progresses through these activities with appropriate neuro-motor and neurosensory strategies.
  • Information on activity recommendations and use of adjunct treatments to address other specific issues will be done specific to each individual.
Learn More

What Role does the PRIME Clinical Integrative Specialist(TM) play in the Program?

  • Works as case manager to coordinate communication of information and goals between disciplines, referral sources and patients before, during and after treatment.  This coordinated information helps the PRIME team formulize a specific approach and establish guidelines that are unique to each and every patient.
  • Offers consultation and recommendations to the patient, family members, significant others and various health care providers which incorporates the sensory changes and support provided by the other disciplines
  • Ensures body position is maintained and facilitated with each practitioner seen throughout treatment while at PRIME during orthotic fabrication
  • Facilitates communication on progression, return to clinic and answers questions as needed after each patient leaves PRIME

What Role does PRI Vision and an optometrist play in the PRIME program?

In PRI Vision, the cofounders of this integrative science Dr. Heidi Wise, an optometrist, and Ron Hruska, a physical therapist, will evaluate the patient together.

This results in the following:

  • The catalyst needed to change the activity of muscles even when other methods have been unsuccessful, including previous integration from the other disciplines. This is due to the sensory dominance of vision in the brain; changing visual input to the brain through eyeglass lenses can change the messages that the brain sends to muscles of the body in all 3 planes of movement of which the human body is capable. This is the only discipline that can do this.  
  • One or more prescriptions for training eyewear to accomplish this goal will be given. This sets the neurological “new position” for the other disciplines to integrate with and provide needed support.
  • Recommendations and guidance for visual clarity needs that are integrated with the physical needs of the individual patient.

What Role does the PRIME Dentist make to the PRIME program?

  • Our Postural oriented dental team first identifies any occlusal or dental related issues that are contributing to cervical and postural patterns patterns.
  • Specific mouth appliances are fabricated by the PRIME dentist to assist the PRIME team to keep the patient in an aligned position at the head and neck, that will match and support the neurological message established by PRI Vision intervention, during a period of time where new movement patterns are being learned and experienced.
  • Appropriate reference and sensory input from the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ), is maximized by positioning the body, neck and head in a state called “neutrality” while occlusion is assessed and stabilized.
  • If necessary long term management of airway management, to allow one to sleep, and work without losing diaphragmatic function may be necessary.
  • Long term consultation and assistance in management of occlusion through orthodontia will be provided on a case by case basis if needed
  • Having a PRIME dentist work directly with our Integrative Specialists on-site allows us to ensure proper position established through PRI-Vision is maintained through quick and objective information.

What Role does the PRIME podiatrist have with the PRIME program?

  • The PRIME team including the podiatrist will analyze the impact each patients feet and gait have on the patient’s overall postural health
  • Along with input from the rest of the PRIME team, appropriate footwear recommendations will be made to improve sensory awareness of the floor as identified during PRI-Vision treatment.
  • As necessary the podiatrist will build sensory driven, biomechanically correct, custom arch supports to help influence the sensory input received by the brain from the foot, ankle, knee, and hip and/or to stabilize the foot, ankle, knee, and hip.
  • Consults with the therapists to ensure the orthotics compliment the patient’s ongoing therapy program.

What Role does the Hruska Clinic Physical Therapist have on the PRIME program?

  • Provides patients with a postural health assessment and treatment, along with the skills necessary to manage their chronic conditions
  • Develops and instructs patient in integrative interventions, and their progression, that meet the specific needs of the patient.  These sensory-motor activities will incorporate input from all of the above disciplines, and their orthotic use.
  • Successful use of the input given by the other disciplines to make long-term change is only able to happen with new appropriate patterns of movement and muscle use is learned.  Long term need for support from other disciplines will be minimized or eliminated as the patient masters and progresses through these activities with appropriate neuro-motor and neurosensory strategies.
  • Information on activity recommendations and use of adjunct treatments to address other specific issues will be done specific to each individual.

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