The Runner's Mechanic Physical Therapy Clinic

Fantastic experience: Miriam is a wealth of knowledge and a pleasure to work with! She's helped keep me running on many occasions. She is a go to for anyone with a injury, ESPECIALLY if the injury is reoccurring!

Fantastic experience: I had been struggling with rather severe tennis elbow for about five months. I initially saw an orthopedic surgeon who's answer was a steroid shot. The shot helped almost immediately, but the pain returned just as quickly. I then saw a body work specialist several times who's help was giving me some relief but it wasn't quite getting to the root of the problem. She suggested I see a physical therapist. When I first met with Miriam, she suggested that we could get this fixed in about 4 weeks. Having been struggling with this for several months with various and limited means to treatment, I was skeptical that she could fix it in four weeks. In just two sessions over two weeks of dry-needle, blood flow restriction, and trigger point therapies, along with 2 exercises to do at home, I am 95% better. I am very thankfully surprised that Miriam was able to fix this so quickly. During our sessions she had the utmost professional and caring demeanor. She made me feel at ease and well cared for.

Fantastic experience: Smart, kind, & supportive. Happy to live in a community with Miriam @ The Runner's Mechanic as a resource! Thank you for sharing your wisdom!

Fantastic experience: I took my son to get the All-Inclusive Runners Evaluation with Miriam. He's a competitive High School cross country and track distance runner and was experiencing some tendonitis in his foot during his senior season. The experience surpassed our expectations. Miriam was easy to communicate with and responsive in setting up the appointment. The evaluation, which includes video from different angles to assess all aspects of a runner's form, was very thorough and she does a great job of explaining what she is noticing. She took great interest in learning about my son's running and ambitions, along with his tendonitis. She provided detailed guidance on what he could do as far as stretching and strengthening exercises to work through the tendonitis and develop strength in key muscle groups to help prevent injury. Miriam provided recommendations for training runs to help my son gradually work back to his normal routine, and was responsive when we had questions in the weeks following the appointment. She was very patient and encouraging. I highly recommend Miriam to anyone wanting to improve their running form and performance, assess weaknesses, receive physical therapy, and prevent injury. She is THE BEST...really knows her stuff, and we are so glad someone referred us to her.

Fantastic experience: I just recently went to the Runner’s Mechanic clinic for a nagging hamstring sensitivity that I was dealing with. I had worked with other regular physical therapists in the past, but Miriam’s practice was the one that easily had the most benefits for me! It is a real game changer as a runner to work with a running-focused practice and this helped me feel very confident about my injury rehab. One of the best parts of the process at the Runner’s Mechanic was the video gait analysis, it was really wonderful to have that personal analysis that teaches you about what you need to change, as opposed to normal physical therapy clinics where often you are just given arbitrary exercises. As for the efficacy of the practice, the results for me at least speak for themselves; a month out from my ONE appointment an issue I dealt with for months prior is basically negligible. I would wholeheartedly recommend this practice to any runner, injured or not, to improve your form and reduce the risk of injuries. Miriam is such a great person who will truly help you be your best!

Fantastic experience: In January 31st 2022 I was in a nearly fatal motor vehicle collision. I sustained multiple fractures leaving me unable to walk for months. My Physical Therapy journey started and continued past a year of my injury date. After I regained some range of motion I was still unable to job and perform any of my job functions to return back to work. I searched running therapy one night and stumbled upon “The Runners Mechanic” I believed this would be a perfect fit considering my situation. I highly recommend Miriam and her services. The manual therapy relieved almost all of my pain in the ankle and surrounding areas. With lots of other helpful things Miriam taught me I was able to jog for the first time in over a year. Not only the physical ability to do this but the mental aspect of things. I was terrified to put full pressure on my foot. She made me feel comfortable and confident. She is truly one of a kind and it was a blessing to work with her.

Fantastic experience: Miriam is amazing! I was having trouble with my hip & arm from weights and other activities. She listened, explained what the probable causes were, treated the areas and provided me with solutions to move forward and heal. She did dry needling on my areas of concern and I am pretty pain adverse and I didn't even flinch. She is a dry needling whisperer. I was referred to her by a dear friend who had spoke so highly of her and now I am a fan forever. Thank you Miriam. You have a gift!

Fantastic experience: Miriam is the best! She is so knowledgeable and encouraging. As I train for my first ever marathon I feel more confident after seeing her and getting specific exercises and advice. Can’t recommend enough!

Fantastic experience: After decades of casual running I started to experience some hip pain, sometimes only 2 or 3 minutes into a run. 1 session with Miriam and 1 key piece of advice from her regarding my form. I set out on my next run with the intention to run until the pain started and turn around. I ran so long (3 hours, long for me : ) that I got hungry and had to turn around for my next meal! Like flipping a switch to turn off the pain. Thank you!!!

Fantastic experience: I am so thankful for the help and guidance from Miriam at The Runner’s Mechanic! I had been struggling with pain while running for almost two years and I wish I had gone to her much sooner. She was able to identify a major area of weakness for me and gave me a structured home exercise plan and return to running plan that has me feeling great and running pain-free for the first time in so long. The individual care and extensive time she gives to patients is incredible; you won’t find this in other PT clinics. She is a call or email away if I have questions in between sessions and I feel that she is highly dedicated to my progress and healing. Her expertise is unmatched - my issues were missed previously by others but she hit the nail on the head. Everyone I know who has been to Miriam for running-related injuries has said the same thing. If I could go back in time and make an appointment with her sooner I would! I couldn’t recommend Miriam enough to all runners!

Fantastic experience: Some of the biggest strides I've taken in my running career are results of the guidance and wisdom granted by Miriam Nelson over at The Runners Mechanic Physical Therapy Clinic. Miriam is super conscientious about what she does. She examines your running from the ground up, not letting anything go unnoticed or unaddressed. The plans she gives to address your ailments, injuries, or weaknesses not only give you healing, but give you strength to prevent any further injury, increasing your longevity and keeping you running happy. I still use the strength training routine she gave me after I sustained a stress fracture in my sophomore year. She also improved my running form. Since then, my running has greatly improved while staying happy and healthy. I encourage ALL runners, injured or not, to visit Miriam. If you're injured, she will find what's wrong and give you a plan to address it and prevent it from happening again. If you're not injured, she can analyze your running form and running habits and correct them so that future injury is prevented. Even if you're not a runner but an athlete and have different ailments or injuries, without hesitation I recommend Miriam. Or if you're anybody that has any nagging ailment or injury, I still urge you to visit Miriam Nelson at The Runners Mechanic Physical Therapy Clinic in Asheville. She is honest, kind, and conscientious. I'm very thankful for the ways in which she has helped me in my running career.

Fantastic experience: After a year of trying to rehab an off and on problem with my hip flexor alone. I was feeling frustrated. I couldn't run two miles without pain. I wasn't able to compete in races that I wanted to run. Finally, I went to see Miriam. She evaluated my strength and running technique and gave me a detailed program to follow. I followed the program she gave me and after a month of exercises and drills, my hip flexor issue was gone. I was able to train for and complete a 50k two months after I met with her. I'm currently training for another 50k and it wouldn't have been possible without Miriam's intervention.

Fantastic experience: I am an aging (aged is more accurate, perhaps) runner who continues to make rookie running mistakes, often despite knowing better. I tell everyone that it is Miriam who keeps me blessedly able to run. And I mean it. She is extremely knowledgeable, professional and smart. She truly cares about making her patients better and is extremely effective at it! I feel so lucky to know her, both professionally and personally.

Fantastic experience: For the first time in my running career I’ve found someone that understands running mechanics and injuries. Miriam is a great therapist but also provides great insight and can fix underlying issues. After a year of problems, I feel like I am finally healing and getting stronger.

Fantastic experience: Anyone with a sports injury should see Miriam first. The type of quality service is equivalent to what professional athletes are accustomed to . She understands the mechanics of how the body works. Miriam gives detailed feedback on injuries and how to correct problems in the future. She takes the time to understand how your injury occurred and develops a recovery plan that will get you back on track as quickly as possible. I highly recommend Miriam if you want the absolute best.

Fantastic experience: I highly recommend The Runner's Mechanic! After dealing with a bad case of Plantar Fascitis for months and having tried all the traditional therapies (stretching and more stretching, rolling foot on frozen water bottle, resting) I was fortunate to cross paths (literally! She met me on the greenway!) with Miriam who introduced me to an evidence-based protocol for P.F. which has me well on my way to a return to running! Miriam is smart, dedicated and extremely thorough in her evaluations and recommendations. I can't recommend this business enough!

Fantastic experience: I’ve been seeing Miriam for 7 years and I can attest to her knowledgeable treatment, focused accuracy, and results that provide relief and mobility. Through the years I’ve had injuries in my feet, calves, hamstrings, hips and back (I’m a runner) and every time I’ve seen Miriam, I’ve come away feeling better, more flexible and able to continue training. Miriam is the best!

Fantastic experience: I always feel so much better after seeing Miriam. She’s been helping me improve as a runner for several years now and I would highly recommend her to anyone in need of physical therapy.

Fantastic experience: Miriam is amazing, so glad I found her, especially as my IT band flared just before a planned marathon! She is extremely knowledgeable and addresses the issue with multiple modalities. I no longer live in Asheville and I still go see her when I have concerns about running injuries. Highly, highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: I was having IT band issues from running and after one visit Miriam had me feeling way better. I know if I stick to the exercises she gave me that I'll be back running on the trails again in no time. I highly recommend the Runner's Mechanic.

Fantastic experience: Miriam was phenomenal! She quickly and completely addressed my pain. She clearly has a gift for healing.

Fantastic experience: It’s taken me weeks to write a review because I’ve been out running pain-free! I had some new injuries stacked on some old injuries and some bad habits that were getting in the way of training for my next race and after my first session and following up with the adjustments to my stride and exercises that were recommended, I’m feeling awesome and training is back on track.

Fantastic experience: Miriam helped me with a rotator cuff issue. She is very skilled, professional, and pleasant to work with. The dry needling was amazing, and brought relief to muscles that had been tight and problematic for decades. (It does not hurt.) Soft tissue massage and taping helped too. I got noticeable results after 1 visit. Highly recommend!!

Fantastic experience: Miriam is so good at what she does! I developed an injury while training for Shut-In last fall. Miriam graciously worked me into her busy schedule within the next few days. Without the therapy that Miriam provided I wouldn’t have been able to run that race. She also gave great advise on how to remain injury free in the future. I am so glad that I found Miriam, and you will be, too!

Fantastic experience: Miriam is incredibly professional, genuinely cares about her patients, and every single time I go to see her I walk out the door feeling better than when I walked in. Her expertise in dry needling and soft tissue work has saved me from pulling out of races, and her guidance in strengthening exercises has left me injury free for the longest I've been in years. So happy I found her and her practice!

Fantastic experience: I have been seeing Miriam several times a year for the past four years. As a competitive runner in my 60's, my body does not recover like it used to; however, Miriam has given me several PT exercises that I have incorporated into my daily life that have helped me to train and race. She also gave me some form advice that corrected the engagement of my muscles, making me a faster and more efficient runner. I can not recommend her services more highly.

Fantastic experience: Miriam is the best physical therapist I’ve been to, and I’ve been to more than my share. The first time I went to her, she told me that if I wasn’t noticing major improvement within 1 to 2 visits that she would refer me somewhere else. My past PT experiences brought multiple appointments each week for months. She has helped my husband and me make it through injuries and other issues with just a few visits. Anytime something is hurting me, I reach out and Miriam works with me to get me feeling better. I have referred many friends to her, all of whom have experienced similar results to mine. I highly recommend you check out The Runner’s Mechanic for any PT needs you have. And, no, you don’t have to be a runner...I’m not!!

Fantastic experience: Miriam is incredible! She is knowledgeable about how the body works, as well as how different techniques and strengthening can affect the function of the body. She has helped me return to running after children, and she has helped my body heal faster from injuries. Miriam genuinely cares about her clients and helping them to be as healthy as can be. I highly recommend her!

Fantastic experience: Miriam has helped my running immensely. I went to her seeking help with some nagging injuries and generalized declining running performance that I hadn't been able to solve on my own over the past few years. She helped identify some muscle group weaknesses and helped devise a plan to fix those weakness as well as retrain my gait to prevent re-injury. I couldn't be more happy with the results. Running is fun again, and I feel like I have turned back the clock at least 2-3 years. Miriam gets my unequivocal recommendation for any athlete looking to improve his or her performance and well-being!

Fantastic experience: We took my daughter to see Miriam about a small glitch in her running stride. She took the advice and exercises/therapies suggested and put them to good work. She PRed at each event following our visit and capped it off with a 2nd place finish at the SCHSL AAA meet. She earned All Region, All Area, All County and All State honors. Thank you Miriam for helping her find her stride!

Fantastic experience: After struggling with hamstring issues for 3 years and not being able to run and race consistently, Runner's Mechanic has me back on the road and the trails injury free . I highly recommend Runner's Mechanic if you have any issues affecting your running performance .

Fantastic experience: Awesome work, keep me fresh and ready to run my races!

Fantastic experience: Miriam was totally knowledgeable, affable, and professional.

Fantastic experience: Seeing Miriam helped a nagging training injury I was having before my first race in 2015. She was a life saver then & continues to be an important part of my running life. Amateurs and elites need Miriam in their lives!