Posts by Jesse Ham

CMP, PRC, PRI Faculty Member

Hey PRI family!

I recently returned from Tualatin, Oregon  where I enjoyed a weekend teaching Pelvis Restoration to a widely diverse group of movement professionals. Positioned adjacent to a majestic wetland, I was awestruck by the Active Edge PT clinic setting. Thank you Micah, Annie and Kindra for hosting and making the accommodations quite inviting!  

This instructor enjoyed sharing the science of PRI with exercise science professionals like Chris Hathaway, PT’s like Kindra Fish, Anthony Book and Heather Jenny, as well as integrative practitioners like Liz Williams, LCSW and DC’s like Brett Darrington and John “Branden” Garland.  

Pelvis inlet and outlet position as it pertained to asymmetry, and polyarticular chains of muscle were discussed and described. Class participants were interested and involved in discussions and demonstrations of neuromechanics of techniques aimed at synchronizing thoracic and pelvic diaphragms for optimizing function in prospective clients. Thank you Brian Coleman, Kindra Fish, Chris Hathaway, Eva Bilo and others for your help in lab demonstrations and discussions. Thank you Anthony Book, Liz Williams and a host of others for great questions, spurring discussions about how to integrate Pelvis Restoration coursework, manual and non-manual, into the content of this weekend.  

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the great Northwest, capped by a Mahi sandwich.  Thank you all again for the hospitality and eager learners!

Posted October 11, 2021 at 9:01PM
Categories: Courses Science

I recently had the pleasure of joining Tassie Cantrell and some of the accommodating Cantrell Center staff for a course in Myokinematic Restoration course in Warner Robins, Georgia.

An energetic group of learners ranging in PRI experience from PRC’s Samantha Anderson, Jamie Lochner and Cindy Rice, to anticipatory new learners like Kaitlin “not Katie” Blankenship and Sunshine Walton took to the task of learning PRI introductory concepts, theory, rationale, special tests and treatment algorithms. This group flourished during lab demonstrations with tests and according lab practice on various techniques designed to treat specific special test findings.

Myokinematic Restoration, Postural Restoration Institute, Primary Course

Myokinematic Restoration, Postural Restoration Institute, PRI, Primary Course

This instructor especially appreciated the attention to detailed questions about designing treatments to oppose FA and AF compensatory movement strategies inherent in human movement as well as the effort of all students during lab applications. One of my favorite things is watching clinicians bring the science of PRI to life during labs and case studies when applying didactic concepts, and this group excelled!

Thank you each for joining me in Georgia to perpetuate the science of PRI Myokinematic Restoration, I thoroughly enjoyed my time teaching this course!

Earlier this month, I was in Fort Collins, CO teaching Pelvis Restoration after 14 months out of the faculty circuit. For many reasons that will prove impossible to come close to articulating here, this course in review proved difficult to concisely write. These past two years, objectively, I have lost a lot—a child to disease, a dear co-worker to miscommunication, contact with a dear friend and colleague to culture, contact with another dear friend and colleague to a series of business casualties...to name a few. I mention these losses because I am certain this same window has been uniquely difficult year for most everyone reading this, regardless of where you find yourself. I’m sorry for each of your losses, yet very much hopeful.

Just through that window, I take heart, because I am confident that all of these losses are temporary, and will prove to be blessings, each in their own way, though I may not understand how presently. For certain, goodness was found in Fort Collins!  It is also difficult to encapsulate how thankful I am for my good, longtime friend and colleague Craig Depperschmidt, a 2012 PRC graduate and PRI hub in Colorado, to have welcomed me back to Fort Collins with undeserving hospitality. It was tremendous working with newer friends Brian Benjamin, who served tremendously as host site coordinator, as well as Rachel Kroncke, Sara Truelsen, and Ruth Waller-Liddle in the ProActive PT Center family who welcomed PRI and me into their work home fully. Thank you each so much for your warm welcome!

Pelvis Restoration course on asymetrical pelvic influence

Pelvis Restoration course on asymetrical influences of the pelvis

The course was akin to being back on one’s favorite horse—saddle and content were true and just as they should be. Many thanks to Matthew McLaughlin for great discussion during the course and during break times. Thank you to Jason Huang, Ryan LaFountaine, Jessica Robinson, Cristi Cuellar and multiple others for your help with demonstration during lab sessions as we explored the many facets of this primary course about a pelvic inlet and outlet. Many interactions during both lecture and lab about clinical application hopefully proved beneficial to experienced veteran course participants and to the six-pack of those new to the science of PRI. This instructor enjoyed the respectful and vigorous participation from the class as we discussed optimizing neuromechanical position and triplanar control of hemipelvic inlets and outlets in order to allow alternating integrated function of synchronized ipsilateral pelvic and thoracic diaphraghms. Thank you all from ProActive PT and PRI who made this course possible once again, it really was and is good to be back!

PRI nation, it’s good to be back!  

I returned this week from my first opportunity to visit the great state of Louisiana.  What a fantastic welcome this instructor received!  I had the pleasure of introducing nearly the entire class to the science of Pelvis Restoration thanks to the host and hostess Chris and Karlie McDougall at Renew Physical Therapy. Chris, Karlie and the whole team at Renew were kind and gracious, and provided King Cake, and other local delicacies…and I got the baby, so I’ll be back!  

The course involved great conversation and discussion about the theory, science and specifics of inhibiting, facilitating and integrating alternating function of a pelvis into our neuromechanical system. Thank you to PRC, Kyle Babin for your time and energy serving as the lab assistant during our many lab breakouts, you were excellent! This instructor enjoyed the discussion of how to implement PRI objective tests into a comprehensive triplanar picture of the position and tendency of a pelvis as part of the individual human system we assess. Many thanks to Payton Spell, Shaun Lopez, Jessica Lamothe, Lonnie Arroyo, David Giardina (even in the short time!) and more for your help with lab demonstrations and observation of objective tests and treatment techniques.

 

This group had an exceptional array of patterned movement strategies that made this an enjoyable cross-section overview of the greater population and a great venue for learning first hand. I did my part to eat Covington out of Gumbo and I very much appreciated being welcomed to enjoy an evening with the McDougall family for my very first Marti Gras parade. What an enjoyable spectacle!

Thank you again, my fine Louisiana friends, for an enjoyable learning experience in The Bayou, my best to each of you!

Posted February 26, 2020 at 5:29PM
Categories: Courses Clinicians Science

Hello PRI nation! This past weekend’s trip to Georgia has reminded me of some of the many ways this Institute called PRI is exceptional. As has always been the case, every organization that is foundational and exceptional is so largely because of its people.

Mentor, friend, PRI faculty team member, and mayor of Mayberry, Mike “Hops” Cantrell, helped me feel at home at Fox Valley Farm in Georgia in more ways than I have room here to describe. The attentive, kind and graceful people who attended the course at Mercer University enjoyed learning and treated this instructor well, with excellent dialogue and focus during didactics and labs. The gentleman who helped set up the course so that we could teach, Mr. Amos Mansfield, enjoyed doing his part to spread the science of PRI to others. This instructor thoroughly enjoyed teaching the science of Pelvis Restoration in the great state of Georgia, as did another friend, mentor and exceptionally bold, popular PRI faculty team member The Jen Poulin (TJP), who came in to teach day two when I was unexpectedly called away. Jen was nothing short of an ace closer last weekend! Thank you Jason Robey for your sense of humor and for that one second pause.

Thank you Jeremy Fradin, Michael Finley, Joni Robertson and several more for your effort and assistance with demonstrations and labs. Thank you to the whole class for your kindness and attentiveness as we navigated Pelvis Restoration theory, terminology, objective tests, facilitation and inhibition strategies to ultimately oppose polyarticular patterns that present initially. There were many reasons for my being there--each of you!

Pelvis Restoration Mercer University Macon Georgia Postural Restoration Institute

Pelvis Restoration Mercer University Macon Georgia Postural Restoration Institute Jesse Ham

Pelvis Restoration Mercer University Macon Georgia Postural Restoration Institute Jen Poulin

Posted July 19, 2019 at 1:34PM
Categories: Courses

Just wrapped up a thoroughly enjoyable weekend at the beautiful Minot State University in Minot, ND teaching Myokinematic Restoration. Thank you to Minot State faculty Dr. Heather “Rockstar” Golly and the Beth Marschner “twins” for their help in coordinating this course at their gorgeous third floor facility with a view of the campus. The Minot State team made me feel like family from start to finish. This class included an interdisciplinary group of movement scientists including Maci Severson, ATC, Holly Thompson, PT, Kevin Melby ATC, PTA, Dawn Mattern, MD among others in a largely new to PRI crowd. Many thanks to newly minted PT, PRC Bridget Anderson, who did a great job as lab assistant throughout the course.

Course participants engaged in discussions about PRI theoretical principles, scientifically based rationale for testing and treating the normal asymmetry seen and learned special tests to assess acetabulum and femur relationships. Course participants like Kevin Melby, Micki LaDage, Jodi Swedlund, Samantha Brizee among others volunteered to participate in lab activities to practice PRI special tests and how to use PRI techniques to develop a treatment plan with progression. Thank you to all who helped during lab time by allowing course participants to see examples of normal polyarticular chain patterns of muscle and inhibition techniques that affect them!

Myokinematic Restoration - Minot, ND

A lively, thoughtful and robust group, it helped me really enjoy my time in the “sister state” of North Dakota this weekend. Thank you each for adding to PRI nation and for jumping into the science of PRI with candor and zest!

Last weekend I enjoyed a warm welcome in the warm climate of New Mexico that provided a welcomed pause in the coldest winter in my state since 1931. Truly can’t thank Nancy Allen and the attendees at UNM Lovelace Rehab Hospital in Albuquerque for their time, energy and attendance to the many details and nuances of Pelvis Restoration. With nearly all course attendees attending their first Pelvis Restoration course and the majority attending their first PRI course, this was a unique opportunity for this instructor to be able to gear the course slightly more focally to a specific perspective.

This entire group embraced tangible lab time and during labs we had the opportunity to look at many facilitation techniques and demonstrate a series of inhibition techniques for those whose 8 Pelvis Restoration special tests revealed specific need for inhibition in 4 quadrants of the pelvis, two in the inlet and outlet respectively. Thanks to Colin Kidwell, Mary Claire “Intensity” Aaron, “athletic play Ben” Hendricks, Amy Link and nearly every attendee for volunteering for demonstrations for everything from a posterior mediastinum with volume to a left posterior outlet in need of inhibition.

Case studies and application questions abounded and there were many discussing integration concepts, feeling the principles of Pelvis PRI while practicing techniques intermittently throughout the back half of day two…reminding me how much I enjoy seeing the eyes of new attendees light up when the science of PRI “clicks” for the first time.

 Thanks again Nancy for staying the course with PRI and providing a great weekend of learning for all of us. Warm weekend on many fronts!

Posted March 18, 2019 at 4:59PM
Categories: Courses Science

Hello PRI Nation!

Returned from Florida this week after a great first PRI course in Bradenton where we hosted some great clinicians from the greater Tampa Bay area and beyond. Many thanks to John Walz, and the team at Request Physical Therapy who provided an inviting, high positive energy environment in which to learn the science of Pelvis Restoration. Our local hub and this weekend’s lab assistant was my friend Megan Bollinger from the PRC class of 2012, whose passion for this science is both admirable and contagious. Can't say enough about how much I appreciate Megan's unassuming, caring demeanor during courses and as a fantastic host.

Jesse Ham Demonstarting the Hruska Adduction Drop Test during Pelvis Restoration

This interdisciplinary group of movement pros, from Hiroki Yoshimoto, ATC to Heidi Goldman, LMT, Sharon Yadven OTR/L to the “Traveling Timlers,” PT’s Megan and Paul was particularly interested in clinical application of PRI pubo-sacral dynamics of the ‘how and when’ to utilize the principles of this course material. We explored anatomy, neurologic application, arthrokinematics and osteokinematics of positioning human systems in ways to optimize pelvis content and surroundings including how to integrate said systems into dynamic living machines with synchronized pelvic and thoracic diaphragms. Our multiple lab times focused on discussing and feeling tests and treatment techniques aimed at achieving tri-planar control of a pelvic as well as its mirror ipsilateral thoracic diaphragm and designing a program to do so. This instructor enjoyed the lively class participation from front row Jessika McNeil and Brianna Nelson all the way to back row light crew Nick Dwyer. We were especially thankful to have both Megan Bollinger, PT, PRC and Karen Hoyt, PT PRC who both practiced and assisted during lab time, allowing us to cover lab with depth sometimes not allowed.

During lab times, thank you Sharon Yadven, John Walz, Megan Timler, Paul Timler, Nick Dwyer, Hilary Arichego and many others for your contribution to the class as we learned together for demonstration time of techniques. And, thank you all for a great learning environment and experience in Western Florida. What a blast!

Jesse Ham, at Pelvis Restoration in Bradenton, FL. January 12-13, 2019

Posted January 18, 2019 at 3:54PM
Categories: Courses Clinicians

Recently returned from the greater Chicago area for Pelvis Restoration at The Trainers Club where I was welcomed by Wynne Conklin. Fellow PRC and faculty member Dan Houglum served as our lab assistant for the course and my stay at the Houglum Hotel was first class by any measure, as was his presence at the course. Newcomers, many who were mid-stream with introductory courses and a couple savvy vets who'd been to many secondary courses were dialed for a PRI steak of a course.

As is generally the case, the pelvis restoration discussion was one of integrating pelvic and thoracic diaphragms with great discussion about how to implement with athletes of all ages and capacities. Many thanks to Eric Hrycko for his willingness and outright enjoyment of lab demonstrations as well as the many others who contributed during lab demonstration and discussion of PEC and Left AIC underlying neuromechanical patterns that elicit compensations of immensely varying sorts.

We discussed how to best address the "big ones" first in terms of identifying inhibition strategies after identifying potential treatment options via administering PRI special tests. This group was particularly effective and variable in lab, showcasing a broad array of normal pelvis asymmetries that allowed a thorough and comprehensive lab demonstration that is not always possible at every course. Literally the entire group participated in discussions and/or lab on at least one occasion during this course--awesome. Thank you all for being such involved students of this fine science!

Thanks again Dan and Wynne for taking the time and expending the energy to ensure that this was a great environment to take in the science of Pelvis Integration! Thoroughly enjoyed Pelvis Restoration Chi-town!

Posted November 5, 2018 at 4:13PM
Categories: Courses

Just returned from a trip to the beautiful bay area in Oakland, with gracious hosts Tim Appleford and Naomi Schambelan at Lafayette Physical Therapy. Thank you so much Tim, Naomi and your team for working through unpredictable variables to allow what turned out to be a tremendous course!

From the start, this crowd of diverse movement scientists from a variety of professions proved they were dialed into the science of PRI and Pelvis Restoration. We had a series of great discussions regarding the theory, science and rationale for why frontal plane control of the inlet and outlet of the pelvis is important for integrating a triplanar system together and developing patterns to oppose one of three categories of patterns that often lead clients to us in our varied settings.

Our lab demonstration and interactive discussion about eight special tests to assess pelvis position and specific need for intervention was a joy for this instructor and for our ace lab assistant, Taylor Lewis. Sam Eisenberg, George Cuevas, Naomi Schambelan, Drew Yoder, Shuan Buchanan and Sura Choi among others were champs, helping with lab demonstrations of special tests and with demonstrations of how and when to utilize PRI techniques in designing individualized programs. I appreciated John Ursone, Marisa Gulizia and others for your on-point questions about PRI the science, particularly with regard to application. Thank you Robert “Luceeeente,” Crystal Palmer and really the whole gang for your senses of humor and keeping the positive flow throughout the course.

Thanks again Lafayette crew. This weekend was a celebration of learners and functional movement science—what a blast!

Posted August 15, 2018 at 4:47PM
Categories: Courses
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