Myokinematic Restoration - Wellesley, MA - Course in Review

This past weekend I spent some time at this famous institution teaching Myokinematic Restoration. I’d like to take this opportunity and commemorate a moment and talk about perspectives. The moment that I am commemorating is the weekend I got to spend mentoring Kasey Aikin PT, DPT, PRC, as she journeys toward independence as an instructor for the Institute. The perspective to which I refer is Kasey’s and mine, which I imagine will differ a bit. Kasey participated as a lab assistant along with the capable mind of THE Donna Behr PT, MS, DPT, PRC, who so many of you already know. But Kasey also had an additional task. She was not just learning or refining her PRI/Myokinematic skills, she was also learning to be an instructor, so this weekend becomes even more important for her from that perspective. As I spoke of specifics like L AF IR, the AIC, FA IR, management of specific diagnoses and refining skills like the Hruska Adduction Lift Test, Kasey was...absorbing, processing, smiling, reinforcing, thinking and determining how she could best teach the material. I admired what I saw as she worked toward her goal of being an instructor. She could, I think, have taken some of the material at any given moment and presented it. I would’ve enjoyed seeing her do it. Soon, she will. I imagine she will be quite edgy when she does but I think the class to whom she speaks will benefit greatly from her now-forming style. I invited Kasey to write about this weekend from her perspective and the ensuing words you see are from her. As for Wellesley College...put me down as grateful to have been there and I thank you Tim Snyder MS, ATC, LAT for being a great host.

From Kasey:

Walking into a PRI course as a “student” with Mike Cantrell has always been a guarantee of gaining several pearls of wisdom applicable day one while at the same time a comedy relief deciphering his southern similes and metaphors. This course was no different minus my mindset this go round as I wasn’t just a “student” anymore. The crew attending were primarily from the northeast so it’s always neat leaving the south and finding common ground with people on the other side of the country. Lab assisting with Donna Behr was awesome, she may be the nicest lady living in Boston. Seeing the light bulb moments of the attendees go off during lab is always the thrilling part of PRI and what continues to bring anyone back to PRI courses time and time again. The New York “triplets” were super enthused with the material and I’m always impressed to see strength and conditioning specialists diving into Myokin. The Maine crew had excellent questions and honed in on their testing skills. Overall, what an enriching experience while trying to navigate presenting the intricate science of PRI to do it justice. Thanks to all the attendees for the thought provoking questions and Mike Cantrell for continued mentorship and support!

Posted May 24, 2019 at 5:10PM

Categories: Courses

0 Comments

64th Annual Scientific Meeting - American Equilibration Society

I spent my February 20th to the 22nd in Chicago at the American Equilibration Society. A long-standing congress that found me surrounded by about a thousand dentists. A convention that caused me to realize that I had come to the right place. Elizabeth Caughey DDS, with whom I work, implored me to come and...learn. Multiple topics were covered including: bruxism and sleep disordered breathing, occlusion and TMD, mentoring (a strong Ron Hruska point), pediatric airway orthodontics and I even heard a physical therapist speak of PT and TMD! Multiple topics moved my learning forward and caused me to repeat the phrase that I’ve said many times: my learning will never stop. I have no doubt that PRI will one-day be on the docket at this fantastic convention and until then I will continue to expand my learning. Thank you to Ron Hruska for compelling me to get out there and take courses “outside the box” of PRI. I am strengthened and I am excited.

Posted February 22, 2019 at 4:46PM

0 Comments

Occlusion and Gait: A clinical observation

During my work with Elizabeth Caughey DDS in our Integrative Postural Therapy business, we have noticed a consistent finding in many of our patients. In isolation it was interesting but when we began to juxtapose our findings with other research and with the foundational work done by James Anderson MPT, PRC we considered these findings much more important. The following white paper is a summary of those findings. Enjoy!

READ HERE

Posted July 20, 2017 at 7:54PM

0 Comments

Myokinematic Restoration at IFAST

IFAST! Indianapolis was the location of Myokinematics where I spent this past weekend. Many people are aware of IFAST and the team of Bill Hartman, Mike Robertson, Ty Terrell, Jae Chung, Lance Goyke and Tony Giuliano. These are good guys with good hearts. This was a weekend of fun and fellowship as well as fantastic learning. Bill Hartman was a fantastic host to a large group of attendees. Many were first timers to PRI and found the course to be a paradigm shift and a "game changer" as one of them put it. I had the best time this past weekend as I got the opportunity to sit and listen to Dan Houglum MSPT, ATC/L, PRC, one of our newest instructors. Dan took the reins and led the class both days and taught them about the power of human asymmetrical movement and how to control pathological compensatory strategies. As always the class was enlightening and informative and if you are planning a foray into the world of PRI then I would suggest this "front door" of entry called Myokinematics.

Posted March 14, 2017 at 2:13PM

0 Comments

The Indianapolis Experience

To IFAST I went with a flair
To meet the best anywhere
The whole class was groovin
On how humans are movin
And I was knocked outta my chair

Bill Hartman up front as the host
With visitors from coast to coast
And the party that night
Was really a sight
As Lori made toast after toast!

We learned movement cannot be robotic
Not crocodilian or neurotic
That appliances next
May help us all flex
Ask Zac 'bout the ultimate orthotic

But seriously my time was well-spent
With some very fine ladies and gents
Whose goals were the same
The I and I game
and I'm really so glad that I went

Posted August 26, 2015 at 4:27PM

Categories: Courses

0 Comments

Myokinematic Restoration Presented at PHATS/SPHEM Annual Conference!

This past weekend, Professional hockey was formally introduced to PRI. Over the years, some ATC's, Strength Coaches, and PT's in hockey have found PRI and begun to successfully employ the techniques with their athletes. But, now at the behest of PHATS (Professional Hockey Athletic Trainers Society) and SPHEM (Society of Professional Hockey Equipment Managers), PRI was invited to their annual conference and I formally presented the entry level course, Myokinematic Restoration. The group consisted of 64 Athetlic Trainers and Strength coaches who learned about asymmetries, establishing neutrality, and trouble-shooting some difficult case studies. A big thank you to my two lab assistants, Kentaro Ishii and Kevin Neeld! By the end of the course, smiles and handshakes abounded and I was told to plan on returning next year to teach Postural Respiration. I was honored to work with such a fine group of professionals, and I won't soon forget my time in San Antonio, Texas!!!

Posted June 18, 2015 at 2:53PM

Categories: Athletics Courses

0 Comments

Recent Email on L Biceps Activation

On Left Biceps Activation...

Posted: Tue, February 3, 2015

Ok, If we’re super in love with the right triceps for sagittal Right BC inhibition, aren’t we also loving the left biceps (long head) for the same reason?

Let’s consider not the long head of the biceps alone but the short head as well.

The scapula on the R is positioned in a state such that the inferior angle is moving posteriorly away from the ribcage and the superior edge is moving anteriorly toward the ribcage. This is facilitated by pec minor activation and subsequent triceps inhibition. Also, though perhaps to a lesser degree, the R biceps may act, via the long head, but also and possibly more importantly so, the short head (due to its attachment to the coracoid) synergistically with the pec minor. And the end result can be biceps tendinitis. One mechanism for reduction of the biceps activity is via triceps activation. On an interesting side note I had a pt with right biceps pain and the first line of attack was to activate right subscapularis. This was suggested because I already had him on a triceps program and he was neutral. By engaging subscapularis I facilitated IR of the humerus which was now positioned in ER as a result of neutrality, which yielded prolonged inhibition of the subscapularis. Subscapularis activation created internal rotation and internal rotation alone is sufficient to inhibit biceps, because it is a lack of internal rotation (as a compensatory strategy to manage system extension) that results in the alliance of biceps with anterior deltoid and upper trapezius on that R side. This polyarticular chain of muscle which becomes a respiratory accessory muscle chain at this point can become so dominant that injury is an inevitable outcome if no intervention takes place.

On the L side the position of the scapula is opposite the R in many cases and subsequent activation of the L biceps may be necessary as a result of its positional disadvantage. Likewise, inhibition of subscap may be necessary if it has been acting as a compensatory IR muscle to counter ER positioning. To that end, we should also see a need for activation of teres minor and infraspinatus (following repositioning) on the L side as well. Doing so can improve compensatory demands of internal rotation of the humerus when in the R BC pattern. Compensatory internal rotation of the humerus could then possibly increase L pec major activity as it acts synergistically with subscap during compensatory L TR in the R BC pattern. The end result of this patterning could easily create the need for L pec inhibition as a mechanism for L biceps activation! Thus the mechanism for increasing biceps activity (as opposed to triceps on the R side) would be to improve rotation via reduction of the “alliance” of pec major and subscapularis.

One must understand that not everyone develops biceps tendinitis as a result of L AIC, R BC patterning however if it becomes the case then the above scenario are likely. -Michael Cantrell MPT, PRC

To read more recent emails click here.

Posted February 3, 2015 at 5:06PM

0 Comments

Weekend in Review from Seattle, WA

This past weekend I spent time in Seattle, Washington. With the Cascades in the background and the Puget Sound in the foreground we rocked Postural Respiration! The group was eager to share information and they seemed quite at ease with material. Several newcomers to the science were present and it was exciting to see them begin to understand this complex material. Special thanks to Zach Hawthorne DPT, PRC for all his help. Looking forward to my return someday. Washington is beautiful!

Posted October 1, 2014 at 5:05PM

Categories: Courses

0 Comments

Myokinematic Restoration in York, England!

My daughter and I enjoyed a smashing time in England with my host Martin Higgins at ProSport Physiotherapy. He and his wife, Helen took us in and rolled out the red carpet for us. York is a beautiful place and the group of clinicians that I had the pleasure of speaking to were wonderful! I took multiple pictures as did Helen and two of those photos are here. Both were taken during the course, which was divided: 1. Inside for lecture and 2. outside in the beautiful English air for Lab. I am looking forward to continued success in Jolly old England as next year we hopefully present Postural Respiration to this sharp bunch of clinicians!!!

Posted August 29, 2014 at 2:02PM

Categories: Courses

Weekend in Review....Santa Cruz, CA!

Taught Myokin in Santa Cruz
The group was so smart, couldnt lose!
Knowledge is power
It grew hour by hour
And Matthew Tripp didn't snooze!!!

Had a great weekend on the west coast. The class photo is a selfie i took during a "breakout session" on Sunday. The groups were trouble-shooting a case that i presented. They came up with all the right answers. The other photo is outside "Betty's Eat Inn" at lunch on Saturday in Santa Cruz. Thanks to Carrie Robinson, DPT for taking the shot. After lunch, I bought two of their T-shirts; one for me and one for my daughter Betty. Wore mine on sunday by request!!! What a great bunch and what a nice weekend in Santa Cruz. Thank you Jonathan Holtz: A great host and a stand-up guy!!!