What a wonderful time Ron and I had in Chapel Hill North Carolina last weekend with the first offering of the Pediatric Evolution: An Integrated Approach to Optimizing Functional Development and Upright Growth secondary course. We welcomed the cooler fall weather and were graciously hosted by the crew at Advance Physical Therapy: Jean Masse, Susan Henning, Joe Belding, Molly Miller, Heather McLaughlin, and Phil DeNigris.

With an intimate and in-person group, we were able to have some fascinating discussions about the sequencing of human sensory motor development during the first several years of life, and how these components are influenced by specific developmental processes, for example: tonic neck reflexes, lower extremity extension, visual and central auditory processing, stomatognathic sensorimotor shifting, vocal communication, cognitive processing and how this integration is engrained through kinesemiotic experiences (unrestricted movement, joy and fun!)

We were reminded about the evolution of theories of motor control and what we know about how movement develops, from reflexive survival skills to functional motor performance to adaptations and neuroplasticity. Nine well-referenced principles of how sensory motor skills and the developmental processes listed above are integrated for bi-hemispheric, bi-lateralized, and bilaterally sensed behavior were presented. A sampling of these includes Hemispheric Specialization Relating to Perceptual Patterning, Functional Asymmetry Development, Functional Cortical Dominance, Forces of Gravity on Neuro-developmental Sensory Motor Sequences, and principles of Neuroadaptation. A formal appreciation of Sense of Self develops early and lasts throughout the lifespan, which makes this course relevant and important for patients, clients, and humans of all ages.

Many thanks again to our accomodating hosts for great hospitality, super snacks, and an enviroment that respected the individuals and the tasks. (Did you catch the Dynamic Systems Theory pun?) Special thanks to Jennifer Smart for her valuable contributions to both the creation and presentation of the course, and  also to Carrie Vande Berg, Eric Menchi, Steven Blair, Brandon Byrne and Kyle Langworthy For catalyzing discussions which richly enhanced our teaching.

Cervical Revolution came back to Lincoln this past weekend with a large zoom audience spanning internationally from Asia to North America to Europe. I had the pleasure of teaching to a live audience as well as having the added assistance of Louise Kelley, PT to help breakdown PRI concepts including  the finer parts of technique for de-rotation of the Right TMCC as it relates to not only the cervical spine but the entire system as well. In attendance was an impressive interdisciplinary group including movement specialists, strength and conditioning professionals, massage and soft tissue professionals, chiropractors, physical therapists, an osteopath, two dentists and one RN who is also a CSCS wanting to expand his horizons!

This is a course about the cervical spine and the need for revolvement that maintains alternation side to side, brainstem oscillation, temporal bone "wobble" and a jaw that can freely move side to side to keep a neck and nervous system in balance of an asymmetrical human that can stand erect and move fully and freely. Atlas and occipital bones make up a highly neurologic articulation with a brainstem and autonomics that are intimately connected to this highly reflexive region. This course is the gateway to the cranium and the introduction to top down as well as bottom up concepts of PRI. The cervical, cranial and occlusal systems are all integrated in this course and an impressive demonstration for all, especially the dentists, was provided with a simple mouth guard that Ron made for Louise the day before the course started. I demonstrated this stomatognathic example with Louise by first testing her cervical spine with a mouth guard that gave her right molar contact and reinforced her RTMCC pattern resulting in positive tests of her cervical spine. Another mouth guard was then utilized that dis-occluded her right molar contact while giving her left molar contact sense and all of her tests became negative immediately. This demonstrated the neurologic effect of a simple mandibular appliance on not only the cervical spine but the entire neuro-respiratory-biomechanical system.

Needless to say, this was communicated to me by a student as 'mind blowing' and brought an experiential example of the power of this course. Thank you to RJ for expert facilitation of this course over the weekend, Louise Kelley for being such a great lab assistant and team mate and Ron Hruska for spending Friday before the course reviewing advanced PRI concepts. Most of all, thanks for all of the students in attendance especially from international locations that stayed up really late or got up really early and for all of the diverse professions that contributed their advanced thought and experience to the enrichment of this weekend.

As always, I enjoyed my weekend at the home of PRI in Lincoln, NE to present Postural Respiration to an in-person and virtual group with my friend and colleague Jen Platt, PT, PRC. Although virtual learning can be a challenging format to gauge the interest and energy of attendees, such was not the case with this group, who offered many questions, insightful comments, and thumbs-up to relay to this instructor “Yes, we got this concept.” Our in-person squad was instrumental in helping illustrate concepts, serving as models for the PRI tests and non-manual and manual techniques. A huge thank you to our models Hailey Beasley, PTA, Jason Bushie, ATC, Ellen Kindelsperger, DC, and Tasuku Kurane, ATC, for your willingness to express what you sensed during and following each technique.

As anyone who has taken Postural Respiration knows, there is a great deal of research and conceptual material to sift through, contemplate, and consider. What is quickly understood, by practitioners both new to the science and with numerous courses under their belt, is that the PRI approach can be applied to any and all patients/clients. Its techniques offer a game-changing approach to care. The many lab sessions provide experiential learning and an opportunity to practice how to present and explain the how and why of assessment and treatment with the “patient” in front of you.

It is not enough to simply move air in and out of the thorax. All humans accomplish this, one way or another, to stay alive. It is the ability to direct that bolus of air into different regions of the thorax that determines how variable and efficient our movements may be, how we experience the environment around us, and how well we rest at night. This ability becomes compromised the longer we are constrained by the human’s natural asymmetries that become reinforced by static postures and repetitive activities of daily life. Ensuring the balanced roles of the left and right hemi-diaphragm, that of both posture and respiration, requires an understanding of how to maintain each diaphragm’s zone of apposition, inhibit deleterious muscle over-activity, and re-establish a sense of expansion of the posterior mediastinum from which new, healthier patterns of movement can emerge. These foundational concepts are what Postural Respiration is all about.

Thank you to all attendees for taking time out of your summer to challenge your thinking and grow professionally. It was nice to see many newcomers to the science as well as veterans such as Brittany LaFountaine, DPT, PRC, and Joe Siracusano, DPT. I encourage all of you to keep asking questions and seeking answers, through the PRI website resources, dialogue with fellow clinicians, PRIVY, and the many courses that PRI has to offer

Every PRI course has its own unique flavor, and the major reason for that is the attendees. We had a unique blend of movement specialists for this recent Myokinemtatic Restoration course. Many times, upwards of 80-90% of the attendees have not taken a PRI course before, and usually the remaining attendees may have had a prior PRI course, but not Myokin. What made this course unique was most of the attendees had taken a PRI course prior to this one, and for a few folks, they had taken many PRI courses. It was a treat to have Skip George, DC, PRC, PRI Faculty in attendance. Skip's point of view was exceptionally helpful, as he is able lend a chiropractor's perspective to PRI since we had another chiropractor in attendance. It was an honor to have Lucy Yu, DPT, LMT, in attendance.

Lucy wrote a fantastic article regarding PRI and evidence based practice (EPB), and it is in the back pocket of every Myokin manual. I have seen her name many, many times, and read her paper many times as well. She was kind enough to spend a few minutes discussing her paper and how, by any criteria, PRI meets the standard of EBP. It was a wonderful conversation, and further strengthens the science of PRI by demonstrating its absolute support by research.

Craig Depperschmidt, DPT, PRC, and Jason Miller PT, PRC, are training to teach Myokin, and they did an incredible job. When learning a new concept, it is helpful to hear several different perspectives surrounding the topic, as different perspectives often allow the material to resonate more easily with more people. We were blessed to have three speakers for this course, lending clinical experience, as well as personal perspective to the material. It's not often that the live attendees receive almost one-on-one attention during our labs, but that's essentially what we had with three instructors and four live attendees. Myokin is roughly one-third lab time, so our in-person attendees were able to experience all of the tests and non-manual techniques on themselves several times during lab.

My thanks to our live attendees, and their willingness to learn, ask questions, and allow us to use them for demonstration. Their attendance helped the learning process for the live stream attendees, in lab as well as in demonstration. We are very thankful to Angela Marchant, JJ Miranda, Paul McMahon, and Gabrielle Williams-Hubbard. We know you all came a long distance to be with us, and we greatly appreciate your attendance.

And it was Jason Miller's birthday! It was an honor that Jason was willing to spend his birthday weekend helping to teach the science of PRI. It was probably a wise decision on his part to not let any of us know that it was his birthday during the course. There is a small chance we would have called him Birthday Boy the entire weekend. Despite that lost opportunity, this was a very unique and memorable course.