Courses

Malta, New York’s colorful foliage and Capital Area Physical Therapy and Wellness welcomed Postural Respiration into its PT-owned clinic. Course attendees had expertise across multiple disciplines -- physical therapy, strength and conditioning, internal medicine -- and patient populations, from pediatrics, geriatrics, basal ganglia and other movement disorders, and high school through professional athletics. Most expressed gratitude and satisfaction with getting back to a live course following the covid sequester. With so much of the weekend devoted to hands-on lab time, Postural Respiration is better experienced live.

Postural Respiration, Postural Restoration, Primary Course, Diaphragmatic Breathing, Zone of Apposition

Postural Respiration

Abundant research exists that describes the role of the diaphragm in facilitating physiologic processes and homeostasis. Less understood and studied is its role in regulating pressure within the chambers of the body to produce integrated and coordinated movement. When the diaphragm’s shape is altered from patterned postural positions, movements, and behavior, the result is asymmetrical air flow patterns that become ever more patterned. Practitioners encounter this phenomenon every day in our patients/clients and witness its influence on autonomic variability, a concept fundamental to the Postural Restoration Institute.  

Throughout the weekend, we considered questions such as:  
-    How do the left and right diaphragm position and function influence rest, recovery, and performance?  
-     Why are the right triceps, left internal obliques and transverse abdominus, and bilateral low traps and serratus anterior so crucial in establishing and maintaining effective length-tension properties of the thoracic diaphragm? And how do they influence new, unfamiliar, yet optimal, patterns of movement in our patients’/clients’ day-to-day lives?
-      When and why do the scalenes, notably on the right, conspire with the subclavius and pec minor, to produce unrelenting activity and the pathological respiratory syndrome known as superior T4?
-     How does the PRI paradigm fit within a clinician’s current approach to evaluation and treatment?  
-      If you have only thirty minutes with a patient, how do you prioritize?  
-     Why/how do patients/clients benefit from reaching activities? Balloon blowing?

It was a treat to be reunited with Kathy Metzger, PT, PRC, a fellow member of the PRC squad of 2011. Kathy applied her experienced hands on many rib cages to teach the nuances of objective tests and treatment techniques.  Thank you for all your help!  

We greatly appreciate our models:  Christopher Denio, DPT, Mike DeMille, DPT, PRC, Andrew Gaetano, DPT, Ken Jin, DPT, and Trisha Livermore, DPT.  Your willingness to participate allowed all of us to gain a deeper understanding of the tests, interpretations, and techniques.

    

A special thank you to Evan Marsh, DPT, and Andrew Gaetano, of Capital Area Physical Therapy and Wellness, for opening your doors and welcoming this wonderful group of clinicians! 

Posted October 20, 2021 at 1:30PM
Categories: Clinicians Courses Science

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

The Cervical Revolution Course last weekend was taken to a new level in it's development of being the course that introduces " top down" concepts and the neurologic connection of the body with the brain and cranium.  What made this cervical-cranial-occlusal course extraordinary had many components. The technology provided by an international audience online revealed a growing international hunger for PRI. From the Western Pacific, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Singapore were represented. On the other side of the world students from Canada, Iceland, Belarus, Malta, Ireland, Poland and the UK were present as well as all over the USA. There was a great local representation from Nebraska in the live audience that provided energy and interest with questions, feedback and lab demonstration that all in attendance benefitted from.


One of the best questions, and one that is central to this course, is how is it that the occipital bone can move into A/O flexion on one side and A/O extension on the other if it is one bone? During tri-planer movement of this highly neurologic joint a sliding or gliding of the condyles of the occiput in the fossa of the atlas provides a rocking motion the looks like a bowl (occiput) rolling in a tri-planer motion side to side with one side going up and forward as the other side is coming back and down in a balanced alternating fashion. If this alternating/oscillating movement ceases to occur driving the occiput down into the atlas coming up on the ride side, torsions that are torque-like scoliosis patterns occur in the cranium. Hence, in this regard, the neck runs the neurologic and cranial/occlusal system.

Cervical Revolution, Postural Restoration Course, Secondary Course


What really made this course is not only the student participation and international diversity, but Dr. James Carlson, a world renown dentist, was in attendance. As the course got deeper into the cervical-cranial-occlusal subjects, this instructor went to student mode personally and asked Dr. Carlson for his input. I'm not sure if new students realize what a special opportunity it was to have Dr. Carlson describe occlusal issues as it applies to this course and a holistic approach it provides to all healthcare disciplines in attendance.


What then added to this course was to have PRI faculty members Louise Kelly and Dan Hoglum in attendance. Big "wow" factor for the entire weekend. Louise broke down the Standing Stomatonathic Squat in such detail that described a bottom up and top down integration of ground, vision, occlusion. She will be teaching Cervical Revolution soon and not to be missed!  Dan Hoglum is the Impingement and Instability "rock" in PRI and provided a powerful, concise description of one of the main concepts of this course being "Top Down"!  Both Louise and Dan brought "extra credit" and value along with Dr. Carlson to all our learning experience.


There is no way this weekend could have been pulled off without Jennifer Platt getting to the institute early and the last one to leave the building to facilitate the entire weekend and make it a successful learning environment for all. None of this could happen without her. Not only that, but Jen has so much experience in these courses as well as PRIVY and her knowledge and sharing what she knows gave this weekend so much more depth and color. To my "co-instructors", Dr. Carlson, Louise, Dan and Jen thank you all. And to everyone in attendance thank you for being such a great group!

Posted October 5, 2021 at 4:06PM
Categories: Clinicians 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!

Nestled among the hemlocks and Douglas firs, with Olympic National Park beckoning in the distance, IRG Physical and Hand Therapy in picturesque Mill Creek, WA, opened their doors to host Postural Respiration.

The clinicians in attendance were energetic, collaborative, and engaging, hailing from the worlds of physical therapy, massage, athletic training, and chiropractic. One attendee, Samarpan Buchalter, DC, plans to return to, of all places, the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil and the indigenous Yanomami Tribe to introduce the Postural Respiration concepts and techniques. PRI keeps expanding its reach!

The theme of the weekend was that of the twisted diaphragm, created by its left and right-sided differences in girth and abdominal support. Coupled with a preference for right stance, this twist creates on-going and un-relenting asymmetrical air flow patterns and a tendency toward hyperinflation. Individuals don’t recognize they’re in this state and don’t know how to resolve it. Through non-manual and manual techniques, we learned to help our patient-client by first guiding them to sense and maintain left abdominal functional concentric and eccentric activity, or a left zone of apposition (ZOA). Lung and rib cage regions that, in the pattern, are restricted, can now expand with a left diaphragm that is more respiratory, and less postural, in its role. We learned the importance of “reach”, a huge PRI concept, since it promotes diaphragm ZOA, normal thoracic kyphosis, rib cage internal and external rotation, and spinal rotation. Furthermore, reaching inhibits overactivity of the over-worked and over-trained pecs, lats, and paraspinals. The net result is alternating, reciprocal airflow for efficient breathing and effortless forward locomotion.

Thank you to models Samarpan, Christa Byler, LMT, Jonette Ford, PT, Christopher Gant, PT, and Joshua Schwartz, PT, who graciously allowed me to demonstrate objective tests and techniques. With their help, we were able to identify various patterns of overactivity and learn of their injury histories that supported the findings. Erin Rajca, PT, PRC, was instrumental in providing clinical pearls from her many years of experience, offering one-on-one expertise in lab, and acting as my human GPS Sunday morning when my Waze app was stymied by the clouds! Finally, a huge thank you to Jennifer Wright, PTA, ATC, our host site coordinator, for all the work you put into making the weekend run smoothly. Your generosity and effort were much-appreciated!

Posted September 21, 2021 at 9:58PM
Categories: Courses Science

A few days before I was to present Postural Restoration, I reflected back to the number of times I had taken this course during my 17 year journey in PRI. We were fortunate to have nine movement specialists taking their first PRI course, and with the exception of two attendees, no one else attending the course had attended Postural Respiration previously. Since it was almost everyone's first voyage into this course material, I wanted to really focus on two topics that had escaped me in my previous attendance of this course: what/why/how surrounding Superior T4 Syndrome, and why do the R low trap/tricep and L serratus anterior/low trap hold such high significance in PRI for management of the BC pattern.  

We had lively discussion surrounding human asymmetry and how that asymmetry feeds into patterned respiratory mechanics, as well as the potential detriments of patterned breathing. Once we had the foundational concepts secured, we could move into the prevalence of the R BC pattern and what tests we could use to determine if the R BC pattern was overactive. Using the algorithm found on page 48, we were able to walk through manual and non-manual treatments, as well as spend a lot of time defining why and how Superior T4 Syndrome presents itself, and how to uncover the presence of Superior T4 Syndrome as a pathological, or "phony", respiration strategy.   

Algorithms are used frequently in PRI as a means to learn and improve ones ability to apply PRI concepts, particularly if the learner is new to PRI and the science behind it. Again, using page 48 as a backdrop, we were able to progress through why the R low trap/triceps is a necessary piece of R BC inhibition, but also why the L serratus anterior/low trap are necessary for security after proper management of Superior T4 Syndrome. We were also able to spend time in lab going through several of the non-manual techniques that support the manual techniques presented in this course. Since inhibition is such a huge part of PRI, we were able to focus on several non-manual inhibition techniques surrounding those individual who present with B PEC or B BC findings.

Being able to present this course in the clinic I work in with fellow PRC, Donna Parise-Byrne, was great. It was also rewarding to have fellow PRC, Jill Maida, in attendance as well. My thanks to Gail Trubow, Brock Mitchell, Anne Farkas, and Heather Pappas for their help during labs and asking great questions. We really had many great questions and dialogues over the course of the weekend. Thank you to all who attended the course as we took every precaution possible to ensure everyone felt safe, while still receiving the course content at a level that each individual needed.

Posted September 14, 2021 at 3:36PM
Categories: Courses Techniques Science

This past weekend I had a great time teaching and mentoring 23 students right downtown Baltimore at FX Physical Therapy. The host site was in an amazing historic former bank building. We literally were in the bank Vault!  It was great to be back out on the road. I have enjoyed being home with family and friends during the Pandemic, but there is nothing like getting on a plane, renting a car and showing up in person to teach a Live course.


Matt was an amazing host as were his staff. We had students fly in from Oregon and New Mexico. It is so fun to meet new students and introduce them to the science of PRI. We discussed AF and FA position and strength as it relates to balancing out normal human asymmetries. I had a evening out with my college room-mate. It seems like yesterday when we were students at UVM. Just the weekend before, Chris and I took our youngest daughter Devon to college at NC State. Teaching the following weekend was a nice distraction from this life event. One of our course attendees is the ATC for NC State Basketball! Go Wolfpack! This class asked alot of questions, engaged in great clinical discussions and I think they are ready to hone their PRI skills over the next several weeks. I love adding new clinicians to the PRINation!

Myokinematic Restoration, Postural Restoration Institute

Posted August 30, 2021 at 9:02PM
Categories: Courses Science

For many of us who have taken PRI courses over the years, Lincoln, Nebraska, often becomes a home-away-from-home. This has been particularly true in the last two years with the inception of PRI live-stream courses. It has been such a blessing for PRI to reach so many people via live-stream. In total, we had 78 people attend Impingement and Instability, with 20 of those having attended the course in previous years. However, only 5 individuals had attended the new and upgraded version of I&I before this weekend. Having six people live and in person was such a gift. It was an honor to have 11 PRC's and PRT's in the audience as well.

This course is a clinician's course, and we are able to make a lot of connections and links between several PRI courses in one weekend. Yes, this is a dense course with a lot of great information. The advantage of the live-stream is that all the attendees received the recording of the course for two weeks to listen to the material again. The ironic part of the "new" version of I&I is that a lot of the material is unchanged; the context and neurological links between the floor on the ground and the "floor" under the scapulae are significantly changed. This allows the attendee to further appreciate the "why" and "how" behind non-manual activity application and selection.

   

This course is dripping with neurology and is a gateway for the attendee to attend the PRI Forward Locomotion Movement, Cranial Resolution, Occlusal Cervical Restoration, and the new Voice Box course. We build off the three PRI primary courses to delve into how to apply those basic concepts using a higher level of decision making based on a neurological sensory framework. Hopefully, we were able to provide the attendees with that appreciation and help prepare them for future PRI courses.

My thanks to RJ Hruska for orchestrating the entire weekend. He was very helpful to me, and made my job much easier. We got so many great questions over the weekend, and we were able to answer most, if not all, of them.  And having six people live in the building provided an additional layer of questions and feedback. My thanks to Benjamin Sandman for his help with our calcaneal sensorium demonstration. He said it perfect when he said he was surprised at how much better he could sense the ground under his L calcaneus even after the demonstration was over.  

It was truly and honor to have attendees from 14 countries. It is amazing to think that this technology exists, and I am very thankful that fellow movement specialists were willing to spend time with us, even from the other side of the world. Even though most, if not all, of the 72 of the live-stream attendees were in their homes, it was comfortable for me as well to be in my home-away-from-home and spend some quality I&I time with so many like-minded peers. 

Posted August 26, 2021 at 4:19PM
Categories: Courses Techniques Science

Hello fellow scoliosis practitioners and PRI NATION! We are offering our STRATER Level One course via Live Stream In October!

A 3-Dimensional Approach for the Conservative Treatment of Scoliosis

LIVE STREAM: Saturday October 2nd and Sunday October 3rd, 2021

15 CEU’s from North Carolina Physical Therapy Association

This introductory lecture and lab course is designed to teach scoliosis practitioners assessment and treatment techniques for adolescents and adults with curvature of the spine. Participants will gain a greater understanding of:

  • Tri-planar asymmetry in scoliosis
  • Factors determining risk of scoliosis progression
  • Spinal precautions
  • Understanding curve patterns
  • Safe performance of ADLs
  • Screening and evaluation of scoliosis
  • Reviewing x-rays in scoliosis
  • Bracing in scoliosis: types & necessity
  • Specific 3-dimensional treatment techniques
  • Special considerations for adults with scoliosis

All course instructors hold multiple, advanced certifications pertaining to clinical management of scoliosis and actively treat patients with scoliosis as the core of our practice: 

Susan Henning, PT, PRC, SBC-C2 

Jean Masse, PT, DPT, PRC, OCS, ATC, SBC-C2 

Lisa Mangino, PT, DPT, C/NDT, PCS, PRC, SBC-C2

See also instructors' related publication in: Innovations in Spinal Deformities and Postural Disorders

For more information, please see our flyer!

To Register, go to https://straterscoliosis.com/course-registration

We hope to see you virtually in October!

What a great weekend in Virginia Beach, VA. Thank you Julie Blandin and Thrive Proactive Health for hosting Pelvis Restoration this past weekend. We had 32 course attendees and 18 of them were attending their first PRI course and several were attending their second course. It was amazing to collaborative and integrate with Physical Therapists, Movement Specialists, Trainers, Massage Therapists,  Physicians, and Physicians Assistants.  Lisa introduced the “Reflected” Head” of the Rectis Femoris Muscle. The proximal attachment site, attaches just superior of the acetabulum. I feel this “Reflected Head” also assists with flexion or forward rotation of the anterior inlet. I had never heard of the Reflected Head of the Rectis Femoris until this past weekend. Isn’t is so amazing to collaborate and learn from each other?!!

The course participants not only appreciated PRI repositioning or neutrality thru the Adduction Drop Test, but also appreciated how the Pelvic Ascension Drop Test and Passive Abduction Raise Test not only demonstrate frontal plane control for stance or swing phase of Forward Locomotor Movement, but also inhibition of muscle. The Hruska Abduction List test also assisted the Health Care provider with how to apply and select PRI non-manual techniques for their patient after the pelvis is repositioned. PRI tests will assist you with your PRI application with your patient.

Posted August 20, 2021 at 4:47PM
Categories: Courses Science
First ... 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 ... Last

Products

CD Bundles
Non-manual Techniques
Manual Techniques DVD
Manual Techniques
Illustrations
PRIVY
PRI Video for You