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“A Guide To Awareness & Modification Of Habitual Patterns Of Postural Behavior”
We are excited to start of the 2020 calendar year by making progress on one of our newest resources. This patient guide, throughout its 16 pages, will highlight activities in our daily lives which can be modified to restore more appropriate postural behavior. As anyone who has taken a PRI course knows, these positions often turn into patterned dysfunction and compensation. This guide aims to bring awareness to our unilateral lives, and restore alternation while performing our most common daily activities.

Most of these activities can be categorically derived into common PRI positioning. This guide will dive deeper into those positions and the associated behaviors performed within them. For example, walking, talking, sleeping, eating, as well as many other “living” considerations and of course at its core BREATHING! Not only are we excited to be compiling these activities into one patient guide, but we will also be adding several new considerations and recommended activities to the PRI Living section of our website to further build on the concepts within this guide.


This patient guide will be avalible for purchase in various quantities and packaging options later this year! We are hoping that it will help you as a practitioner clearly communicate some of the basic positional considerations of our science with your patients and clients, and it will also include an available marketing opportunity unique to your business on the back cover! Stay up to date with this and other projects, updates and course in reviews on our blog, via our social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and our quarterly newsletters throughout the year ahead.

Posted January 9, 2020 at 5:53PM

As one attends conferences organized by various boards and professional groups of education, it becomes apparent that many of them, no matter which organization is of the primary focus, are alike. This is now our second time attending the AAPMD Airway Summit, and it again was distinguishable from any other conference in the past. I believe it is important to understand the truly collaborative effort of all the organizations involved as the level of discussion was already set high because of the many disciplines present during these four days.


We were proud to join a long list of sponsors which included; The American College for Advancement in Medicine, The American Academy of Physiological Medicine & Dentistry, The Academy of Applied Myofunctional Sciences, The American Academy for Oral Systemic Health, The Institute of Physical Art, The Foundation for Airway Health, The North American Association of Facial Orthotropics, The International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology and the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain.If you made it through the list above, it may be easier to understand the vastness of conversations had, professions in attendance, speaker topics presented and overall interest in integration. As I spent four days discussing and fielding various questions related to the relevance and strong presence of our Institute at this event, we immediately became aware of the potential and power that this science of Postural Restoration can have on a collaborative group of minds which we were surrounded by. After having these conversations between various Dentists, Oral Facial Myologists, Hygienists, Speech & Language Pathologists, Craniofacial Pain Physicians, and many other systemic health and physiology professionals, their desire for integrative and collaborative care was at an all-time high.


Many of them however were curious and sometimes cautious about where to begin, who to reach out to, and how those other professionals may benefit their patients overall plan of care and most importantly their treatment outcomes. Then comes “The Important Collaborative Role of PT and Airway Health” which was presented by Ron Hruska, Gregg Johnson and Brad Gilden. Which in and of itself was a milestone in the collaborative effort to introduce the important role PT’s have in viewing and treating airway and all other forms of dysfunction. Not only is the role of the physical therapist becoming more apparent but the roles of ALL individual professionals involved are becoming more appreciated. We were fortunate to have the presence of PRC, Steve Cuddy who has been practicing PRI and integrating with other disciplines in the Austin area for many years. Steve, it was truly an absolute gift to have you there as a representative of our credentialed providers across the country and abroad as these other professions look to you and others like you, who have become a PRI provider. The professionals mentioned above will be reaching out to all of you in the days, months and years to come, as a resource for integration of the science of PRI within their approaches of treating Airway Dysfunction and overall health!

“Attending the Collaboration Cures Airway Conference was an eye-opening, yet reassuring experience.  Eye-opening in the sense that the collection of airway-related issues is more complex and prevalent than, I believe, anyone truly understands.  Reassuring because I’m more confident than ever that we as PRI practitioners are uniquely positioned to play an integral role in the detection and treatment of obstructive airway conditions. Returning back to our homes, I’m sure that all attendees are more hopeful after listening to and meeting a wide range of passionate practitioners. This would include Ron who gave a few very insightful presentations.  I’m here to tell everyone in PRI Land that airway obstruction and the anterior neck are areas that we understand, thanks in very large part to the information that Ron has put together for us. My hope is that we make that clear to all allied airway health professions in our communities as we continue our own Postural Restoration journeys.”
Steve Cuddy

A huge thank you to Dr. Howard Hindin, and the AAPMD Organization for once again including us in this effort. Dr. Hindin was awarded the “Howard G. Hindin, Breath of Life Award” for his dedication and role in this collaborative movement and because of his efforts Airway Health has been brought to the forefront of Healthcare. Thank you again and we look forward to continuing our involvement with and alongside you all. Next year’s Collaboration Cures conference will be held in Seattle, on November 12-14th! See you there.

Posted October 23, 2019 at 4:44PM
Categories: Website Clinicians Science

We are excited to introduce SYMBA! (Synchronized Movement of Bilateral Asymmetry) As many of you may be familiar with the Pelvis Models that are frequently utilized within the PRI community, you may also begin to see the use of our newest collaboration with the team at SAWBONES. This articulated Ribcage is fully functional in providing visual feedback to your patients or clients and allows many PRI concepts to be demonstrated. We have been working over the past several months to develop this model which allows movement in all three planes!

The photos Included below show some of the many prototypes that were created between our staff here at the Institute and the team of engineers at SAWBONES in Vashon, WA.

This image shows the initial prototype (Left) which quickly progressed to the smaller size.

Sizing and designing of this model required creating a new mold to achieve the desired dimensions which was made from a newly created resin that allows the model to bend and rotate. Initially the spinal column was in a solid state and a new mold and material was again designed to allow flexion and extension of the spine to occur. The team at SAWBONES is top notch and although many of these requirements were difficult to achieve they never gave up and continued designing until these outcomes were met.

SYMBA, is available now!

For more Information CLICK HERE.

To see all available Tri-Planar Models CLICK HERE

Posted August 13, 2018 at 8:41PM

Visiting the Country of Japan, left all of us longing to speak their language and be able to communicate with them in their culture more directly. Japanese is not considered an easy language to learn as it “borrows” 3 sets of characters from other languages in the region such as the Chinese “Kanji”. For many western travelers looking to visit this island, this may perhaps be the biggest hurdle. We were very fortunate to have the help, guidance and translation from our PRI Japan faculty and staff, who graciously helped us navigate the transit system which is the largest and busiest in the world.

Summarizing these 10 days into one page, feels like trying to interpret Japanese all over again. There is no way to accurately relay our deep respect and appreciation for the people we met along the way. Although there was at sometimes an inability to communicate these feelings to one another. They were greatly felt, through the smiles, bows, shared meals, and sightseeing that we accomplished while visiting.

We started the trip with the presentation of Cervical Revolution by Ron Hruska, in Tama Center, Tokyo at Teikyo University. Mr. Takahashi, was generous to pick us up and drive us to the course each morning and made the transportation such an ease. The Teikyo University facilities and staff there are some of the most hospitable and friendly group of professionals we have been around, and they love to have FUN! These 3 days provided a deeper discussion on the Secondary PRI concepts relating to the Cervical Spine, and the course attendees were eager to learn.

Following the Cervical Revolution Course we had scheduled two question and answer sessions in Tokyo, and Kyoto. The goal of these Q&A sessions was to answer any questions related to PRI that the community in Japan may have had throughout their attendance to Postural Restoration and Myokinematic Restoration. It was a tremendous success and although Sy had prepared several slides of possible topics to discuss, we never relied on their use. The audience was active and the questions (which were translated to Ron) ranged from the foundation of the science of Postural Restoration, to specific course questions and everything in between.

The rest of our trip revolved around seeing, experiencing and doing as much as we could in the remaining few days we had. We visited countless Shrines, and Temples and after our stay in Takashi’s home of Kyoto, we headed to Kobe. Kobe captivated us for many reasons but speaking as a Nebraskan from the Great Plains, I think we were all excited to see more of the countryside and less of the underground subway stations. As soon as we arrived in Kobe we started exploring. With only one day there, we knew it was going to be full. The morning started by taking a gondola to the top of the Kobe Herbal Gardens and the view at the top was breath taking. Soon after we were met by Mr. Akira Yoshimoto (who visited Lincoln a few months back, and has become a great friend) and his colleague, who guided the second half of our day. They took us out on a ferry ride through Kobe Bay, followed by dinner and a mountain top view of the skyline. This dinner deserves a blog alone, as the Kobe Beef experience was one I will never forget.

(Port of Kobe)

(Golden Palace)

No amount of time or words can do justice to the amount of love we received during this trip. Many people deserve recognition for making it a success. Specifically Kenny, Sayuri (Sy), and Takashi as they were our lifeline every day. They are all three living in Japan for the first time in years, as Kenny and Sy, until recently remained in the US. Not only did these three individuals create a once in a lifetime experience for us, but they work tirelessly to further the growth of PRI Japan. They have now translated all three primary courses and continue to host these primary courses throughout the year. We already miss them, and although there is now a few more hours added to their flight time, we are hopeful that we will still see them throughout the year.

One of the only words I made sure to learn the first day we arrived was “Thank you”. Arigato Gozaimasu! I knew it would probably be the only word(s) that would matter, and 2 weeks later I wish I had said it ten times more.

Thank you to everyone involved with PRI Japan! Thank you to the course attendees who traveled and took off work and asked questions. Thank you to all of the host sites. Thank you to the PRT’s and PRC’s located throughout Japan, and thank you again to our PRI Japan faculty. We look forward to continuously growing with you all.

View more photos HERE!

We are excited to offer our Manual and Non-Manual Technique Programs directly on our website as Digital Downloads. If you have already purchased the CD's or DVD in the past, there is no difference in content between these and the digital download version, and the process to save these programs to your desktop is the same. But, with ever-changing technology of computers and laptops (many of which no longer come with a CD/DVD drive), the digital download offers a more convenient way to purchase these products. Each of our three primary courses; Myokinematic Restoration, Postural Respiration, and Pelvis Restoration have a corresponding Non-Manual Techniques program. The Manual Techniques program includes nearly two hours of video including demonstration, instruction and explanation of each manual technique provided by Ron Hruska, which compliments the Postural Respiration course.

If you are Interested in learning more about these products, they can be found on our website HERE!

Posted June 21, 2018 at 8:31PM

We are excited to announce and congratulate our Postural Restoration Trained (PRT) Class of 2018! PRT is the result of completing multiple advanced PRI courses, demonstrating a thorough understanding of the science through completion of the PRT application, and successfully participating in practical and analytical testing. This past weekend, four professionals earned the designation of Postural Restoration Trained (PRT) under the direction of Ron Hruska, Neil Rampe and Jennifer Platt.

The Postural Restoration Institute® established this credentialing process in 2011 as a way to recognize and identify individuals with advanced training, extraordinary interest and devotion to the science of postural adaptations, asymmetrical patterns and the influence of polyarticular chains of muscles on the human body as defined by the Postural Restoration Institute®.  The PRT credential is available to Certified Athletic Trainers, Certified Athletic Therapists, Exercise Physiologists and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists who have completed the course requirements, application and testing process. With the addition of this class, there are now 50 PRT professionals throughout the U.S and Internationally.

PRT credentialed athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches and exercise physiologists offer a unique approach to physical medicine and fitness called Postural Restoration®. This approach addresses underlying biomechanics which can often lead to symptoms of pain and dysfunction. All mechanical influences on the body that restrict movement and contribute to improper joint and muscle position are considered, examined, and assessed. Techniques are utilized to restore proper alignment of the body while proper respiratory dynamics are considered. Management encompasses prevention and lifetime integration for long-term successful outcomes.

View and download the photos here.

Congratulations!

Pictured below from left to right: (Back Row) Ron Hruska, Neil Rampe, Eric Menchi, Yoshi Mitsuyama,  (Front Row) Jessica Tidswell, Stephen DiLustro, Jennifer Platt

Posted January 12, 2018 at 4:01PM

"Two short days" in Denver, CO at Ethos Colorado Training Facility went by swiftly! Thank you Jonathan Pope and the Ethos team for graciously hosting our Lumbo-pelvic-femoral discussion and application lab. I thoroughly enjoyed my time introducing and helping to refine the implementation of PRI science to a sharp, articulate, interactive group of strength trainers like Stephanie Zoccatelli, massage therapists like Libby Tegeler, ATC's like Daniel Waterman, physical therapy assistants like Richard Johnson and physical therapists like Amanda Quanstrom.

Thank you Matt "Big Fish" Malloy, Brittany Marlow, Craig Weller, "Sir" Rachel Voyles, and Gentle Jason Bushie for assisting with lab demonstration. Thank you Amanda Quanstrom, Maria Kyong and Daniel Waterman for timely and apt questions to stimulate thought and flesh out details of AF and FA mobility, position and triplanar dynamics and functional implementation of acquired positions to oppose compensatory "tall truck" strategies.

Thoroughly enjoyed my time with this group of enthusiastic learners! Be well, and here's to "four...long...years" and then some, implementing your strategies with clients!

Posted May 25, 2017 at 3:53PM
Categories: Courses Website

A Recent Email question (from 2008) on understanding psoas relationships with the diaphragm in general: 

“In Myokinematic Restoration, James Anderson talks about how tightly woven anatomically the psoas major is into the right diaphragm leaflet.  Can we then assume that activation of the right psoas can be used and is advantageous to use as a method of activating the right diaphragm/pulling it down to enhance right intercostal expansion?”

Ron’s response: “The interesting thing about the psoas major and the diaphragm is that they have similar influence on the spine in the sagittal plane, but they have an opposite influence on the spine in the transverse plane.  In other words, in the transverse plane, the right psoas major compliments (is agonistic to) the left leaflet of the diaphragm; and the left psoas is agonistic to the right leaflet of the diaphragm.  They work with one another through their “tightly woven” attachments ipsilaterally in the sagittal plane to enhance the extension activity of an extended patient, but work with each other contralaterally across the anterior vertebral bodies in the transverse plane.  So, if you activate the right psoas, you are enhancing the sagittal influence of the right diaphragm leaflet and the transverse influence of the left leaflet (something that is desirable in both planes at both of these sites).  As far as using the right diaphragm to enhance right apical expansion is concerned, it’s incorrect to view it that way.  In fact, it is the torsional respiratory influence of the left diaphragm (not the right) that is primarily responsible for expansion of air into the right chest wall and mediastinum.”

Here are my initial thoughts on the email question: The R hemi-diaphragm doesn’t need help in its respiratory role.  It already has plenty of help in the form of a liver below, larger, thicker crura and central tendon, and better abdominal opposition to maintain its domed positon.  Its dominant respiratory activity contributes to chronic tension, not only of the abdominals, intercostals, and lats on the R side, but also of the muscles associated with the R brachial chain.  This is the crux of the reduced R intercostal and apical expansion.  So can activation of a R psoas change this, and can it improve R apical expansion?  Yes, indirectly, with a host of other muscles, but not by “activating a right diaphragm”.

Ron’s response was to acknowledge that a relationship does exist between the psoas and both the ipsilateral and contralateral hemi-diaphragm.  He states: “So, if you activate the right psoas, you are enhancing the sagittal influence of the right diaphragm leaflet and the transverse influence of the left leaflet (something that is desirable in both planes at both of these sites).”

However, it’s not as simple as flexing your R hip.  To clarify:

In our conversation about this email, Ron reminded me that occasionally a R psoas, not just a L psoas, can get hypertonic in a L AIC pattern. How?

Our brain simply wants fulfillment of L spinal rotation, and these 2 muscles may work together in an attempt in to satisfy the brain’s “request”. 

How is it that the R psoas and L diaphragm (and L psoas and R diaphragm) work harmoniously, if not through “tightly woven attachments”, as is the case ipsilaterally?

A vector force, through fascial connections overlying the anterior vertebral bodies, creates this contralateral influence.

Is this right psoas-left leaflet connection in the transverse plane significant?

No, they are ineffectual in achieving L lower spinal rotation. Why?  Because of the L side’s hyperinflated state and externally rotated ribs.  There is air in the way!

(another consideration:  Because of the orientation of the facets, minimal transverse rotation occurs through the lumbar spine.  That area moves more in the sagittal and frontal planes.  Therefore, it is the psoas’ frontal plane influence that is more significant when it comes to breathing and walking.)

Could a right psoas assist a L diaphragm with drawing air into the R apical chamber? 

Indirectly, yes, along with a host of other muscles.  However, certain conditions must first be met.

James Anderson states: “Limited influence of L crura in the transverse plane, lack of well-established L ZOA, and lack of L abdominal opposition, all complement R lumbar spine orientation.”

The R diaphragm partners with its abdominal wall to maintain its position as a powerful muscle of respiration and rib orientation.

If the R psoas becomes busy trying to rotate the lower spine to the L with a L hemi-diaphragm that has a smaller, shallower crura and with L ribs that are in ER, it will need L IOs/TAs to provide the needed pull on the L lower ribs for thoracic flexion and doming of the diaphragm.  Additionally, L abdominal wall opposition creates intra-abdominal pressure and, therefore, a counter-force to the descending diaphragm.   As long as those L ribs remain in ER, the L hemi-diaphragm will remain in a tonic state, influencing the tonicity so often seen in the L psoas.  In summary, when the L hemi-diaphragm contracts unopposed by the L abdominals, our upper body mass tends to shift to the L and, therefore, force us to compensate by spending more time and placing more weight on the R lower extremity in stance or L swing phases of gait, creating and perpetuating dysynchrony!

So while the R psoas can exert some degree of sagittal plane and L transverse plane motion, it serves us better in the frontal  plane, creating convexity at the lumbar spine to provide fulcrum from which L thoracic abduction can occur.   L thoracic abduction is a necessary movement pattern for maintenance of L ZOA and to provide the L hemi-diaphragm with a fulcrum (L hip) that is now situated directly below.  With an established L ZOA through L IO/TA activation, the L hemi-diaphragm can do its job of breathing – creating pressure differentials that allow us to manage gravity and walk, efficiently – with the least amount of force and torque.  This is how a R psoas indirectly enhances R apical expansion, along with many other muscles not mentioned in this orchestrated movement pattern.

 L IOs/TAs and a domed L hemi-diaphragm are the principle lower spinal/sacral/pelvic rotators to the L. 

Finally, why is it that the L hemi-diaphragm, not the R, expands the R intercostal and apical regions?

Rib position determines a hemi-diaphragm’s respiratory direction of flow.  When ribs are IRd on one side, they are ERd on the other.  IRd ribs assist the hemi-diaphragm with achieving and maintaining its ZOA to effectively draw air in.  Therefore, sufficient activity of the IOs/TAs, via their attachments to the ribs and their influence on intra-abdominal pressure, is a requirement for that hemi-diaphragm’s ZOA. 

IRd ribs don’t allow for much expansion. ERd ribs do. Therefore, once sufficient L IO/TA activity exists, creating L IRd ribs and a ZOA that is now effective for ventilation, the L hemi-diaphragm can draw air into the R apical chest wall, assisting with, and maintaining, its ERd ribs. Remember, when ribs are IRd on one side and ERd on the other, the thorax is positioned in ipsi-lateral abduction and contra-lateral rotation. Hence, it is “the torsional respiratory influence of the left diaphragm (not the right) that is primarily responsible for expansion of air into the right chest wall and mediastinum.”

We have 117 techniques in the standing integration section to teach us to get the R side to let go and to get the L side of rib cage to IR, highlighting the importance of L IO/TA activation to establish L hemi-diaphragm ZOA and restore its respiratory role.

Posted April 18, 2017 at 7:16PM
Categories: Website Courses Science
The article that originally appeared in the April issue of Men's Health is now online, you can read it here.

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re an 80-year-old smoker, a 23-year-old Olympian, or a regular, fit guy-odds are the way you’re breathing right now is flooding your body with stress hormones, compromising your joints and mobility, bottlenecking your energy and undermining your performance in the gym and everyday life. Fourteen times a minute, you become a little weaker and a bit duller.

Hruska is on a mission to change that. Step one is understanding how your body is organized.”

1/ Lungs
They come as a pair, but the left Is smaller to accommodate the heart.
2/ Heart
We shift weight onto our right leg in part to counterbalance this organ.
3/ Diaphragm
It has two sides, but the right is thicker and stronger than the left.
4/ Liver
It also has two lobes, but the right is much larger (by a factor of six).

Ron Hruska was recently interviewed by Men’s Health along with Bill Hartman and Neil Rampe discussing Postural Restoration, after Trevor Thieme, Senior Editor for Men's Health attended a Postural Respiration course last year. Topics discussed include: optimal breathing and the typical respiration patterns, asymmetry, PRI in pro baseball, and common compensations that can cause neck, back and joint pain.  

The 90/90 hip lift with balloon was shown as a way to get your diaphragm in a position to work correctly, helping you to breathe appropriately and avoid chronic stress which can increase your risk of dementia by 67%, stroke by 59% and diabetes by 45%.

“You can think of neutrality of being functionally symmetrical- the ability to shift your center of gravity from one side to the other, to breathe efficiently with both lungs, and to maintain position of your true core. “Being neutral helps everything,” says All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. “When I lift, I’m stronger. When I run, I’m faster. It allows me to fully express my power and speed.”

If you haven't already, go out and grab the April 2015 Men’s Health issue and flip to page 144 to read the article, which they refer to as the "#1 Greatest Health Tip Ever!"

Posted April 24, 2015 at 3:58PM

We are excited to have launched the PRI Japanese microsite! CLICK HERE to view this page! This microsite will allow individuals to register to the upcoming PRI courses in Japan, as well as post information and blog entries in Japanese. Thank you to Kentaro Ishii and Sayuri Hiraishi for helping with all the translation to make this website a reality!

Posted March 17, 2015 at 9:35PM
Categories: Website
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