Blog Posts in April 2023

OrthoNebraska is adding a Physical Therapist to our Therapy team!

The Therapy team environment is fast paced and well organized in taking care of the needs of our orthopaedic community.

Our top priorities are focusing on patient safety as well as patient satisfaction.

Teamwork is paramount as we are dedicated to Always True in promoting trust, respect, understanding and engagement with all team members.

If this sounds like the type of team and environment you want to be a part of apply today!

The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires all healthcare workers, as well as individuals who interact with healthcare workers in a work setting, be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment unless a medical or religious exemption is approved. At this time, fully vaccinated means that an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. Final candidates must be fully vaccinated as of their first day of employment. As a condition of employment, newly hired team members will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination or apply for a medical or religious exemption.

Position Full-Time

Shift Days

FTE / Hours 1.0 / 40

Schedule Mon - Fri 8a - 5p

Department/Position Details/Duties:

Deliver high quality clinical care and customer service

Establish goals and treatment plans in collaboration with the patient, family members and healthcare team.

Provide treatment services in order to restore, maintain or improve patient functions.

Promote and advance the hospital’s vision to be the BEST through department initiatives and community outreach.

Develop and enhance the vision of the department with an emphasis on growth and program development.

Promote collaboration with referring physicians.

Offer clinical instruction to physical therapy and physical therapy assistant students.

Must be able and willing to collaborate with others as demonstrated by good listening skills, honest and respectful communication, and engaging in the process of reaching consensus when making decisions.

Displays flexibility and adaptability in order to provide patient education regarding their specific physical therapy treatment needs.

Ability to problem solve with patients, team and other departments within OrthoNebraska.

Position Requirements:

Education:

Graduate of an APTA approved program for physical therapy

Fully licensed to practice physical therapy in the state of Nebraska.

Basic Life Support (BLS) required within 60 days of hire.

Advanced clinical certification is a benefit

Experience:

Experience in orthopaedics required.

Physical:

This position is classified as Medium Work in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, requiring the exertion of 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work.

https://orthonebraska.com/careers/

Kenneth Pewett

Posted April 28, 2023 at 11:08AM

Postural Respiration - Phoenix, AZ - Review

Postural Respiration was presented April 15-16, 2023 at Spooner Physical Therapy in Chandler, AZ to an enthusiastic mix of PT's, Chiropractors, OT's and fitness professionals. There were students from Alaska, California and Idaho that made the trip to AZ. Dr. Victor Elmurr, D.C. was the motivating force in contacting the staff at Spooner several months ago and facilitated the return of PRI to the Phoenix area.

Among the new attendees to PRI, most of the students were new to Postural Respiration and their purpose was to understand and integrate delivery of airflow into the thorax with their knowledge of pelvis, lumbar spine and femur myokinematics. The response from them, and understanding that this course is the flagship of PRI, was that this course completes a picture of diaphragmatic function and how it affects not only delivery of air pressure sense into the thorax but the position, posture and movement of the entire axial skeleton.

Since posture is not a static concept often thought of in a normal sense, the dynamic, tri-planer function of air flow pressure and sense allowing alternation, reciprocation and variability were all defined and experienced by every student.

As with every Postural Respiration course, Superior T-4 is the patho-mechanical portion of the weekend that is explored in detail on day two. Rhythmic airflow and it's physiologic effects are discussed on day one in terms of dynamic airflow considerations. Next, the importance of the first rib, especially on the right, is discussed in this context of rhythmic airflow and the first rib being an "initiator" of rostal to caudal rib movement. With overuse of accessory muscles like the scalenes, the first rib will be lifted out of "sync" with the ribs below leading to patho-mechanical respiration as described in this course.

One of the students was used as a "demo" on the first day of the course for PRI exam, NMT and then a left ZOA manual technique. The inability to adduct a femur along with positive BC testing after NMT and manual techniques on the first day lead into day two of the course to explore if this individual was a Superior T-4. With definitive testing and after following the treatment guidelines on page 50 in the course manual, his Superior T-4 was discovered, treated and resolved for everyone to experience the progression to resolve patho-mechanical respiration considerations.

This course was such a pleasure to teach and thank you to the staff at Spooner especially Jessica who got there early and stayed late to lock and clean up. Thank you also to Carly, Sarah and the rest of the Spooner crew and thank you Ben for allowing us to share PRI with your clinic and the community.

Robert George, Chiropractor

Posted April 20, 2023 at 3:21PM

Categories: Courses

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Myokinematic Restoration - New York, NY - Review

I had such an amazing weekend teaching Myokinematics of the Hip and Pelvis to an engaged group of clinicians at the Finish Line. This was my 4th time returning to this facility and it really now if feeling like my NY home away from home. The clinicians at the Finish Line were great hosts and do a great job making us all feel welcome at their clinic. This group were all taking their first Myokinematics course and some had more experience than others, but for the most part the group was new to the science of PRI.

I personally had the pleasure of bringing my husband Chris and daughter Devon with me this weekend. Sorry Madison couldn't join us this time, she's busy "adulting" now!

On Saturday night, we enjoyed the Musical MJ on Broadway. This made for a new musical reference for me as I was able to reference Michael as the star of the musical, but the back up performers and supporting characters brought his talent to life. This is true for PRI non-Manual techniques. Depending on the level of strength and integrated control, there was typically one muscle that was "the star" of the technique. Whether it was the left hamstring, left adductor or right glut max, we all learned how to integrate these all important muscles to inhibit the left AIC pattern. For those of you who know my teaching style, you know of my Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Dua Lipa references! Now I can add Michael Jackson to my repertoire of teaching analogies. At one point a course attendee asked me "who is the MJ of this exercise?"

We got through alot of material in our non manual technique section including upright integreation, the importance of alternating and reciprocal activities and of course inhibition!
The energy was high and I was not sure if it was NYC, or PRI! Either way, a good learning time was had by all!
I appreciate my lab assistant Neal Hallinan for taking the early train into the city to help me and offer his insights during break-outs and lab.

Jennifer Poulin

Posted April 20, 2023 at 3:09PM

Categories: Courses Science

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Myokinematic Restoration - Lincoln, NE - Review

Any time I get to teach in Lincoln, it always feels like a homecoming. It’s an honor to be able to teach at PRI and get to spend time with the PRI family. The group of attendees in person really embraced the idea of family. We had pelvic floor PTs, PT students from Regis University in Denver, strength and conditioning specialists from University of Nebraska, a chiropractor and a plethora of other PTs all uniting for the two days over Myokinematic Restoration. By the end of it, a sign up sheet had been passed around so they could all stay in touch. As an instructor, this was such a special thing to see.

We discussed the importance of determining position before facilitation; what a left anterior chain objectively presents as; the ability to determine a hip with some soft tissue pathology vs non pathology; and a host of treatment techniques to help these findings.

The online attendees had excellent questions and the lab times were fulfilled to the max because of the eagerness among the attendees. It was a great course and I look forward to my next time in Lincoln.

Kasey Ratliff

Posted April 20, 2023 at 9:38AM

Categories: Courses Clinicians Techniques Science

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Human Evolution - Fort Collins, CO - Course Review

It was a chilly and windy weekend in Fort Collins last weekend for my first solo offering of the Human Evoluation course at Pro Active Physical Therapy. The crew was more than welcoming, and the altitude is no joke! We had some fun discussions about how human beings evolve, are challenged, learn, and balance… their bodies, their sensory systems, their upright abilities against gravity, and how they express joy through movement of their mandibles, arms, femurs and their floors. Attention was made to offering opportunities to experience a LEFT ATNR (see photo below). We had enriched conversations about the importance of crawling on hands and knees, self-actualization through lowering oneself with control, walking behind a push toy (to name a few) and how to achieve the ultimate goal of walking down the stairs backwards with the realization of our most posterior group of muscles, our glutes! Concepts of motor control were reviewed and support for the use of the cross-referencing clinical tool was supported by 9 foundational PRI principles.

In attendance were 15 clinicians including a personal trainer, a pediartic OT, a doctor of Chiropractic, a dentist and, of course, physical therapists. Although the air up there was thin, and it favorably challenged my patterns, it did not stop us from learning from more than 100 patient video examples of course concepts and treatment techniques. I will say, I appreciate the ground more after lowering myself with control back down to sea level where my sensory systems and cognitive pocesses are familar, though so grateful for the novel experience.

Thanks so much to my fellow PRI faculty member and host Craig Depperschmidt, ProActive Physical Therapy clinic owners Brian Benjamin and Andy Collingwood, course attendees Tracy Benjamin, Rachel Kroncke, Sara Truelsen, and Ruth Waller-Liddle. Feeling so grateful and honored to have met such a wonderful group of clinicians. Thank you!

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

Posted April 12, 2023 at 4:52PM

Categories: Courses Science

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Cranial Resolution - Lincoln, NE - Review

It was so appropriate to have my first attempt to be the lead instructor for the entire, two-day Cranial Resolution Course to occur on St Patrick’s Day, since I was feeling quite green regarding how to teach this tertiary material. Fortunately, people were very kind and appeared to appreciate my simplifications, analogies and/or clinical examples of the frequently complex didactic concepts that are introduced in this course (like how the ANS and CNS interact with each other). Ron, who was sitting in the front row, was remarkably restrained, even though it must have been hard for him since these are the concepts that have been behind PRI, and so dear to his heart, right from the very start.

What I found so exciting was that out of the 46 people in attendance from all over the globe, half of them were attending Cranial Resolution for the first time! That indicates to me that more people are recognizing the need, and are now ready to start, to integrate neurological concepts into their PRI practice. From my own personal experience, I accept that learning when and how to consciously introduce such things as lateralized neural rhythms into your practice may take a while to grasp. What I truly wanted to get across, especially to those first-time attendees, was that the techniques taught in this cranial course were never meant to replace the foundational material from the primary and secondary courses, they were meant to augment it. And that appropriately using the concepts introduced in Cranial Resolution may be able to help your patients make changes faster, more effectively and in a way that is perceived differently. Learning how and when to utilize them may not be quite as algorithmic as techniques learned in the primary courses, but I hope that I was able to share enough specific examples to progress practitioners from ‘just trying’ seemingly random, sensory-modifying techniques to better understanding WHY and WHEN they might appropriately recruit them to each of their client’s unique situations.

I was thrilled to have 6 PRI faculty in attendance at my inaugural session of teaching this course. Their supportive presence constantly reminded me of the strong foundation this course stands upon. Because even though I personally have found that the concepts taught in Cranial Resolution have been a game changer for my practice, there is no way anything can ‘change the game’ if there isn’t already a game being played by a strong set of recognized and accepted premises and principles.

I know I was nervous, I read from the slides more than I wanted to, and I spoke too fast. These are all issues that I will actively work on for future renditions of this course. But like I said earlier, even though I may be comfortable with the material presented, I am still green at presenting it, especially to all the bright and inquisitive individuals who have pursued PRI to this tertiary level. What I hope came across, however, is how much I love this material – and want to get others to feel the same way. It’s not hard, it’s just different. And ‘different’ is cyclically needed, otherwise we have nothing to which we can compare or reference normal.

Thanks to all who attended – and plan to attend in the future!

Jennifer Smart, DPT, PRC

Posted April 4, 2023 at 11:15AM

Categories: Courses Science

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