We are excited to announce the release of our updated Postural Respiration home study course!

If you ordered this online home study course in the past 6 months (while we were editing), we would like to offer you 2 weeks complimentary access to view this updated version. Please check your email for more information on how to begin your complimentary access.

This new version is co-taught by James Anderson and Ron Hruska (and their pal SYMBA - the rib cage model), and features over 17 hours of content, including case study discussions. Over the past year, our faculty and staff worked together to update the content, structure and flow of this course, and we hope you enjoy the finished product as much as we have!

*Please note that we are still waiting to hear back from a handful of states on CE approval for this updated version of the home study course, so please be sure to check the up-to-date list of Accreditation/CE approval on our website, and contact us if you have any questions about whether the updated course is approved in your state.

Who knew that following Ron’s advice many years ago to find a dentist who appreciates the influences of airway, neutral TMJ position and occlusion would take me to Vilnius, Lithuania?  I have had the privilege of working with a multidisciplinary team of dentists, Dara Chira DMD orthodontist, Jeff McClendon DMD restorative dentist, and Michael Gunson DDS, MD orthognathic surgeon for the treatment of complex TMD, Airway and Occlusal patients.  We have been invited to speak at various dental conferences on our multidisciplinary approach to care (Lips, Teeth, and Tongue to Toes).  Most recently we spoke at the Baltic Sea Community on Orthognathic Surgery and Orthodontics Spring course on “The Gravity of Temporomandibular Disorders Treatment “in Vilnius, Lithuania. 

The conference opened with dental radiologist Dania Tamimi BDS, DMSc presenting on radiographic evaluation of the TMJ.  I just about fell out of my seat when she showed a left cranial side bend and how it affects the TMJ, mandibular position and occlusion!! This made my discussion of the RTMCC so much easier for the participants to understand. There were lectures by orthodontists, and orthognathic surgeons as well.  Dr. Mariano Rocabado DPT presented arthrokinematics of the craniovertebral and craniomandibular areas with the influences of manual therapy on the cervical spine and its impact on neutral TMJ.  All the lectures and especially Dania and Dr. Rocabado's lectures were a perfect set up for our team to close the meeting with how we work together to achieve balance for our patients on so many levels.  My part was very well received as I was able to develop the PRI concepts from an Advanced Integration approach including LAIC, RBC, RTMCC, muscle chains, forward head posture, asymmetrical patterns and the importance of the diaphragm and attaining proper breathing mechanics and ZOA with its influences on temporal and mandibular position and function.  It was great fun demonstrating a balloon technique to 230 participants from 30 different countries!!! I am very excited about the feedback we got after and how open minded the group of dentists were to the idea of occlusion being more than just about the teeth!!! They really do like looking at teeth though!!!!

We were able to stay a few extra days and tour Lithuania and Latvia which included a tour of a 14^th century castle on Trakai Island, Riga, Hill of Crosses and The Rondale Palace!! The trip was absolutely extraordinary!!!

I am so grateful for all the continued education and support that Ron, Jen, Jason, RJ and many others have had over the years in helping me understand the science of PRI, the application of PRI for better patient outcomes and for helping me with spreading the word to other professionals on how important it is for patients to work with a PRI minded clinician.

It’s not often that I look out the window at the end of April and see snow falling, but here in beautiful Saranac Lake, NY, this is pretty typical! Matt Powers, DPT, and his team at Adirondack Regional Hospital hosted the updated version of Postural Respiration. This was the second PRI course for many, and they were eager to both expand upon and consolidate PRI concepts they learned in Myokinematics last year.

PRI is a broad science, and this course focuses on polyarticular muscular chain function of the thorax and how it contributes to patterned respiration and patterned movements, as evidenced by neck and belly breathing, rib torsions, asymmetrical abdominal oblique activity, and asymmetrical air flow patterns. Patterned activity can be a good thing. After all, it allows us to avoid an on-coming car as we cross the street, creates the beautiful music of a skilled musician, and gives the appearance of effortless movement in a professional athlete. However, the inability for the nervous system to shut off overly-patterned activity becomes a mechanism for chronic back and neck pain, shoulder and hip pathology, shortness of breath, anxiety, etc.

This course has plenty of lab time devoted to assessment and treatment of compromised diaphragm position and polyarticular muscle chain overactivity. Lab time provided many “aha” moments as attendees saw in their partners, and felt in themselves, improvements in air flow patterns and tri-planar motion immediately following non-manual and manual rib cage techniques.

Ann Marenick, Sara Goldfine, and Brendon Olsen were our class demonstrators of several repositioning exercises and a few challenging lower trap, tricep, and serratus non-manual techniques. Ann was able to move her left shoulder and Sara was able to turn her neck, with greater ease and without the tension and resistance they had felt just minutes before. Brad Collins was the recipient of a 2-person manual technique. Christine Hill and I worked together to help Brad bring his rib cage on both sides into a state of more internal rotation to establish ZOAs and chest wall mobility. Upon getting up off the table, Brad smiled and said, “I feel looser all over.”

Special thanks to Matt and Brendan, who came to the rescue following my rental car fiasco. I enjoyed the one-on-one time hearing about your families and your love of life in the Adirondacks. I’ll be teaching next at Northeastern University in Boston on June 8-9. There are a few seats available, so sign up now!

PRI for Pilates took the show on the road to Webster Groves, Missouri last weekend. The iconic St. Louis arch was a perfect example of  a beautifully domed diaphragm.  Participants included PT’s, Personal Trainers, Pilates Instructors and an OT. The Pilates newbies to PRI were very receptive to the new concepts and how to incorporate PRI into their Pilates practice. There was great group participation, questions and comments especially from the Laurens, Leah, Tara and Cory. 

James did a stellar job explaining appropriate diaphragmatic breathing and the the roles of the IO’s, EO’s TA’s and serratus to this group whose primary focus is the “core”. Sarah had everyone  learning to drive in the left and make legal right turns. Donna led the lab integrating Pilates and PRI techniques on the Pilates reformer. We were honored to have Jen Poulin  join us to learn how to begin to use Pilates equipment to further enhance her pelvic restoration expertise.  Shout out to our host Kelly Ruesing who jumped through many hoops to be present even though she had a music gig in Indiana the same weekend. Special thanks to Nancy Hammond PRC for igniting the interest and bring PRI Pilates to St. Louis.