to our first Interdisciplinary Integration course, you missed out on a fantastic weekend! Let me give you a quick overview on each day…
Day one which covered Podiatric Integration started out with information covering gait analysis and it’s relevance to PRI related treatment. It was a great overview of the reciprocal process that takes place as our body moves through the motion of gait and what PRI considerations we should keep in mind as we are treating different phases of gait. The afternoon carried on with information regarding orthotics and what purpose a PRI orthotic serves in reducing neuromotor pathomechanics provided by Dr. Paul Coffin. The day couldn’t have ended better than with Ann Ringlein, from the Lincoln Running Company, covering proper shoe wear. Here are some comments from attendees of day one:
“Excellent clinical application I can use immediately.”
“Fantastic, fascinating guy; we could learn a lot more from him!”
“Excellent information and application for our clinic.”
“The videos and pictures of those walking was so helpful!”
Day two was devoted to Dental Integration provided by Dr. Mike Hoefs. The entire day was spent by a passionate, enthusiastic dentist talking about the importance of position and maintaining cranial symmetry. Dr. Hoefs is one of the few dentists in our country treating craniofacial pain and dental discrepancies through gnathic orthopedic positioning. The highlight of the day was when he took our very own, Lisa Bartels, DPT, PRC, and placed a twin block ALF appliance in her mouth in front of the whole class. It was incredible to see the postural changes that took place immediately following the application of this appliance! Here is what others had to say about the day…
“Interesting, informative and very helpful for understanding when and how to refer to an appropriate dentist!”
“This was such an eye opener; I really appreciate all the information given!”
“The demonstrations used during this course were very applicable for use in the clinic.”
“Wow, Dr. Hoefs is the Ron Hruska of dentistry! He is such an innovator!”
Day three was spent on Vision Vestibular Integration. The first part of the day covered optokinetic learning taught by Ron Hruska, MPT, PT. We learned all about vision and its influence on balance and the vestibular system. The morning provided an excellent overview on how to integrate and communicate with optometrists. Dr. James Nedrow discussed his expertise in neuro-optometry and the treatment of visual midline shift and post traumatic visual dysfunction. Here is what others had to say:
“I have a better idea of when to request optometry and neuro optometry.”
“Both the morning and the afternoon came together for me and showed me where to look to study and begin tying things together. The whole day was fascinating!”
“This course opened my eyes to the importance of treating the entire system.”
“Wow, this course definitely helped clarify the relationship of the vision-vestibular system and posture. Ron and Dr. Nedrow did a great job of presenting this information and demonstrating the importance of interdisciplinary integration.”
And finally, day four! Pelvic Floor Dysfunction was the topic of this day given by Heather Engelbert, PT, PRC and Lori Thomsen, PT, PRC. What an incredible day covering the importance of establishing a positioned pelvic floor, before addressing pelvic floor dysfunction. Not only was pelvic asymmetry discussed but also covered was the importance of the respiratory system and its influences on the pelvic floor! The afternoon was spent on treatment techniques for pelvic floor dysfunction and we were given several new activities to use with our patients. Here is what other attendees had to say about it…
“Great explanation of the Left AIC pattern and how it affects pelvic floor dysfunction. I loved the “egg”, pelvic floor and diaphragm diagrams; it helped me to understand position of the pelvic floor and the pelvic diaphragm.”
“The clinical application with treatment strategy and reasoning behind these strategies was one of the best discussions I have ever heard!”
“This was a wonderful way of improving my understanding of how to fit the pelvic floor in the PRI picture.”
“This course exceeded my expectations; I now know what is going on at the bottom of the egg and what to do about it!”
