The Sunshine State, and its urban gem, Miami, was the destination for the latest Postural Respiration course. Where else does one listen to Cuban salsa performed live outside the local grocery store? Thank you Cyndi Becker, MS, LAT,ATC, Lauren Reynolds, ATC, and Rodrigo Martinez, DAT, LAT, ATC for hosting at Florida International University, and giving this speaker a respite from the heat and humidity of DC (yes – Miami is more pleasant than DC in mid-July!).

For the majority of the class, this course was their first exposure to the paradigm-shifting tenets of PRI, supported by knowledge of human anatomy and by scientific literature that spans many decades and disciplines. We evaluated models from both the power point and in the flesh for evidence of sub-optimal breathing patterns and postural influences: thoracic flat backs, loss of apical expansion, belly and neck breathing, paradoxical breathing, and hyperventilation. We correlated these findings to our objective tests and patient-client complaints.

Participants learned the value of establishing and maintaining a left diaphragm ZOA, without which movement quality suffers and the ability to recover sufficiently is unlikely. Our discussion on non-manual techniques included their value in positively changing movement behavior through manipulating the nervous system and shifting the locus of control onto the individual. This group developed solid competency in performing and interpreting PRI objective tests, manual rib techniques, and effective cueing of non-manual techniques. You are ready to go forth and practice in a way that will be forever different than you used to!

Everyone facilitated the learning through their questions and comments. A special thank you to our models and readers: Amy Brown, DPT; Erik Kilstrup, CSCS; Rene LeBlanc, MPT, OCS; Rodrigo Martinez DAT, LAT, ATC; Julian Rivera, DPT, ATC, CSCS; Edwin Santiago, CPT, CES, PES, CS; Joseph Vuksanovic, LMT; and David Young, CSCS. A heartfelt “thank you” goes out to Megan Bollinger, DPT, PRC, for her thoughtful comments and great energy in lab. All of you Floridians have a superb mentor in your midst who would love to help you on your PRI journey.

The "Biggest Little City", Reno, NV at the University of Nevada, sponsored its first ever PRI course July 14-15 in the Nevada Physical Therapy Sports Medicine Complex. Attendees were not only local in number but traveled from Utah, Indiana, Washington State and Southern California to attend Postural Respiration. This weekend had a powerful combination of didactic class work balanced with lab every step of the way during the weekend. PRI concepts were discussed and demonstrated to bring experience to what assessment and treatment of tri-planer respiratory function looks and feels like when a person is "lateralized", "sagittalized" and then achieving neutrality with non-manual and manual techniques. One of the students who volunteered to be assessed and treated demonstrated to the class that some cases in clinic are more challenging than others. For example, non-manual techniques were not working to allow his femurs to adduct. He was a strongly patterned Superior T-4 with an athletic background. Then, manual techniques did not work including a two person infra-clavicular pump. A brief discussion on footwear, occlusion and vision followed with no progress on his femurs adducting or any other tests becoming neutral. After a break, a 90/90 hip lift with right arm reach and a balloon (without the stress of being a lab subject in front of the class and any performance pressure) provided immediate neutrality of his pelvis and improvement of BC testing. The big take away is to always stick with it and think outside the box of possibilities including a basic PRI non-manual technique that provided much needed inhibition to his neurologic/respiratory system. My mentor and friend James Anderson, P.T. said in my first PRI class, Postural Respiration, that your patients just want to relax! Sticking with your patients and not giving up plus practitioner and patient relaxing is a strong step towards effective clinical outcomes! Shout out to Jay Henke for doing all of the behind the scenes work to make this first ever PRI event at UNR! And shout out to all of the students for being such a solid class, helping each other out and adding this power tool to their clinical tool belt! The response from the locals at UNR is that they want more PRI courses to follow!

We are excited to announce that Certified Special Population Specialist (CSPS) fitness professionals are now eligible to apply for our Postural Restoration Trained (PRT) credentialing program. In addition to holding this certification through the NSCA, one must also have completed a Bachelor's degree or higher degree in order to apply for PRT credentialing.

According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Certified Special Population Specialist's are defined as "fitness professionals who, using an individualized approach, assess, motivate, educate, and train special population clients, including those with chronic and temporary health conditions. Become a certified personal trainer, then pursue this advanced personal trainer certification. CSPS® individuals train clients with medical conditions such as metabolic disease, autoimmune disorders, cancer and cardiac arrest, and address the needs of prenatal and postpartum personal training clients."

The Postural Restoration Trained (PRT) credentialing program was established 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. Postural Restoration Trained (PRT) is a credential available to Athletic Trainers (with Certification through the BOC), Athletic Therapists (with Certification through the CATA), Strength and Conditioning Coaches (with CSCS Certification through the NSCA or SCCC Certification through the CSCCa), Certified Special Population Specialists (with Certification through the NSCA, and completion of a Bachelor's degree or higher degree), and Exercise Physiologists (Certified Exercise Physiologists, Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologists, and Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologists with Certification through the ACSM) who have attended PRI courses, demonstrated a thorough understanding of the science through completion of the PRT Application and successfully participated in both clinical and analytical testing.

To learn more about the PRT credentialing program, CLICK HERE!

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!