I had a great time with Brian Benjamin, DPT, PRC and the team at ProActive Physical Therapy teaching the new and improved Postural Respiration course. It was great having a number of experienced PRI clinicians present in the class to set the tone and help guide the new attendees, like Lisa Kelly, PT, PRC, and both Joshua Merrick, DPT and Rachel Kroncke, DPT, who have each attended 9 previous PRI courses. Those with experience were helpful for the 12 first time attendees in many ways, asking appropriate questions, providing guidance in the lab and overall just helping to make it a fun and rewarding experience for everyone.
The new research articles and references included in this course really made the first part of Day 1 interesting and educational. It was powerful to take a close look at the important relationships between static asymmetry, dynamic respiration and patterned respiration. Experienced PRI clinicians as well as the first time attendees really benefited from the discussion with the material organized in this way. It was nice to redirect the focus back to the classic PRI concept of Left Posterior Mediastinal Expansion, something that has been a priority at this Institute for years, but can be overlooked if we’re not careful.
Other highlights of the course include the new explanatory sections for the AIC and BC tests, as well as the new Posterior Mediastinum Respiratory Reach Test. It was good to clear up the details of why we use a balloon for respiratory training with the new Standing and Seated PRI Balloon Techniques. It was also good to spend time with each of the newly organized Inhibition sections, for the Right Intercostal, Left Pectoral, Paravertebral, Anterior Neck, Right Latissimus and Left Posterior Mediastinum. And besides the Right BC Treatment Guidelines training, it was nice to have 2 full case studies in the appendix to help with practical application of the material.
Overall a great weekend in a beautiful place focusing on PRI fundamentals, as I was honored to teach the flagship course of this Institute with a great group of professionals. It was meaningful for me to strengthen old relationships as I built new ones with some amazing people, who I am now grateful to call friends and associates.
