Finish Line Physical Therapy, the go-to rehab and recovery clinic for runners in the NYC area, played host to last weekend’s Postural Respiration course. Thank you Ryan Choi, Sarah Mischianti, and Maile Shigemasa for sharing your space and ensuring the comfort of all participants.
Attendees across multiple disciplines (PT, chiropractic, strength and conditioning, coaching), working with a wide range of patient populations (runners, cyclists, pediatrics, pelvic health, post-partum, musicians, general orthopedics), learned about the wonder and magic of our thoracic diaphragm. We even had a rowing coach in attendance, eager to nudge the rowing world away from its outdated warm-up and cross training techniques and, instead, towards a paradigm that is far more effective in preventing and treating injury.
Over the course of two days, we explored numerous concepts related to how an individual manages their upright existence. We presented examples of ineffective diaphragm position (i.e. lacking a full zone of apposition), stemming from poor opposition from IO/TA activity, including excessive belly expansion or neck muscle activity. These individuals can no longer alternate and reciprocate their center of mass. They move themselves with overactive chains of muscles whose activity our brain is unable to sufficiently suppress. The result? Hyperinflation, sympathetic nervous system dominance, and inefficient forward locomotion and all other dynamic activity.
We had ample lab time for assessment of tests and implementation of program design to address issues associated with patterned respiratory neuromechanics for optimal kinetic outcomes. Of course, lab demonstrations would not exist without our patient avatars. A huge thank you to: Won Seok Choe, Ryan Choi, Antonio Colleti, Patrick Corley, Corinne Croce, David Mueller, Tyler Savory, Sam Scaffidi, Maile Shigemasa, and Brianna Utter for filling this role. I know I speak for all of the attendees when I say fellow PRC Josh Speckman’s assistance throughout the weekend was SO helpful and much-appreciated!
My hope for all attendees is that you begin to apply this weekend’s tests and techniques to determine and correct a patient’s/client’s air flow patterns and restrictions and, therefore, susceptibility to the many pathologies that we treat daily. My hope is that you now recognize the profound importance of assessing the thorax with your patients who present, not only with upper extremity, head and neck symptoms, but lower extremity injuries as well. Patterned breathing, with its diaphragm and rib restrictions, abdominal disuse, and hyperactive accessory muscles of breathing, impacts our entire body, including our hips, knees, and feet. Including thorax assessment and treatment will improve treatment outcomes and hasten your patient’s-client’s return to what brings them joy!
