Hello PRI nation! This past weekend’s trip to Georgia has reminded me of some of the many ways this Institute called PRI is exceptional. As has always been the case, every organization that is foundational and exceptional is so largely because of its people.
Mentor, friend, PRI faculty team member, and mayor of Mayberry, Mike “Hops” Cantrell, helped me feel at home at Fox Valley Farm in Georgia in more ways than I have room here to describe. The attentive, kind and graceful people who attended the course at Mercer University enjoyed learning and treated this instructor well, with excellent dialogue and focus during didactics and labs. The gentleman who helped set up the course so that we could teach, Mr. Amos Mansfield, enjoyed doing his part to spread the science of PRI to others. This instructor thoroughly enjoyed teaching the science of Pelvis Restoration in the great state of Georgia, as did another friend, mentor and exceptionally bold, popular PRI faculty team member The Jen Poulin (TJP), who came in to teach day two when I was unexpectedly called away. Jen was nothing short of an ace closer last weekend! Thank you Jason Robey for your sense of humor and for that one second pause.
Thank you Jeremy Fradin, Michael Finley, Joni Robertson and several more for your effort and assistance with demonstrations and labs. Thank you to the whole class for your kindness and attentiveness as we navigated Pelvis Restoration theory, terminology, objective tests, facilitation and inhibition strategies to ultimately oppose polyarticular patterns that present initially. There were many reasons for my being there–each of you!
Jen and I recently returned to the NATA National Convention in Las Vegas for their 70th Annual Meeting! This year we were joined by Hruska Clinic Physical Therapist and PRC, Jason Masek as he presented and contributed to a break out session on the first day of this Conference. We are always humbled by the unique interest voiced by the Athletic Training community and this year in particular, Universities throughout the country. As more and more Student Athletic Trainers, Graduate Assistants, Administrators and Professional Athletic Trainers introduce Postural Restoration concepts to their athletes, the desire to learn more continues to grow within these populations. Many attendees looked forward to taking further course work through the Institute or hosting courses themselves within their programs. Our PRI Japan Faculty was continuously mentioned by the Japanese Athletic Trainers in attendance and the impact that Kenny, Sy, and Takashi had on their peers not only during their time here in the States throughout their foundational years, but also through their Faculty roles as they currently grow PRI Japan, was voiced with high praise.
For those of you who were unable to attend but are interested in viewing the concepts Jason presented, his full Handout can be VIEWED HERE. We look forward to the continued growth of #PRINATION within the Athletic Training community and would love to answer any questions you may have!
The seeds of PRI science have been planted in the birthplace of philosophy. We have all seen the beneficiaries of Ron Hruska’s Socratic style of teaching. Sharing PRI wisdom in Athens was a natural fit.
Praxis Physical Therapy in Athens graciously hosted this Intro to PRI seminar. Mimi Marsellou PT/ Μιμή ΜαρσÎλλου PT, M.Sc. and Foteni Largari PT / Φωτεινή Λάγαρη PT have owned and run a women’s health and general PT practice for over 20 years.
How did this come about? A unique professional connection to Greece:
Having had the great fortune to have lived in Greece for 6 years, working in Athens as a PT from 2000 to 2004, including being a PT for the Greek Olympic Committee/Athens summer Olympic and Paralympic games in 2004. When I returned to the US, and discovered PRI in 2008, obtained a PRC certification in 2011 with the culmination of opening my own PRI Center in 2014. Like Odysseus traveling so far only to return home again; this summer presented the opportunity of introducing PRI to rehab professionals in Athens. It is no surprise that they are eager for more.
Now that they have been exposed to PRI concepts, there are plans for the home study courses in the near future.
Who knows, perhaps hosting a course as well. “OPA” PRI!
This past weekend, the Affiliate program got presented in the southern hemisphere as the PRI integration for Fitness and Movement was hosted in Sydney, Australia!! I traveled over 10,220 miles (or over 16,447 km) and the very long plane ride across the south pacific was well worth it! Sydney was such a fun city, and it was a pleasure to spend some time with the PRI Australia group.
I am beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to share the PRI science with this area of the world. It is exciting for me to watch attendees connect to a deeper dimension of PRI because I believe it’s in those deeper dimensions of PRI that the magic happens and gaps are bridged. Attendees from Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Georgia and various parts of Australia were all represented. Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Physiotherapists, Pilates, Yoga, and Exercise Specialists were all in attendance, with the class being about half and half. Half being exposed to PRI before and the other half were brand new to the science. Needless to say it was a diverse group — yet all united to learn more about the diaphragm and its influence on posture.
Regardless of credentials and training, this course is enlightening to help us all remember how to program Respiration and Alternating Reciprocal Activity to enhance Tri-Planar performance patterns (i.e “Functional Fitness”)
We hit the ZOA hard and discussed it’s role in managing hyperactivity and unnecessary muscle tension. The exercises I introduced focused on shaping the ZOA three dimensionally with respiratory abdominals, along with promoting expansion, movement and flexibility of the ribcage. I then emphasized the 5 steps of programming for shaping adaptation and better integration for symmetrical compound lifts.
The 5 steps in this course are presented to help create a framework for programming and organizing how exercises are presented to clients and patients. The 5 steps also help in organizing core stability and symmetry from the diaphragm level outward.
I loved seeing the passion and ah-ha moments as attendees connected with the material and got new resources and insights to help progress their clients and patients. I think we will see PRI quickly continuing to grow in this area of the world. Thank you to Mark Obrien and Jason Thomson for hosting. Special thanks to Mark for the hospitality and opening up his brand new facility for us to use. Fit Plus Well is such great hidden gem just south of Sydney. And Jason, thank you for sharing your passion, your insights (nuts, I will always remember your nuts cue) and helping with much of the logistics of the weekend!
My visit to Australia was fun and I hope to get to come back one day! I could definitely live in Sydney – beaches, city and mountains were all right there. Beautiful coastline. Thank you to all who helped organize the event! Cheers!!
Boston is a city known for its innovation – ranked fifth in the world – likely due in part to the 54 colleges located within the metro area. As so it was that 50 course attendees descended upon the campus of Northeastern University to learn how to apply the innovative concepts of patterned thoraco-abdominal mechanics into their existing treatment paradigms.
Many attendees had Myokinematic Restoration and/or Pelvis Restoration in their wheelhouse, so they were excited to expand upon their understanding of how it is that the diaphragm and rib cage, via directing air flow patterns, enables us to shift our COM to from the left to the right, and back again, for efficient gait.
Discussion of the differences in the neuromuscular behaviors of the right and left hemi-diaphragms, and their profound influence on the nervous system, movement quality, and behavior, are fundamental in PRI courses. This includes the differences in the right and left diaphragm’s Zone of Apposition and its role in rib cage expansion to allow our axial skeleton shift and rotate. Arm swing, when done properly, supports this process, promoting good rib movement and hemi-diaphragm position to reduce fatigue and promote healthy air flow patterns. These concepts were brought to life by the many photos of real patients. Their backgrounds gave insight into why it is they sit, stand, and breathe the way they do.
Of course, we had our own class of individuals who provided insight. Anita Furbush, PT, PRC, and Tyler Tanaka, DPT, PRC, were instrumental in providing clinical pearls and guiding participants during lab. Johnathan Blake, CPT, Amanda Donahue, ATC, Rachel Ferrucci, DPT, Brianna Papotto, ATC, Mansi Shah, DPT, and Sean Sheridan, DPT, kept the questions coming, prompting me to clarify concepts, which benefited the whole class. Thank you to our live “case studies”: Katie Brooks, MA, CPT; Lindsey Rockett, ERYT; and Joshua Robinson, CPT, who allowed us to identify and address the different patterns of polyarticular muscle chain over-activity that a patient/client may present with. Finally, a huge thank you goes out to the folks at Northeastern for hosting: Katie Brooks, Jai Chopra, ATC, Mark Mastone, ATC, CSCS, and Dan Sanzo, ATC, CSCS. Great facility and wonderful group of attendees!
Having the opportunity to reflect on some of our PRI Non-Manual techniques that originally were put together back in 2003, with the understanding, consent and support of my gracious patients is always a privilege. A proud one. These photos of patients that have now become engrained and etched in our minds were taken more than 25 years ago, and not with a cell phone. As grainy as some are, and as imperfect as some now appear, they will always be the photos the Institute will use with the respective non-manual technique they are paired with; because they are related to stories, to people with behavioral and biologic history, and to individuals with hope as they struggle to understand and appreciate the steps and desired outcome associated with the technique that they will forever be infamous for. A few weeks ago Josh Olinick PT, PRC who works in Cary, North Carolina saw a patient that came to his clinic for a PRI re-assessment and intervention program. She was seen in 2004 by myself and agreed to have her photo taken for one of the PRI techniques I designed for her and this Institute. Josh, looked at her, and said, “Don’t I know you?” After further discussion, he realized who she was and what technique she was associated with. He sent us an updated picture of her performing the same technique she has been unassumingly known for. It was terrific that she found Josh, and more terrific that he could communicate and approach her the same way that she was treated when I assessed her 15 years ago.
The other person I reflect on every time I have given this workshop (this was the third time), and every time I will give it in the future, is Bobbie Ninneman, oops I mean Rappl. She was my “Patient Program Coordinator” back in 2003, before she became the Institute’s Clinical Education Coordinator and now our Director of Clinical Development and Public Relations. Her oversight and insight is as important today, as it was then; no matter how many children she and her husband Mark raise. Her ‘children’ and my ‘children’ are also these people and these associated techniques and wording that tie them together. They are stories, events, chapters, accounts, and initiatives that change other people’s lives and processes. These techniques will remain consistent and constant, no matter, who and how many try to change the pictures, wording or association with other activity. Evolution depends on recognition of what started the journey and these techniques make me sentimental and grateful. I am grateful for Bobbie and all the “Bobbies” of my life that preceded anyone’s use of their guidance, consistent content and hope they offer.
Dan Houglum, who knew me before I started the Institute, and is now a faculty member teaching Myokinematic Restoration, summed up his weekend like this…
"The actual activity selected is not as big of an issue as I had originally thought. The real issue is can I reference the activity properly for them so they can sense what the need to sense in that activity. It was so great to be sitting next to Dave because he pointed out that every activity has so many potential ‘referents’ and ‘references’ in them, that you can use the same activity for two different patients, but use and reference the activity completely differently for each person to achieve the necessary outcome for that individual."
A few other testimonials shared by course attendees this past weekend…
"This course should be a requirement for people who use PRI Non-Manual techniques. This course changed how I will practice a lot. Awesome course. Thank you so much!"
"What an amazing course! Every PRI-minded person must take this. I had no idea how some of the techniques were meant/executed. Thank you very much!"
"The reference/referents discussion will completely change my patients’ experiences with the non-manual techniques.
If you are interested in learning more about the many ‘referents’ and ‘references’, and how to integrate them with the PRI Non-Manual Techniques, then I would highly recommend attending this workshop! It will be offered twice again in 2020 (both times in Lincoln, NE), so that I can have my side-kick, Jen Platt assisting me. Jen and I are already looking forward to it, and we hope you will consider joining us!
The Hruska Clinic’s Jason Masek will be presenting "Patterned Conditions Beyond Competitive Years: Asymmetrical Movement Pattern Considerations" at the upcoming NATA convention on June 25th, 2019. He will be presenting about how asymmetrical patterns of movement affect athletes after their competitive years. If you are going to be at the NATA convention be sure to check his talk out! You just may learn how a race car is engineered to optimize performance and how it correlates to the human body.
The Non-Manual Techniques Collection for the Cervical Revolution course is now available for purchase as a Digital Download! The digital download collection includes PDF handouts for the PRI Non-Manual Techniques which are discussed and included in the Cervical Revolution course. Some techniques do crossover from the Primary Courses Non-Manual Techniques Collections, however many of the techniques are new to the Cervical Revolution course, and have never been available for purchase on a CD or Digital Download.
CLICK HERE to purchase the Cervical Revolution Non-Manual Techniques Collection for only $35! *Please note: you must complete the corresponding Cervical Revolution course prior to purchasing this product.
It was a humbling experience to be on the campus of the Naval Academy teaching Myokinematic Restoration the weekend following Memorial Day. It’s a weekend that will resonate with me for a long time for a variety of reasons. I have three relatives who have served in the Navy, so to be on that historical campus was truly a privilege.
It was also a privilege to be able to deliver PRI concepts to a fantastic group of diverse movement professionals. We had ATC’s from the Naval Academy as well as from other institutions, LMT, Strength Coaches, PT’s, and DC’s. Mike Barnard, DC, it was truly an honor to meet you and I thank you for your questions and contributions to the course. With such a diverse crowd, we were permitted to expand our conversation points around many scopes of interest and practice.
Our course was held in Akerson Tower at the football field. During our course, the artificial field turf was being pulled up and removed. It was an apt backdrop for our course because, not unlike the football field, PRI was peeling off layers of preconceived notions in the minds of the course attendees. Once the truth of human asymmetry was revealed and the ramifications of it, we were able to start delivering a new layer of Myokinematic and neuromechanic foundation that they will be able to build on top of moving forward in their PRI journey.
Another unique revelation for me this past weekend occurred when fellow PRI Faculty member, Louise Kelley, and I met for dinner, and she brought her husband, Bruce. I can confirm, Bruce does exist, and we had a wonderful time Saturday night.
My thanks to Nate Nester, Jill Tender, Laurie Johnson, Ryan Carr, Greer Mackie, Vikram Somal, Christine Von Ulrich, and Johnathan Blake for their questions and their willingness to allow us to learn from them. Johnathan is going to be in attendance next weekend when Louise Kelly teaches Postural Respiration in Boston, which is going to be awesome! Cindy Anderson, PT, PRC, was invaluable during the lab portions of the class, as well as providing her valuable insight to delivering PRI concepts.
Progressing through the L AIC pattern, potential pathology that can result, and which muscles can and cannot work because of the position they are in is a lot for anyone new to PRI to digest. But we had many, many attendees who were able to digest the "why", so progressing into the testing and treatment portions of the class were relatively seamless. We were afforded a lot of time for lab, which allowed the attendees to experience getting onto their L side for the first time in a long time. This particular Myokin class will stand out for me because of where we were, the time of year, the symbolism of the football field turf being peeled away, and how stellar the class attendees were. It was a privilege to be among you.
This past weekend I spent some time at this famous institution teaching Myokinematic Restoration. I’d like to take this opportunity and commemorate a moment and talk about perspectives. The moment that I am commemorating is the weekend I got to spend mentoring Kasey Aikin PT, DPT, PRC, as she journeys toward independence as an instructor for the Institute. The perspective to which I refer is Kasey’s and mine, which I imagine will differ a bit. Kasey participated as a lab assistant along with the capable mind of THE Donna Behr PT, MS, DPT, PRC, who so many of you already know. But Kasey also had an additional task. She was not just learning or refining her PRI/Myokinematic skills, she was also learning to be an instructor, so this weekend becomes even more important for her from that perspective. As I spoke of specifics like L AF IR, the AIC, FA IR, management of specific diagnoses and refining skills like the Hruska Adduction Lift Test, Kasey was…absorbing, processing, smiling, reinforcing, thinking and determining how she could best teach the material. I admired what I saw as she worked toward her goal of being an instructor. She could, I think, have taken some of the material at any given moment and presented it. I would’ve enjoyed seeing her do it. Soon, she will. I imagine she will be quite edgy when she does but I think the class to whom she speaks will benefit greatly from her now-forming style. I invited Kasey to write about this weekend from her perspective and the ensuing words you see are from her. As for Wellesley College…put me down as grateful to have been there and I thank you Tim Snyder MS, ATC, LAT for being a great host.
From Kasey:
Walking into a PRI course as a “student” with Mike Cantrell has always been a guarantee of gaining several pearls of wisdom applicable day one while at the same time a comedy relief deciphering his southern similes and metaphors. This course was no different minus my mindset this go round as I wasn’t just a “student” anymore. The crew attending were primarily from the northeast so it’s always neat leaving the south and finding common ground with people on the other side of the country. Lab assisting with Donna Behr was awesome, she may be the nicest lady living in Boston. Seeing the light bulb moments of the attendees go off during lab is always the thrilling part of PRI and what continues to bring anyone back to PRI courses time and time again. The New York “triplets” were super enthused with the material and I’m always impressed to see strength and conditioning specialists diving into Myokin. The Maine crew had excellent questions and honed in on their testing skills. Overall, what an enriching experience while trying to navigate presenting the intricate science of PRI to do it justice. Thanks to all the attendees for the thought provoking questions and Mike Cantrell for continued mentorship and support!
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.
Ahh Seattle… How I missed you! I had the absolute pleasure visiting one of the most beautiful places I have ever had the privilege to teach PRI. I flew in early this time and was able to finally scratch my bucket list line item of going up the Space Needle! I visited the Pikes Place Market, took in an Underground Walking tour and learned all about how the Pioneers developed the city of Seattle. I ate my fair share of seafood and fueled up for the weekend ahead.
10 years ago, I assisted James Anderson in teaching the very first PRI course in Seattle. PRI has grown so much in the last 10 years, but nothing like the firestorm that hit this area. Seattle has so many amazing clinicians that have really grabbed hold of the science and ran with it.
I had the help of my PRI friend Zac Hawthorne. Zac did a great job helping during lab, sharing his insights with our class and answering questions.
This weekend I taught Pelvis Restoration at Pro Sports in Redmond, Washington. The staff Amanda, Cory, Siera, and Nathan made me feel so welcome, it hardly felt like I was working.
Pelvis Restoration is a great first course as it allows for a nice blend between Myokinematics of the Hip and Pelvis and concepts introduced in the Postural Respiration course. My attendees ranged from 8 “Newbies” to experienced PRI clinicians. This was a nice mix for learning and integrating effective evaluation tools and treatment interventions. I hit home the concepts of Respiration and Gait as it relates to the inlet and outlet and how that presents in patients suffering from diagnosis of Iliosacral pain, pelvic floor conditions, lower back pain and pubalgia.
My own recent course attendance at I & I, the Non-manual technique workshop and PRI for Pilates really helped me teach Pelvis concepts this weekend. I did my best to keep to the Pelvis concepts but relevant to the science taught in other courses. The integration of outlet and mediastinum inhibition using the objective tests such as how a PADT and posterior medisatinal outlet expansion tests, bridge the gap between the pelvis and thorax.
Special thanks to Taylor, Anna, Lisa, Jake, Elena and Steve for helping with lab demonstrations this weekend. I will now take a much needed rest and look forward to being back on the road in September in the Big Apple!
