News

“As the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) approaches the end of its first decade the staff of PRI, Postural Restoration Certified (PRC) therapists, and I, are often asked about the history of PRI. It’s an Institute that is truly built around 30 years of clinical practice associated with re-occurring successes of specific patient treatment programs. Consistent evidence-based correlations, discovered with patient biomechanical, respiratory and neurological functional patterns, as well as predictable functional limitations, allowed us to establish reproducible outcome based programs”. Read more…

We are often asked to explain what Postural Restoration is and how it is different from other therapies. Although we most commonly answer this question through conversation, it is nice to have a piece of literature that is simple enough for the common person to understand. An official publication of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Australia published an article called Postural Restoration written by Kyndall Boyle back in 2006. This is a fantastic article that introduces and summarizes what Postural Restoration is. This article also provides an overview of the history behind PRI, and Postural Restoration Certification (PRC). We have used this article several times to help educate all individuals on PRI! To access this article, click here!

We are happy to report that our course in Minneapolis this September is full. We aren’t, however, happy to have to turn away anyone who was hoping to learn about Postural Respiration. Therefore, for those who would like to attend this course and are able to travel to another location this fall we are offering a discounted tuition rate.

Register for Postural Respiration in St. Louis, MO September 20-21; Brownsville, TX October 11-12 or Sioux Falls, SD October 25-26 and receive a 20% discount! If you are currently registered for the September course in Minneapolis and would like to transfer to one of these other courses, you’ll receive a refund of 20%. Contact us today!

This is our attempt to accommodate all those currently on our Minneapolis waiting list and educate as many as possible. This offer won’t last long…call to register before September 15th! Discount can not be combined with any other offer and applies to new registrations only.

Can you believe it? 2008 is half over! With a new year comes a new PRI course schedule. We are very excited about traveling to new places next year and of course, always excited to go back to familiar ones. Listed below are confirmed courses for 2009. To register for the course please go to the course page. Don’t see a location or date that appeals to you? Contact us to host a course at your clinic and forget the headaches of travel next year. Check back again as 2009 courses will be continually added!

• January 17-18 – Loveland, CO – Postural Respiration
• January 24-25 – Las Vegas, NV – Myokinematic Restoration
• February 21-22 – Grayslake, IL – Myokinematic Restoration
• March 26-29 – Lincoln, NE – Interdisciplinary Integration (Please Contact us!)
• April 4-5 – Durham, NC – Myokinematic Restoration
• April 25-26 – Lancaster, PA – Cervical Cranio Mandibular Restoration
• May 16-17 – Lebanon, NH- Postural Respiration
• June 6-7 – Sun City West, AZ – Postural Respiration

Ever have a patient that you feel like you’ve tried everything with and they still can’t maintain neutrality?  You know, those patients that you’ve given every activity you can think of and they still come back in a Left AIC pattern.  Footwear can make all the difference in the outcomes you achieve using a PRI program.  This young lady has been working with Lori Thomsen, PT, PRC, and has shown signs of improvement but can not maintain neutrality with upright activity.  After carefully looking at her orthotics and her gait pattern, it was determined that the reason why she’s not neutral is because of her shoes!  Check out this video to see the effects appropriate footwear can make on the outcomes of your treatment!

In today’s weekly meeting between PRI and the Hruska Clinic, we discussed the importance of the PRI Left AIC Stance technique. This activity is the first activity in the standing integration section of our 2nd Edition Non-Manual Techniques CD-Rom. This activity is the beginning to all of our activities that incorporate standing left AF IR. Some patients may have Adduction Lift Test and Abduction Lift Test scores of 3 or better but still be challenged during daily gait. By placing them first in a Left AIC position, it allows you the capability to teach them how to get out of right AF IR and into left AF IR before their right foot leaves the ground. Although stair activity is a great activity to gain left AF IR during midstance, this activity helps teach the patient how to get out of right AF IR during late stance. Consider the PRI Left AIC Stance technique to transition from active right AF IR to left AF IR by transferring 50% of the patients weight through the left leg before moving forward. Many patients appreciate this activity because it gives them a good understanding of what left AF IR really is. To access the complete technique, please click here!

Oliver Hall, PT, PRC, who owns and operates Inspire Physical Therapy in Essex, Vermont, recently sent us a story about one of his patients. Oliver has been using PRI for several years and in December of 2005, Oliver’s interest in biomechanics and movement patterns led him to become one of the first twelve therapists in the country to be certified in Postural Restoration.

“These 2 pictures were taken 6 weeks apart and are of a young man who came to therapy with mid back pain from lifting at work. He had long been aware that his chest was different from the rest (pectus carinatum). He presented as a left AIC right BC with significant tightness in his right BC. Despite the right side of his chest being higher than the left in supine, the lateral measurement from sternum to lateral chest wall was 1” shorter on the right side. In 6 weeks of working on a PRI program, he had complete resolution of his symptoms and returned to lifting at work with no problems”.

Ron Hruska will be traveling to Seoul, South Korea next month! Ilhwan Kim, MD, DC of Kim & Chang Spine and Chiropractic Clinic found PRI through an internet search and requested a course to learn more. This group already has an advanced knowledge of manual therapy and is eager to add Postural Restoration to their practice. Ron will present concepts covered in our Myokinematic Restoration and Postural Respiration courses on September 5-7. Kim & Chang are members of the Korean Integrative Medicine Institute (KIMI) which is composed of MD’s, OMD’s (Oriental Medical Doctor), DC’s, and PT’s. This integrative group of health professionals host regular seminars on manual medicine, nutrition, and various alternative medicine topics. We are very excited about this international opportunity and the possiblity for future collaboration!

PRI has been busy these last couple months providing you with news and updates. We would love to hear about any PRI related activity taking place in your clinic! Send us your photos, videos or stories about how you’re integrating PRI in your daily practice. We would love to “feature” you on the PRI website! If you have a story burning a hole in your desk or have questions, please contact us!

Our 1st Annual Interdisciplinary Integration course is scheduled for March 26-29, 2009 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Guest speakers will cover topics including: dentistry, vision & vestibular integration, podiatry and footwear, and pelvic floor dysfunction. Daily registration will be available or attend all 4 days! No pre-requisite course attendance applies. More details to come but mark your calendars now!

Vertical Facial Dimensions Linked to Abnormal Foot Motion, by Brian A. Rothbart, is the latest article being referenced in our Impingement and Instability course. Three studies were conducted determining the relationship between abnormal foot pronation, hip position and vertical facial dimensions. Although the three null hypotheses were rejected, the conclusion of the article is very interesting as it discusses how foot pronation affects the position of the innominate, temporal bones, sphenoid and maxilla. To access the article, please click here or contact us!

We were thrilled to receive notification yesterday that Ron Hruska will be presenting at this year’sTexas Occupational Therapy Association (TOTA) 2008 Mountain Central Conference. The conference will be held November 21-23, 2008 at the Renaissance Austin. TOTA’s Mountain Central Conference is the annual educational conference of the association. Ron will present Postural Respiration – Integrated Treatment of Patterned Thoraco-Abdominal Pathomechanics. For more information, go here!