In the Sixth Episode of the Postural Restoration Podcast I am welcomed by Dan Houglum, ATC, MSPT, PRC. Dan is an Athletic Training graduate of South Dakota State University, and furthered his pursuit of Physical Therapy at Des Moines University receiving his Masters in 1999. Dan was first introduced to Ron during his clinical rotation at St. Elizabeth’s outpatient PT department in Lincoln. Although he knew Ron’s technique was unique, it wasn’t until later attending a one day Protonics course in Chicago that Dan would start his journey of learning more about this approach. 

Dan’s knowledge of Athletic Training and the biomechanics behind human movement provide a solid foundation in his clinical skillset. Dan’s orthopedic background in various hospital settings and outpatient clinics, strengthen his ability to focus on the structure and function of lower extremity kinematics as he presents Myokinematic Restoration each year. Dan has Authored various articles, most recently including “Hruska Abduction and Adduction Lift Tests as Related To the Gait Cycle” and “Hruska ADDuction and ABDuction Lift Tests Related to PRI Reference Centers”. 

Dan was a member of the PRC class of 2012, and became PRI Faculty in 2016. He currently practices in Wilmette, IL and owns and operates Houglum Physical Therapy in a shared space with PRC Donna Parise-Bryne and her Pilates Central Studio. Dan currently teaches Myokinematic Restoration and will begin training to teach Postural Respiration in 2020!

Listen to the podcast here.

 Welcome to the fifth episode of the Postural Restoration Podcast! In this episode I am joined by Lori Thomsen, MPT, PRC. Lori attended Nebraska Wesleyan University prior to working towards her Masters of Physical Therapy at the University of Nebraska Medical Center which she received in 1995. Although Lori first met Ron Hruska at a dinner party through a mutual friend, it wasn’t until she heard him lecture on Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD) at UNMC that she recognized his unique way of thinking. Lori would go on to complete her last clinical rotation at St. Elizabeth’s Regional Medical Center in the Physical Therapy department which was under the direction of Ron at the time.

Lori started her career working with the Geriatric population which led her to in-patient care at Bryan Medical Center. She then shifted her career into Home Health Rehab where she spent more time centered around each patient and their individual needs. Lori spent five years in this setting before receiving news that her husband Cory, would be moved to North Dakota to new management job there. This move would lead Lori into her first Outpatient setting, taking a job at Riverview Health in Crookston, MN.

After making this move she quickly attended Myokinematic Restoration in Minneapolis, MN. Sharing a table with PRC’s Karen Jiran & Carrie Langer,  her PRI journey quickly began. Lori returned to the clinic and starting implementing what she had learned immediately. After successful outcomes started to occur and patient success was increased, she was encouraged to attend Advanced Integration for the first time in Lincoln. Shortly after attending Advanced Integration and seeing the first PRC class go through credentialing, Lori worked towards the same goal. In 2005 Lori earned her Postural Restoration Certified Credential as part of the second class.

In 2006, Lori was hired as the fifth staff Physical Therapist and Director of Operations at the Hruska Clinic. Lori’s strong interest in running led her to working with this population in the clinic while using her own personal experience as a runner to guide her patients. Lori has a long history of presenting these concepts to running clinics, high-schools, and to anyone interested in learning more about this science. In 2010 Lori was asked to work with PRC, Heather Engelburt, to help develop what would later become the Pelvis Restoration course. As a result Lori would become faculty and continue to teach this newly created course.

Lori is also recognized for her contribution in creating the annual Hruska Clinic shoe list. Her passion and experience as a runner and her clinical experience working from the ground up led Lori to focus on proper foot mechanics and footwear for each patient’s individual needs. PRI Orthotics are used in helping patients to find and feel their Heel, Arch & Toes but proper shoes are continually fit to aid in this process.  Lori dedicates several hours to this resource each year as she reviews each new shoe as she updates each version of that list. When not in the clinic or teaching these concepts, Lori enjoys time with her husband whether that be traveling or attending Husker Football games, and time with her dog Oakley. She continues to take part in community outreach events and volunteers on a regular basis.

Listen to the podcast here.

Welcome to the fourth episode of the Postural Restoration Podcast! In this episode, I am joined by Jennifer Poulin PT, PRC who graduated from the University of Vermont in Burlington and currently resides and practices in Pinehurst, NC. After several clinical opportunities which took Jen to New Orleans, followed by a short time in Tennessee, Jen had a desire to return home to Burlington. It was during this time that she encountered one of her first clinical mentors, Scott Sears who was one of the initial PRI supporters in Burlington. Following this opportunity Jen was introduced to yet another mentor in Jim Downs who would help lead Jen to the creation and foundation of Longtrail Physical Therapy. Jen worked as part owner of Longtrail PT for about 5 years in what she describes as a high volume clinical setting. It was during this time that Jen met her husband Chris, who was working on his Athletic Training hours under the Athletic Trainer employed by Longtrail at the time. Jen and Chris quickly grew their practice, not through a specific referral source but rather by focusing on the Student Athlete and General Public as a whole. This foundation and their focus on Sports Performance would continue to be the basis for their future growth!

While becoming increasingly frustrated from seeing 3-4 patients per hour, Jen found herself looking for more. While considering other routes of clinical care, Jen completed several Continuing Education courses in the hopes of adding some clinical knowledge to her skill set. Through another Physical Therapist, Lesli Bell, Jen was introduced to a Private Protonics course at the nearby "Timberlane Physical Therapy" clinic when she first met Ron Hruska. Michelin Carroll, a longtime supporter of our institute attended a Protonics course and played a Pivotal role in bringing Ron to Timberlane. Through meeting Leslie he would later return numerous times to this PRI hotbed. After the initial implementation of some of these concepts Jen and Chris felt compelled to open up their own practice, allowing them to spend more time with patients and incorporate other forms of patient care.

Through the creation of Poulin Performance, Jen and Chris were able to blend the best of both of their professional worlds under one roof. Poulin Performance would quickly become a successful Athletic Performance and Rehab Facility. Jen and Chris quickly began hosting PRI courses and their roles of providing Mentor-ship to many new employees and students followed. After becoming Postural Restoration Certified in 2005, Jen and her staff attended numerous courses. Following the completion of the Cervical Cranio-Mandibular course taught at Poulin Performance by Ron Hruska, Jen voiced her desire to help teach for the institute. Through further development and guidance Jen joined the PRI Faculty in 2010. Since then Jen and Chris have used the very same model and foundation they created in Vermont, and have started Sandhills Sports Performance after moving to Pinehurst, NC.

Sandhills Sports Performance welcomes many patients from the area, specifically a large number of Military families and Golfers. Jen continues to focus largely on mentor-ship and the development of her employees alongside the education of her patients to better their outcomes while incorporating Postural Restoration. Jen hopes to continue this passion while spreading their model to several new cities in the years to come!

Listen to Jen’s episode here.

Welcome to the first episode of the Postural Restoration Podcast! In this Episode, I am joined by Founder and Director of the Postural Restoration Institute, Ron Hruska. The foundation of the Postural Restoration Institute resulted from many years of Clinical Practice and a strong interest in the patterns and positioning that at the time seemed to be the cause of many patients’ pain and dysfunction.

Ron discusses his time in Graduate school pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration after receiving his Physical Therapy degree from the University Of Nebraska Medical Center. His time working at the V.A. Medical Hospital as well as his eventual role as Director of Physical Therapy at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Lincoln, NE both played roles in his desire to look at and treat the human body through a multidisciplinary, systematic approach.

This led Ron to create other ways of treating patterned dysfunction, initially through the use of the first “Re-Positioning” device called Protonics. Although Protonics looked and seemed to function to many in the orthopedic world as a Patello-Femoral “Brace”, it was actually much more. Using this device allowed him to "Re-Pattern” bi-lateral chains of muscle and look at orthopedics from a Femoral-Patella lens.

Eventually this device left Ron with the desire to move into the private practice setting. In order to dedicate more time to roles with the APTA Association, and more time dedicated to learning and discovering further ways to develop these ideas. Protonics allowed him to connect with and teach other clinicians, including some of the first PRI Faculty members. Following the creation of the Hruska Clinic, Restorative Physical Therapy Services in 1999, Ron worked with fellow Physical Therapist Jason Masek and others to create some of the earliest PRI Non-Manual Techniques.

As this science continued to grow, PRI Director Janie Ebmeier was put in charge of helping to develop what would become the first Postural Restoration course which would later be renamed to “Postural Respiration”. With the foundation of the Postural Restoration Institute in 2000, other courses including Myokinematic Restoration and a course focusing on the Pelvic-Femoral Complex were quick additions. We now are proud to offer more than 15 different courses, which have been developed to build upon these three Primary Courses

I welcome you to join us on this journey as we continue to explore how the creation of this science has changed the way coaches and clinicians approach the treatment of the human body.

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Listen to Episode 1 HERE!