Postural Restoration for Children
At the last Capitol District Physical Therapy Association meeting, my colleague, Lisa Mangino, PT, DPT, PCS, C/NDT, PRC, offered a terrific presentation on how she uses principles of Postural Restoration with children. Lisa reminded participants that the human body is inherently asymmetrical and is biased toward patterns of extension. Sensory awareness of posture, the ground, […]
Tips to Change Habits for Tension Relief
Focal vision refers to being focused on something small at any distance, from your phone to a golf ball far away on the green. Technology is partly contributing to our society becoming more focally near-sighted. The more you focus on a bright device 6-12 inches from your nose, the stronger those brain pathways become. Other contributors include being too busy, always striving to be faster, better, to do more, and not taking time to rest… your muscles AND your eyes.
What Are Your Teeth Trying to Tell You?
Are you listening? Did you know that of all your body parts, your teeth are of the most sensitive? They will tell you if there is a raspberry seed caught in them. They will tell you if the drink you are drinking is too hot or too cold. They will tell you if you need […]
Do You Have a Balance Problem?
Most people acknowledge a balance problem only after they experience a fall. Understanding potential signs of balance problems will help keep you from becoming a statistic. If you identify with 1 or more of following statements you may have a balance problem. If you find 4 or more to be true for you, you are […]
Poor Posture, Poor Core Control, Difficulty Breathing
Too much “Doing” and not enough “Being”: a recipe for pain and poor performance. There are fundamental principles for healthy core body alignment and breathing. When these essential elements are missing, postural compensations, strain and less efficient movement strategies become habits that often lead to pain and or inefficiency of movement. What are the essentials? […]
Pilates: Postural Restoration Style
Scoliosis and Helping Aging Spines Lengthen
Because our scoliosis approach is quite unique, we often have clients come in from out of town and stay for several days of intensive therapy. On a recent “intensive” situation like this, a patient wrote the following description of her experiences and initial outcome: “I’ve tried so many therapies and treatments for my scoliosis and […]
Tips to Change Habits for Tension Relief
Don’t Be Controlled By Your Focal Vision “Powered Peripheral Vision”, Tips to Change Habits for Tension Relief Adapted from Dr. Heidi Wise, PRI Vision, LLC Focal vision refers to being focused on something small at any distance, from your phone to a golf ball far away on the green. Technology is partly contributing to our […]
The efficacy of three-dimensional Schroth exercises in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: A randomised controlled clinical trial
It is always affirming to see support in the literature for the changes we see case by case at Advance Physical Therapy every day. Recently, a randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of professionally administered, 3 dimensional Schroth exercise program for the treatment of scoliosis. I think there are two key points […]
Too much “Doing” and not enough “Being”: a recipe for pain and poor performance.
There are fundamental principles for healthy core body alignment and breathing. When these essential elements are missing, postural compensations, strain and less efficient movement strategies become habits that often lead to pain and or inefficiency of movement. What are the essentials? (How to get better at “Being” in the core) The pelvic ring should be […]
Release Your Neck!
Easier said than done, right? So why do necks stay so tight all the time? When we work with patients who have chronic neck pain and shoulder tension, we usually find dysfunctional breathing patterns directly related to poor core body postures. Did you know the best muscle for getting air into your body is the […]
Pediatric Physical Therapist, Lisa Mangino, PT, DPT, PCS, C/NDT, PRC Featured at National Forum
Our very own pediatric physical therapist, Lisa Mangino, PT, DPT, PCS, C/NDT, PRC presented her unique approach to treating children at the annual Postural Restoration Institute® (PRI) meeting of PRI certified physical therapists and athletic trainers on April 18th 2015. She discussed how children tend to alter their posture and movement patterns with unbalanced muscle […]
Vicious to Virtuous Cycle in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis – Part 2
* Muscle Imbalance * Gravity * Breathing * Body Schema * Walking The Vicious Cycle describes how these factors, listed above begin to reinforce curvatures that have developed, often in hypermobile, restless, young people. (see part 1) However, it has been postulated that these same factors could be utilized to re-balance curvatures if applied in […]
Schroth based Scoliosis Treatment in the Physical Therapy World
On 3/19/15, Jean Masse, PT, DPT, PRC, OCS, ATC, was invited to speak to the UNC Physical Therapy Class of 2017 about scoliosis. Jean gave an eloquent and enlightening presentation to these students, inviting them to explore rehabilitation techniques utilized in Europe for nearly 100 years, but only recognized in the US beginning in 2008. […]
Scoliosis: From Vicious to Virtuous Cycle- Part I
As mentioned in my previous blog, the vicious cycle concept has been researched and developed by Dr. Ian Stokes. Simply stated, it describes how environmental and physiological factors contribute to the progression of a curvature once that curve has passed a certain limit. About 25 degrees is the generally acknowledged tipping point. What are these […]
Keep Your Eyes On Those Growing Spines!
Early detection and treatment of abnormal spinal curves during growth can make a tremendous difference in the health of the mature spine. Keep an eye on your growing child’s spine, especially between the ages of 9 and 14 with this simple test: Adams Forward Bending Test: Have your child stand with their feet together and […]
The Tremendous Advantage of Early Detection and Treatment of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
While spinal curvature can develop at any time in a person’s life, there is a tremendous window of opportunity to rehabilitate these changes when it is noticed at a young age, before bony maturity is reached. In fact, idiopathic curvatures most frequently develop during growth spurts, before or during puberty. The etiology or the reason […]
Postural Restoration lends the support our bodies need
Support comes in many forms. I recently completed my certification in Postural Restoration (PRC). I could not have achieved this designation without the support of my co-workers at Advance Physical Therapy, the clients I care for, my family or the faculty at the Postural Restoration Institute. Postural Restoration is an exciting and effective approach to […]
Postural Restoration, the evolution of a new paradigm
As I was returning from another intensive study program, this time, the Postural Restoration Advanced Integration Course in early Dec. 2014, I reflected back, in awe, at the techniques, understandings and tools available to us for maximizing the ability to live balanced, healthy and creative lives in bodies which can move and rest efficiently and […]
Postural Restoration Institute™ Techniques in Children with Musculoskeletal Pain
Pictured left to right, with , Lisa Mangino, PT, DPT, PCS, C/NDT, PRC is Postural Restoration faculty Mike Cantrell, MPT, PRC, Ron Hruska, MPA, PT, founder of Postural Restoration Institute, and James Anderson, MPT, PRC. In December 2014, our pediatric physical therapist, Lisa Mangino, completed the requirements for obtaining the designation of Postural Restoration Institute™ […]
Advance Physical Therapy and Fleet Feet Sports Wraps Up Winter Coat Collection for Area Children
Dear Friends, On October 19th we concluded our winter coat collection drive. Together with Fleet Feet Sports we were able to collect 28 winter coats. All of the donations went to the John Avery Boys and Girls Club of Durham; this organization provides a safe and warm place for kids to learn, grow and have […]
Do you have a balance problem?
Loss of balance and mobility are not inevitable as we grow older. Sudden falls in older individuals, however, are of concern because the incidence of balance problems is known to increase significantly with age. The number one indicator for fall risk is a previous fall. Other indications include symptoms of dizziness, lack of physical conditioning […]
Awake Tummy Time: A Crucial Part of Infant Movement Development
It’s always a good time to be reminded about the importance of babies experiencing enough “tummy time” through their early developmental months. As happens with many interventions, the Back-to-Sleep campaign1 to prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has produced some unintentional consequences. The campaign was successful in decreasing the occurrence of SIDS; however, parents […]
Coats For Kids Update
We still need more coat donations! Dear friends, I want to thank you for all the coat donations we have received so far for our Coats for Kids effort. But we still need more coats and we need your help. Let’s try to help as many children that we can! My inspiration to initiate this […]