What is the Postural Restoration Therapy?
The PR therapist ultimately looks beyond the pain site to examine an individual's posture as a whole to determine a treatment plan to restore appropriate posture thus alleviating the unwanted stresses on bones, joints, muscles and tendons.
The position of the pelvis, diaphragm and ribcage are vital components of PR. Foot mechanics, vision, and oral (dental) mechanics are important considerations as well. The clinician’s goal is restore proper position to allow function and decrease unwanted muscle activity (usually on one side of the body verses the other) by way of muscle inhibition and facilitation of underused muscles in order to create muscle balance.
In the end, this creates a more efficient system of work-sharing. Therefore, certain muscles, most often the site of those painful areas, don’t have to be so active. Common work horses are the hip flexors, paraspinals (back muscles), TFL (tensor fascia latae - IT band) and neck muscles. Those muscles become over-worked because they are compensating for other muscles that are in the wrong position to do their job or help.
A common non-manual exercise used is the 90/90 hemibridge with a balloon. This exercise activates some muscles ( abdominals, hamstrings, adductors, diaphragm and triangularis sterni) and inhibits others (hip flexors and paraspinals). This one activity is designed to help reposition the pelvis to neutral, put abdominal oblique muscle in a more efficient position, and inhibit or relax back muscles, and to help open up and expand the rib cage and chest wall.
To experience rehabilitation from a Postural Restoration therapy minded therapist is truly a unique experience.