Postural Restoration®
“Postural Restoration is a physical therapy methodology which recognizes that we are asymmetrical beings. Our asymmetry facilitates movement. However, overuse of our dominant side, coupled with repetitive motion, sedentary lifestyles and injury often causes muscle, joint and respiratory imbalances. The result is pain, fatigue, propensity for injury and slow recovery from trauma.”
~Advance Physical Therapy Literature - Certified Postural Restoration Center
Basic Concepts of the
Postural Restoration Institute®
The human body is not symmetrical. The neurological, respiratory, circulatory, muscular and vision systems are not the same on the left side of the body as they are on the right, and vice versa. They have different responsibilities, function, position and demands on them. This system asymmetry is a good thing and an amazing design. The human body is balanced through the integration of system imbalances. The torso, for example, is balanced with a liver on the right and a heart on the left. Extremity dominance is balanced through reciprocal function; i.e. left arm moves with right leg and vice versa.
Postural Restoration Institute® (PRI) credentialed professionals recognize these imbalances and typical patterns associated with system disuse or weak-ness that develops because of dominant overuse. This dominant overuse of one side of the body can develop from other system unilateral overuse. For example, if the left smaller diaphragm is not held accountable for respiration as the right is, the body can become twisted. The right diaphragm is always in a better position for respiration, because of the liver’s structural support of the right larger diaphragm leaflet. Therefore, the left abdominals are always important to use during reciprocal function, such as walking, to keep the torso balanced.
Keeping the right chest opened during breathing is also challenging since there is no heart muscle inside the right side of the chest. Standing mainly on the right lower extremity to offset the weight of the left upper torso, assists in moving the pelvis forward on the left and the shoulder complex down on the right.
This asymmetry compliments the special functions of the two sides of the brain. Although the two sides (hemispheres) of the brain share responsibilities for some functions, each hemisphere has its own “specialties”. Each hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body. The left brain has more responsibilities for speech and language and thus the right upper extremity becomes a dominant extremity in communication, growth and development. PRI credentialed professionals recognize when this normal pattern is not balanced sufficiently with left extremity neurologic and muscular activity.
When these normal imbalances are not regulated by reciprocal function during walking, breathing or turning, a strong pattern emerges creating structural weaknesses, instabilities, and musculo-skeletal pain syndromes. Balancing muscle activity around the sacrum (pelvis), the sternum (thorax) and the sphenoid (middle of the head) through a PRI approach best positions multiple systems of the human body for appropriate integrated asymmetrical function. PRI credentialed professionals incorporate reciprocal function to reduce ‘leading’ with the left pelvis and right arm, and respiratory function to maximize airflow in and out of the right lung.
Vision, occlusion, hearing, foot pressure, occupational demands, in-uterine position, etc. can all influence asymmetrical tendencies and patterns. Humpback whales bottom-feed on their right side, lemurs tend to be lefties when it comes to grabbing their grub, toads use their right forepaw more than their left, chimpanzees hold a branch up with the left hand and pick the fruit with their right hand, and humans usually balance their center of gravity over their right leg for functional ease and postural security. PRI credentialed professionals recognize the more common integrated patterns of human stance, extremity use, respiratory function, vestibular imbalance, mandibular orientation and foot dynamics; and balance these patterns, as much as possible, through specific exercise programs that integrate correct respiration with left side or right side inhibitory or facilitory function.
Ancient Art Depicting
Basic Concepts of
Postural Restoration
Artists throughout history have known and depicted that the body is indeed asymmetrical. Note the right abdominal dominance and left rib flare on our friend Venus de Milo. We have known this to be a normal human body pattern since the Greeks!
I'd give my right arm... or my left... to know what the Greeks knew, oh wait... I did.
Venus de Milo
Alexandros of Antioch
Ancient Greek Marble Sculpture
Made around 150-125 BC
Renaissance artist Michelangelo shows David, a prime example of the right-sided dominant pattern of the human body, right before he slays Goliath. Note the weight through David's right leg. Interesting note: Michelangelo was one of the first known artists to dissect human cadavers as a way to learn and understand the human body and its inner workings.
​
Michelangelo knew what
was up!
David
Michelangelo
Marble Sculpture
1504 CE
Beth's Postural Restoration® Coursework & Experience
​
Beth Elder has an extensive background studying the science of Postural Restoration® and has completed numerous courses through the Postural Restoration Institute®.
​
PRI coursework
Postural Restoration Institute®, Integration for Pilates 2020
Postural Restoration Institute®, Postural Restoration Integration for Pediatrics 2019, 2020
Postural Restoration Institute®, Myokinematic Restoration 2012, 2015, 2018, 2019
Postural Restoration Institute®, Postural Respiration 2012, 2013, 2018
Postural Restoration Institute®, Pelvis Restoration 2013, 2018
Postural Restoration Institute®, Integration for Fitness & Movement 2017
Postural Restoration Institute®, Integration for Geriatrics 2017
Postural Restoration Institute®, Conference on Extension Powered People:
Managing Self-Efficacy through Integration 2015
Postural Restoration Institute®, Instability and Impingement 2014
Postural Restoration Institute®, Conference on Athletic Performance 2013
​
Work Experience:
Advance Physical Therapy
-
Certified Postural Restoration Center
-
Headquarters of STRATER Scoliosis Institute
2012–2022
-
Created and developed the Personal Training and Pilates Program
-
Personal Trainer and Pilates Instructor
-
Weekly PRI Study