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The Jefferson HealthCare Physical Therapists gathered at their workplace every quarter for a training upgrade. On Sundays, the sprawling gym-type space was closed to the public, so they had the space to themselves and reacted like kids racing to the playground. Mara Singer selected a walker for her Tool. Bobby commandeered a wheelchair, and others claimed resistance bands, rubber balls, and mat tables.
They Mingled in Round One of the four-hour Training Upgrade, seeking to blend knowledge. For example, Mara had an older client who complained about intensive pain in the backside of his right hip. Aware that his lifted arches prevented an accurate Heel to Toe Press & Roll, he reported that the hip erupted at some point when he focused on lowering and softening the arches.
Mara approached Elle, a former boxer turned Physical Therapist, wanting more information on lengthening the right side for increased effectiveness. Elle demonstrated using an air Cable Machine to lengthen and strengthen the right powerhand. Mara applied the Step Markers to her Walker Heel To Toe Stroll and uncovered where she didn’t lengthen the stride through the back toe, therefore not incorporating her upper hip muscles, in particular, the IT Band and Gluteus Medias, into the action. And the old guy had fifty or sixty years on her, plenty of time to fortify Holding Patterns. Her job was to help release these patterns so the body could recover from injuries.
In Round Two, they grouped in a lopsided soap bubble shape and took turns leading a Movement Sequence to clear Holding Patterns from the Path. Mara’s sequence began standing with her weight distributed evenly heel to toe. She reached her right hand behind and gripped a cable machine handle. Shifting her right toe into the backstride, she adjusted her Pelvic Bowl deeper into neutral until she felt tension release atop her right hip.
Bobby demonstrated how to push back at limitation using a chest press-type movement. Elle dangled from a string connected to the top of her head, shaking out tension. Each team member’s perspective and approach enriched the blend, and in Round Three, they paired their sequences with music. The final round was a fun dance, with everyone trading moves, exploring and expanding various interpretations. Afterward, they enjoyed a magnificent spread provided by local eateries, grateful for each other.
