Upstate AHEC to Offer “If You Can’t Breathe, You Can’t Function”

Upstate AHEC will sponsor "If You Can’t Breathe, You Can’t Function: Integrating Cardiopulmonary and Postural Control Strategies in the Pediatric and Adult Populations” on March 3-5, 2016 in Greenville. Mary Massery, PT, DPT, DSc, will provide instruction for the three-day course, which will challenge practitioners to make a paradigm shift: acknowledging the importance of the cardiopulmonary system as an integral component of postural control. The emphasis of the presentation will be on developing and applying practical quick clinical solutions that are applicable for both pediatric and adult patients in all practice settings.

The course will present a model of postural control (Soda Pop Can Model) that demonstrates how breathing mechanics are linked to motor and physiologic behaviors.  This is the cornerstone for the Dr. Massery’s multi-system clinical approach to the evaluation and treatment of trunk and/or respiratory impairments.  She will demonstrate how to integrate the cardiovascular, pulmonary, musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, integumentary and internal organ systems into every evaluation and intervention, as well as how to recognize physiologic causes or consequences that may accompany these motor dysfunctions.  Participants will learn how to effectively pair ventilatory strategies with specific movements in order to establish the pulmonary system as an asset rather than a liability.  Neuromotor breathing retraining techniques and manual assistive cough techniques will be highlighted in labs as well as other manual interventions.

Mary Massery, PT, DPT, DSc, received her Bachelor of Science in physical therapy from Northwestern University in 1977, her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of the Pacific in 2004 and her doctorate in science from Rocky Mountain University in 2011. Her publications and interests focus on linking motor behaviors to breathing and/or postural mechanics in both pediatric and adult patient populations.  Dr. Massery has been invited to give over 800 professional presentations in 49 US states, nine Canadian provinces and 15 countries worldwide.  Mary has delivered addresses on topics such as cystic fibrosis and posture, neuropulmonary deficits, pectus excavatum (chest deformities), and connections between posture & breathing for the Royal Society of Medicine in London; the Australian & New Zealand Spinal Cord Injury Conference in Australia; the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists Meeting in Galway; the International Seating Symposium in Vancouver; and the Conference on Posture and Mobility in England; as well as more than 100 presentations at the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) conferences across the U.S.  She continues to maintain a private practice in Chicago, specializing in ventilation and postural dysfunction.

Physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, speech language pathologists, and respiratory therapists and others are invited to attend. For more information, please visit the Upstate AHEC Website www.upstateahec.org or call Bennie Pettit at 864-349-1162.