Archive for June, 2011

Yoga and Stroke Rehabilitation

Saturday, June 11th, 2011

Here's your opportunity to learn how to incorporate yoga into stroke rehabilitation!

Dr. Arlene Schmid, PhD, OTR

I'll be teaching "Yoga for Stroke Rehabilitation: The DSR Method" a 2-day continuing education course in Scottsdale AZ on Sept 24-25, 2011. Details at www.dsrseminars.com .  

 

There was quite a buzz re: the new study my colleague and lead researcher Arlene A. Schmid, OTR, PhD presented this week. Her bio is here. The summary is below beneath the APTA banner. The study made the news on the EIM Daily Dose, Twitter and weekly APTA News Now. 

After teaching the techniques and value of bringing Yoga principles and technologies into rehabilitation since 1998, it is gratifying to see the clinical evidence begin to emerge. One of my first students, Julie Bastille, PT in 1998 went on to break ground by having the first yoga-based stroke rehab study in the PTJ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now today, as Dr. Schmid is quoted this week, the research around Yoga is "really taking off" and no better evidenced than at the 2011 Symposiums on Yoga Therapy and Research I helped launch in 2007 as then vice-president of the International Association of Yoga Therapy, and later president 2008-2009.   

Please spread the word about this exciting course offering coming up in September. The course is designed for rehab professionals and Yoga therapists. I presented it last year for past AZAPTA's president Kay Wing, PT's company, SWAN Rehab, the spring 2011 AZAOTA Conference, and at the 2009 APTA Annual conference. Pruitt Rehabilitation out of North Carolina also sponsored me in GA in February of 2011.

Here's some feedback from those courses:

 

“The hands-on with actual patients. At first we  all looked at each other like “what do we do”?  But then it just started flowing…Matt was very approachable and the small class size was a big plus” … “I didn’t expect this to be such an emotional experience, but I think it will help me have closer relationships with my patients.” - Jocelyn Unger, DPT Tucson

 “The amazing work and energy that Matt has put into this development…what an honor!”…
“I will tell as many people as possible about your course.” - Betsy Shandalov, OTR   Owner, www.YogaOT.com

“The simplicity.  Less is more!  Breathe!” - Tanyia Schier, OTR Swan Rehab

“The practical applications.” … “No improvements – it was a perfect blend of theory, experimental learning.” - Karen Mueller, PT, NAU Faculty

“Great interaction and personal growth with breathing – yoga components.” … “The patient interaction to ‘put it all together’ was very helpful.  Good hands on throughout.”  – Barbara Timmers, PTA, Mayo, Scottsdale

“Watching change ‘arrive’ in fellow participants.” - Cheryl Van Demark, PT, RYT
 
Hope to see you there! Enrollment is limited to the first 12 registrants….you can't learn this from the back of an auditorium!
 

PT in<br /> Motion - News Now

Yoga Increases Balance, Endurance in Veterans, Says Indiana University Researcher
Balance measures improved in older veterans with stroke who performed yoga poses…

 

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Important or Impotent: Men’s Health and Yoga Therapy

Saturday, June 4th, 2011

In early May 2011 I wrote the article below asking readers to consider the "silliness" behind the pharmaceutical push for us to remain trapped forever in youth (my wife would say it is symptomatic of a fear of death.).

Here's an easy to download/share copy of the article in its entirety as a 2-page pdf. 

This morning while reviewing the Twitter feed, I find this interesting article from the NYTimes titled, "Viagra: The Thrill is Gone" by Hilary Stout. She shares some great stories to back up my reflections and hopefully points to some sanity returning to this headlong rush to "youth." This is even more important in light of the findings last week about Viagra-type drugs leading to deafness. Madness to lose your hearing in a misdirected effort to remain a "young buck" forever. 

How do you address these important psychosocial issues with the men and women that seek insight and support in your practice?

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