P-DTR: The Neuro in my Orthopedic massage 

P-Dtr drastically changed how I do bodywork. During my early years in the field I realized there was more to resolving pain than just giving someone a massage. I was stymied by the concept of recalcitrance. If you can get someone out of pain, why does it come back? To find answers, I studied with teachers in the fields of bodywork and movement. I committed to helping my clients get out of pain and I accrued more and more techniques. Still I had tough cases where I couldn’t resolve client’s pain completely. My quest was led by the idea that there has to be a common answer. When pain remained for clients, I took it personally. “There’s nothing I can do” wasn’t something I wanted to say. 

Eventually I found Neurokinetic Therapy through a colleague and my adventures in functional medicine began. After integrating NKT into my work, my treatments were even more effective but my focus stayed on the clients who weren’t improving. Why didn’t they improve? I was suddenly left with more questions than I began with. I had opened a can of worms and the functional neurology was spilling everywhere… Luckily, I had more colleagues on the same path for answers and there we found P-DTR.

P-DTR

I began studying P-DTR after my completion of all three levels of NKT training. P-DTR promised to improve my understanding of the phenomenal clinical observations made while treating musculoskeletal dysfunction. Sometimes things made sense and other times, things were just weird and paradoxical. I had no idea that what I knew would be challenged on so many levels by Dr Palomar’s class. The sheer volume of information was staggering.Cognitive dissonance felt like a slap in the face to my 14 years of studying the body. The shift in paradigm presented by P-DTR was a necessary shake up that underlined the saying “be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.”

What is P-DTR?

P-DTR stands for proprioceptive deep tendon reflex. Proprioceptors are neurons that measure information about every sensation you can feel and about where your bones, joints, muscles and fascia are in space. Proprioceptor dysfunction usually accompanies musculoskeletal dysfunction. A deep tendon reflex is a procedure preformed during a routine medical exam. It’s when the doctor taps your knee with a little hammer and your leg reflexively extends. Rapid compression of a tendon elicits a reflexive muscle contraction in a literal knee jerk reaction. The DTR is the tool PDTR uses to reset dysfunctional receptor groups within the peripheral nervous system. P-DTR is a unique neurological therapy based on DR. Palomar’s research of neurology, biomechanics, physiology and anatomy. It works directly within the nervous system to reset communication into and out of the brain. It is a logical scientific system that explains the neurology behind chronic dysfunction in the body.

How Does it Work?

P-DTR treats the receptor dysfunction that is present wherever there is dysfunction. It illuminates how we create somatic dysfunction, how to identify it and permanently remove it. P-DTR treats the signals that create musculoskeletal compensation. Other methods of bodywork only address the compensations that show up in the musculoskeletal system. P-DTR even explains how existing manual therapy methods achieve the results that they do and why the approach is often incomplete. P-DTR views and treats musculoskeletal dysfunction from a neurological point of view. Therefore it teaches a systematic explanation of the neurophysiology of dysfunction and gives practitioners the tools to asses and treat dysfunction. P-DTR treats dysfunction on many levels including physical, endocrine, emotional and mental.

Neuro-Orthopedic massage reverses the effects of old age by comprehensively removing hardware and software dysfunction in the body. Recalcitrant fascial adhesions and structural adaptations can easily manipulated and reset. Say goodbye to constant stretching or foam rolling. In other words, chronic pain, discomfort and long held postural issues such as “flat feet” and forward head posture can be reversed! At New York Orthopedic Massage, we treat the whole person for comprehensive healing and wellness. Don’t put off becoming integrated, balanced and pain free for years to come. Book an appointment and start making changes now!

4 Comments on “P-DTR: The Neuro in my Orthopedic massage ”

  1. Kiambu,
    I am a massage therapist in Florida and am glad to have located someone in NY for my daughter…when she needs it.

    Would you recommend someone wanting to learn P-DTR to take NKT courses first? I just finished VOILA Method (Joel Crandall) 1 and 1.5 which uses some NKT, and off the body testing to balance the joints.

    Does P-DTR involve off the body testing to assess the sensory receptors? I’m not completely confident with my (getting out of my own way) off the body testing. I thought If P-DTR was more “tangible” I might have more consistent success. I don’t mind diving into details at all. I made it thru numerous details to master AIS:Mattes Method (my specialty) and I am not getting quick results ….as I would like to ..so I find myself searching for the quicker/accurate answers as P-DTR offers.

    Thanks for any advice!

    Nina Raymond

    1. NKT was what I took before studying PDTR and it was a natural progression for me after taking the third level NKT course. I have not taken Joel Crandall’s course but I know people who took PDTR basic and some of the intermediate work who are now doing voilà. NKT will teach you basic muscle testing and antagonistic and synergist muscle concepts and it is a fairly simple approach to basic functional neurology in my opinion. PDTR it is extremely heavy with scientific details and is not for everyone. For me the information is invaluable but again my work has always been very detail orientated and I thrive in situations where I can get the full picture. Details are important to me. Theory is based in neurology and science but the treatment technique is relatively simple and does not involve off body testing. I hope that is helpful. I don’t know what the best way of learning would be for you and it has taken me 17 years and several amazing teachers to get to where I am in terms of reversing chronic musculoskeletal dysfunction.

      1. Thank you Kiambu.

        Thank you for you input. I am detail oriented as well. I need it to be tangible…although I have great success with energy healing (Therapeutic Touch); I sense the energy…it is tangible for me…and it has always worked (even long distance if I know the person). Sometimes I wonder if we need all these tools or pick the one we are most confident with so any trace of lack of confidence does not interfere with the energy of our intention (major factor in helping someone). Easier for client to let go and receive healing if they trust practitioner.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *