Episode 38: Michael Pedersen, DPT, PRC

In this episode of the Postural Restoration podcast i am joined by Michael Pedersen, DPT, PTA, PRC. Michael started his clinical career after earning his associates as a Physical Therapy Assistant and taking his first job with The Therapy Network in Newtown, VA. Michael was first introduced to Physical Therapy alongside his work with swimmers as a swim coach and the team of providers this exposed him to. Following his PTA program and starting to work in the clinic Michael was introduced to PRI early on in his career by Laurie Johnson, who was at the time his clinical director and the one who offered him a job. During this time our lives adapted to COVID and much of Michael's course exposure to the science took place via the online coursework, as both he and Laurie immersed themselves in the concepts, taking dozens of courses within only a couple years. Michael credits the results he saw clinically for igniting his passion for the science of Postural Restoration.

Over the next several years Michael dove in to any content he could related to the implementation of PRI. Studying Neal Hallinan YouTube videos, attending courses, and working to apply it in the clinic setting alongside Laurie. This eventually led him to apply for and earn his PRC credentialing as part of the PRC class of 2022, two years following his first course. Michael discusses the desire to implement PRI to the fullest within his scope of practice while at the same time continuing to dice deeper into thew science itself. Because of what he now knew and saw work successfully, for his patients in front of him, Michael realized that he desired to go back to school with the goal of becoming a Physical Therapist.

Around the time that Michael earned his PRC he applied and was accepted to South College in Knoxville, TN allowing him to take part in their hybrid DPT program. This allowed him the flexibility to complete schooling while only having to do so in person periodically. Following this program Michael had the opportunity to spend his last clinical rotation at the Hruska Clinic where he has spent the last 10 weeks. Michael credits his time in the clinic with helping him better understand when and how to integrate with other professionals and with the smaller things like technique implementation and making sure PRI objective testing is utilized to guide treatment. Michael and I discuss the importance of getting people upright, sooner rather than later, and one of his desires to help patients handle load better in an upright position whether under additional load or just managing gravity on a day to day basis.

Michael has a unique experience having been exposed to PRI so early in his career and also having great mentorship around him throughout his journey, and now aims to build upon his experience utilizing PRI as a PTA as he returns to clinical care as a DPT. Michael has a strong interest in Brazilian Jujitsu, Swimming, and many other modalities such as dry needling and manual therapy as he utilizes them to aide in a PRI program. Michael's goal is to now utilize everything he has learned from PT schooling, mentorship along the way and time within the PRI community to address the person in front of him for their unique needs, implementing PRI to its fullest whether individually or as part of an interdisciplinary team.