Do you see the thoracic spine and ribcage like a “black box”? Are you puzzled by clinical experiences where patients with seemingly similar symptoms respond very differently to techniques like thoracic manipulation and mobilization? Looking for a framework that is functional, patient-centred and grounded in clinical reasoning and research?  Then this is the course for you!

Based on her clinical and research work on the thorax over the past 20+ years, Dr. LJ Lee created and developed the Thoracic Ring Approach™, a comprehensive, whole person, functional framework that explains what optimal function of the thorax is, how dysfunction in the thorax can develop, and the possible consequences of thoracic dysfunction throughout the body. This includes recognizing the significant impact that thoracic dysfunction can have on sensitizing the central nervous system and driving autonomic dys-regulation, that goes far beyond “the T4 Syndrome”. 

The Thoracic Ring Approach is part of LJ’s whole body, whole person model, ConnectTherapy. Early on, LJ recognized that the presence of dysfunction or pain in the thorax does not predict who will respond positively to thoracic treatments – that is, neither pain nor dysfunction are sufficient indicators of where in the body the underlying cause, or “Primary Driver” of the problem is located. This is true of all dysfunction in the body – some dysfunction is a downstream impact of a Driver elsewhere, and some dysfunction is the key to treat to unlock lasting change in pain and function. 

Did you know that thoracic dysfunction can be the underlying Driver for:

• Inability to progress or train “core stability”, abdominal asymmetry, and Diastasis Recti Abdominis (DRA)
• Poor response to glute training programs
• Recurrent neck, shoulder, hip, low back, and pelvic girdle pain
• Recurrent tendinopathies and other load-related injuries
• Poor balance and agility
• Incontinence, prolapse, and pelvic pain syndromes
• A “sensitive nervous system”
• Breathing dysfunction
• Autonomic dys-regulation and a variety of issues with digestion, sleep, and emotional balance

For the most effective and efficient treatment pathway for these conditions and more, we need a whole body, whole person reasoning framework that provides an algorithm to differentiate true Drivers from symptomatic areas. 

This course has three components:

• over 11 hours of self-paced, Online Virtual content– lectures and demonstrations that you have access to for 12 months from your registration date; you can watch these at your own pace but need to complete them before the In Person component
• 2.5 days of In-Person learning with LJ & the Assisting Team in North Vancouver, BC., to learn the hands-on assessment and treatment skills that will change your practice 
• access to a Resource Library of practical videos that illustrate the practical techniques and concepts that you have access to for 12 months from the completion of your In-Person course.

This new course format gives you lots of time to review and process all the lecture content online before joining LJ for the practical skills in person. Our high instructor to participant ratio at our In-Person courses ensures that you will get lots of hands-on feedback to ensure your success and application in the clinic. From there, the online video library access supports your application of the material into the clinic. Our aim is to support your clinical success!

To register, please download the registration form from this page and return to jennie@ljlee.ca

Note: If you have previously registered and completed the 11-hour Virtual component of the ConnectTherapy™ & Thorax Course, you only need to register and pay for the In-Person component that comes with Resource library access – please email jennie@ljlee.ca for more details/ a registration form.

Learn how to unlock better movement strategies & core function, sympathetic/parasympathetic balance, and better sleep for your patients. 

In addition to learning innovative assessment and treatment techniques created by Dr. Lee, this weekend will open up a whole new framework that will make your current techniques more effective and efficient.