Back to courses
Mary Massery’s LINKED: Breathing & Postural Control A Pediatric and Adult Course Part 2
PT
OT
SLP
Course Level:
Intermediate
Course Type:
In-person
September 12–13, 2026
Check-In Time: 9/12/2026 7:30:00 AM
Course Time(s): Saturday: 8:00AM-5:30PM Sunday: 8:00AM-2:00PM
Course Location:
Contact Hours: 13.0
Course Completion:
Course intended to be completed in full.
Discipline Specific CEU Approvals:
-
OT: You will receive a certificate of completion with total CE contact hours. This course is not submitted for AOTA approval, but you may submit the certificate and course details to your licensing board. Please review your organization’s CE requirements for eligibility (OR could replace the last sentence with: For CE requirements and qualifying OT activities, see MN Statute 148.
- PT: This course will be submitted to the MN Board of PT for credit approval; however, approval or the full number of credits is not guaranteed. Participants will receive a certificate of completion, which may be used toward professional licensure.
- SLP Satisfactory Completion & ASHA CE Registry Submission: To receive a certificate of completion, participants must attend the entire course and complete the evaluation—including the intent to change statement—within 30 days. If not attended in full, the certificate will reflect adjusted hours. Participants who do not meet these requirements are not eligible for ASHA CE Registry submission. During the evaluation, participants may opt to receive ASHA CEUs by providing their ASHA number. Upon successful completion, CEU information will be submitted to the ASHA Registry.
Instructor: Nechama Karman received her MSPT
Instructor Bio:
Nechama Karman received her MSPT from Columbia University in 1994, her Advanced MS in orthopedic PT from Touro College in 1998, and has completed her Health Sciences PhD coursework at Seton Hall University. Nechama is an APTA board-certified pediatric clinical specialist and the chief clinical educator at Mobility Research for LiteGait nationally and internationally. In addition, Nechama owns a private practice in NYC focusing on complex neurological conditions and complex pelvic conditions.
Nechama has completed two invited Massery faculty apprenticeships. In 2016, she became Mary’s first certified faculty member for the “Breathing” course! And in 2019, she was the first certified faculty for Mary’s “I Survived” musculoskeletal course. Two huge accomplishments! In addition, she co-authored a new one-day course with Mary: “BRAKING BAD: ECCENTRIC CONTROL FROM TALKING TO WALKING.”
One of Nechama's proudest “Mary Massery” moments occurred when she treated a man suffering from prostatectomy-related incontinence using Mary’s approach. She taught him to transfer without incontinence for the first time in 9 months - all in under 15 minutes! She is passionate about helping other therapists learn these important concepts.
Financial Disclosure:
Nechama receives an honorarium for teaching and speaking on this topic
Non‑financial Disclosure:
Nechama has no non-financial relationships to disclose
Upon completion of this course, the participant should be able to:
- Utilize a multi-system approach to evaluating motor impairments.
- Identify the variations of “normal” breathing patterns and discuss the efficiencies/inefficiencies for individual patient conditions.
- Evaluate need for, and demonstrate, appropriate neuromotor retraining techniques for patients with ineffective breathing/postural control strategies (health or participation deficits).
- Participate in a live patient demonstration (if a patient is available) and suggest possible evaluation and treatment ideas based on the course material.
- Design a targeted airway clearance program using the principles of mobilization, expectoration and oral management.
- Demonstrate airway clearance techniques, with an emphasis on manual assistive cough techniques, and apply an airway clearance algorithm to specific patient conditions.
- Identify thoracic cage/spine restrictions as they pertain to breathing mechanics and postural control (a very brief introduction of chest wall restrictions).
- Evaluate the need for, and demonstrate, neuromotor retraining techniques to improve breath support for voicing and postural control (eccentrics).
- Suggest immediate ways to incorporate the concepts into therapy activities in your clinical setting.
PART-2: Saturday, Sept 12 (8.0 Contact Hours)
7:30–8:00 Check in
8:00–8:30 Discussion
Review, synthesis, and Q&A
8:30–9:45
Lecture/Demo
Chest assessment: Focus on musculoskeletal alignment and breathing patterns
9:45–10:00 BREAK
10:00–11:30 Lab
Assessing breathing patterns and postural implications
11:30–12:30 LUNCH
12:30–1:15 Lecture
Airway clearance: From Sherlock to solution
1:15–2:15 Lab
Facilitating efficient breathing patterns and endurance training: Neuromotor techniques for diaphragm, chest and other breathing patterns
2:15–2:30 BREAK
2:30–4:00 Lab
Facilitating breathing patterns (continued)
4:00–4:30 Lecture/Demo
Brief introduction to rib cage and trunk musculoskeletal restrictions associated with breathing difficulties – Quick Screening!
4:30-5:30 Demo
Patient demonstration (if possible)
PART-2: Sunday, Sept 13 (5.0 Contact Hours)
7:30–8:00 Coffee and ...
8:00–8:30 Discussion
Review, synthesis, and Q&A
8:30–10:00 Lecture/Discussion
Differential diagnosis: “Find the Problem”
10:00–10:15 BREAK
10:15-11:30 Lab
Airway clearance lab: Focus on manual assistive cough techniques
11:30–12:15 LUNCH
12:15–1:30 Lab
Eccentric trunk control: using voice for postural control and vice versa
1:30-2:00 Discussion/Homework
Homework: Putting it all together
Course wrap up
Contact Information
M Health Fairview Rehab Services Continuing Education Department
Email: rehabce@fairview.org
Phone: 612-672-5607