PRRT- Primal Reflex Release Technique

The Primal Reflex Release Technique™ (PRRT, pronounced “pert”) is a manual-therapy approach for evaluating and relieving musculoskeletal pain. PRRT is often able to accomplish in just seconds what joint mobilization and manipulation, trigger point therapy, and soft tissue and myofascial release can do over time.

PRRT has been found effective in more than 80% of patients with painful conditions. How can it be so successful? PRRT is based on the premise that over-stimulation of the body’s primal reflexes creates pain and keeps painful patterns occurring again and again. These reflexes — startle, withdrawal, and the protective joint reflexes–are hardwired into the nervous system of the body for the purpose of survival. When a person experiences a painful or startling event, these reflexes are triggered in an attempt to protect the body.

Unfortunately, these reflexes often persist in a state of hyper-readiness long after the triggering event has passed. When sustained over time, activated reflex responses lead to patterns of pain that are reproduced, repeated, and maintained, interfering with healing and resisting therapeutic efforts to restore natural function.

PRRT addresses muscle and joint receptors along with their spinal modulation. These often overlooked and seldom-treated areas of the body are the cause and solution for many types of pain, including:

• Restricted motion

• Pain with or without motion

• Reduced spontaneity of motion

• Muscle tightness, stiffness, and/or tension

The Primal Reflex Release Technique treatment system offers an innovative combination and application of techniques that facilitate rapid “neural reboot.” This neural reboot resets the neural control of joints, muscles, and fascia to release joint restrictions, trigger points, and fascial restrictions not unlike when you reboot your computer.

Why Haven’t We Looked at the Most Primal of All Systems, the Reflexes?

It seems obvious that the reflexes found at the spinal cord and brain stem levels should be considered in musculoskeletal assessment as they are with PRRT. Yet in courses, textbooks, and journals that address treating musculoskeletal issues, the neuro-physiological basis underlying muscle and joint protective mechanisms is generally ignored or overlooked.

Fortunately, the PRRT method takes into account reflexes and addresses splinting and muscle spasms and their relationship to musculoskeletal pain. PRRT elegantly and rapidly assesses and treats using the very reflexes we were gifted within our muscles, tendons, joint capsules, and even skin.

The assessment and treatment of overly protective joint and muscle reflexes is a natural addition to any pain-relief practice. It will blend seamlessly with other techniques, and will enhance their effectiveness by removing the barrier of resistance that primal reflexes trigger. The combined result is quick relief of most musculoskeletal, even chronic pain. Patients often see lasting, markedly reduced or eliminated pain after only one treatment. In fact, PRRT must show pain RELIEF within one to two sessions or it is likely not the answer for that client’s condition.

Contact me today to learn more about PRRT, it’s innovative, gentle manual therapy techniques and how it can benefit you.