Hesch Seminars and Physical Therapy, LLC & The Hesch Institute 1609 Silver Slipper Ave Henderson, NV 89002 USA Email: heschinstitute@yahoo.com Phone 702-558-6011 Pacific Time 9am-8pm

Comments about The Hesch Method Seminar: Treating Pelvic and Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction  

"I am using the Hesch Method and getting great results. I love treating the pelvis with a sequence that has been researched and proven to increase consistency of pelvic alignment after treatment. Having SIJ pain myself for over 3 years, I was so relieved and thankful to find out I was the "second most common pattern" there was a way to treat it! Thanks, Jerry, for sharing all your knowledge and experience treating the pelvis!"

Crystal McCallum, PT

St. Francis Hospital and Health Centers, Sports Medicine, Indianapolis, IN

 

From Indianapolis, IN Seminar, May 2010 (anonymous evalution questionnaires) :

SI / Pelvis seemed so complicated before - this course and Chris really simplified palpation, systematic exam.

Definitely increased knowledge  with lumbosacral / pelvic region.  I feel that I have also increased my manual therapy skills.  I like that you can tell / see the difference prior and post treatment.  It is really amazing.

Excellent course, presentation; the SI area now (finally) makes sense to me!

From Dallas/ Ft. Worth area February 20-21, 2010:

I feel that this approach is much more thorough compared to the other courses. I feel more confident in treating my patients. Most courses i take, I feel like I have to "experiment" with my patients more until I learn the technique. With this approach, I feel like I can go to work and start treating immediately-without stumbling through it.....Hillary Grimm, PT, MS

 

More applicable because it is easier to digest and easier for patients to comply with....Shannon Lutz, MS, PT

 

From Auburn, Massachusetts, March 21-22, 2009:

Much better organization of order of treatment and testing/ evaluation. Great course, great organization, great straight-forward concepts and treatment….Charles Brown, MS, PT with over 25 years experience

 

Chris is great, besides her friendly personality and good sense of humor, the knowledge and protocol is clear, simple and effective. Lab work: loved it!- all that HANDS-ON…..Anne B. Smith, PT

 

Much more clear as far as explanation of evaluation and treatment. Easier to learn and grasp. Chris, you were great! Thanks for lots of information, techniques and explanations….. Shellie Parkinson, MS, PT

 

Far easier to apply immediately. Well presented with a great amount of lab time to apply and then move on…..Pat O’Malley, PTA

 

 

An athlete of mine had a complicated history of 5-year post coccyx fracture with surgical removal of the coccyx, and an iliofemoral postero-medial labral tear, so I was unsure if the Hesch method was the best course of treatment for her, until after I took the course. Soon after learning the techniques, I used them with her for three treatments sessions, and she is now running for the first time in 4 months.
Thank you for the wonderful education, and helping us as ATC's… God bless the Hesch method!
Alicia Lysiuk, MS, LAT, ATC
St. Vincent Sports Medicine

 

My patients have always derived incredible benefits from his insightful evaluation and comprehensive treatment of these problems.
Dr. Ralph J. Luciani, D.O., M.S., Ph.D, M.D.(H)
Flight surgeon to the astronauts in the 1980s, now Director of Southwest Integrative and Aesthetic Medicine

 

I just wanted to thank you again for the great course in Indianapolis, Indiana, on 9/8/07. You have a contagious excitement and I am now pumped to see some SIJ clients, instead of dreading them as I did before your course. I will relay my positive feedback to my director for we are still hoping to bring the course to Goshen. Also, thanks for treating me. We saw the difference at the course, but I also saw a difference while playing disc golf the next day. In disc, there are huge transverse plane motions. I felt better power transfer from my left hip with less effort to get the distance required. I'm looking forward to applying the techniques, and I'm sure I will have a few questions, so plan on a few more e-mails. Please extend my thanks to Jerry Hesch for developing this work.
Craig Enright PT
Centers for Rehab, Goshen General Hospital, Goshen, Indiana

 

I attended your course in Jacksonville, Florida, several years ago (2002), and it changed my practice. I now employ passive accessory motion testing as my primary indicator of pelvic joint dysfunction, along with SIJ provocation testing. I also use active motion testing, load transfer test, ASLR, and palpation for alignment and pain. I share your suspicion that the mobility of the SIJs and pubic symphysis can directly affect the function of the pelvic floor.
Cynthia E. Neville, PT, BCIA-PMDB
Director of Women's Health Rehabilitation at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

 

The Hesch method Treatment really helped me a lot, both immediately when I got off the table and over the next couple of weeks. Now when I have a very long day at the hospital, I get the home program done, and I get immediate relief. There is definitely an immediate change.
Burt Parker, MD
Radiologist and avid runner
treated in two brief sessions with the Hesch Method

 

•	I will relay my positive feedback to my director for we are still hoping to bring the course to Goshen. Also, thanks for treating me. We saw the difference at the course, but I also saw a difference while playing disc golf the next day. In disc, there are huge transverse plane motions. I felt better power transfer from my left hip with less effort to get the distance required. I'm looking forward to applying the techniques, and I'm sure I will have a few questions, so plan on a few more e-mails. Please extend my thanks to Jerry Hesch for developing this work. Craig Enright PT Centers for Rehab, Goshen General Hospital, Goshen, Indiana
•	When I was a PT student, my clinical instructor used the Hesch Method to treat a client. The client was very pleased to finally achieve pain relief, having previously sought care from several practitioners. So when I started working in outpatient Orthopedics, I took the basic/intermediate Hesch Seminar.
•	I was pleased to achieve quick and lasting results, and I find the self-treatment very helpful. I appreciate that this work is not restrictive or dogmatic, and it is easily integrated with other PT approaches.
•	Jerry Hesch is very available by phone and e-mail, which helped with learning the advanced material.
•	I completed an outcome study with 11 discharged clients, and 8 out of 11 reported benefit with the Hesch self-treatment. Most clients with pelvic girdle movement dysfunction are significantly improved within 3 visits and readily segue into strength and stabilization exercises. I have presented this approach several times to PT students at UNM, and it was enthusiastically received. It has been 5 years since I took the seminar, and I am grateful that I am very comfortable the lumbopelvic and hip girdle and easily achieving lasting change. Bernadette Lynch, PT Albuquerque, New Mexico
•	My background as a Maitland trained physical therapist has taught me to utilize a clinical reasoning approach to patient care. The Hesch Method fit into my training in that it emphasizes testing/re-testing and utilizes spring testing. The Hesch Method utilizes what I call "springing with awareness," which allows the clinician to determine the patient’s dysfunctions, without having to make the patient fit into pre-conceived ideas and patterns.
•	The Hesch Method is also a very user friendly approach, which allows the student to utilize the approach immediately in the clinic. This approach gives students specific patterns to follow by utilizing "the Most Common Patterns" and "the Second Most Common Patterns."
•	The Hesch Method does not limit the clinician to these patterns but gives him or her the ability to find other less common dysfunctions as indicated. Utilizing this concept, I have been able to help numerous patients who where not helped by "traditional methods." My favorite part about this method is that the techniques utilized are not labor intensive, and they enable the patient to self treat as appropriate.
•	The Hesch Method has added a new dimension to my ability to treat the most complicated patients. Robert Shapiro MA PT COMT Bethpage, New York
•	Again, I will say that I am enjoying this training and am quite impressed so far! Do you know how many courses I have taken trying to understand the sacrum!? Several! Your method is so simple and effective. Coleen Basler, PT Women's Health Specialist, Austin, Texas
•	Jerry Hesch, not only is committed to assisting Physical Therapists enhance their manual skills, but is passionate about his work and studies of the pelvis. He is able to explain and describe the complexities of the pelvis in such a manner that it is easy to comprehend and learn the mechanics of his Hesch methodology. It has been a fabulous learning experience to have Jerry as a mentor giving feedback with some of my patients even though he lives in a different state. He is quick to respond to both phone calls and e-mails, and he gives the experienced Physical Therapist a chance to be challenged and to experiment with new and creative treatment approaches. As a Physical Therapist who specializes in pelvic pain and dysfunctions and has over 17 years of experience, I highly recommend Jerry Hesch as teacher, mentor, and educator. Deena Goodman, PT Women’s Health Specialist, Los Angeles, California
•	Having worked with the Hesch Method for more than ten years, I can honestly say that one of the best things about the technique is that you can rule out a misaligned pelvis as a source of pain within 1-2 minutes. If you rule out the pelvis, you will then need to look up and down the kinetic chain to see other sources of abnormal motion.
•	Additionally, you can use Jerry Hesch's principals of treatment for joint movement dysfunctions anywhere in the body, besides the pelvis. If the movement dysfunction does not resolve in the usual time, then that area is probably properly aligned, and you will need to keep looking for the source of dysfunction. Luanne Olson, DPT
•	I attended the Hesch course this past weekend and wanted to let you know I loved it. I’ve been able to apply it on 10 different patients as well as myself.  FYI, my hip pain is better. Thanks, Jennifer Sergeant Hungate DPT, MS, Physical Therapist Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago-Northshore
•	I just wanted to thank you for a great seminar. I have heard nothing but positive feedback since Sunday. All of the therapists tried it on 1 or more patients on Monday and were so excited that it actually made sense and seemed to just make everything about the patient's problems CLICK. We enjoyed your teaching style, sense of humor, and patience with us. Thanks to Christine also who was very humorous and very helpful with labs. It was awesome. Thanks again. Jerilyn Inmon, LPT, Supervisor of Physical Therapy Fisher-Titus Medical Center
•	I had an ex-athlete that I had been treating without resolve before taking your Hesch course. While I was on maternity leave, she continued physical therapy without any relief and called me the minute I returned to work.
•	Thank you for your wonderful education in helping us as ATCs make our jobs that much more successful and in such a quick and easy manner. God bless the Hesch method! Alicia Lysiuk, MS, LAT, ATC St. Vincent Sports Medicine 8227 Northwest Boulevard, Suite 160, Indianapolis, IN 46278
•	The education was outstanding! Joe Gutzwiller, ATC
•	The aspect I liked most about the course was lots of lab time. I wish we had even more. I hope to take it more into pediatrics. I can’t wait to start looking at my little unstable patients! Karen Timmons, PT
•	Everything was very useful. Elaine Hinton, PTA
•	There was a lot of hands-on application. I loved the SI joint models provided to allow therapists to continue to refer back as needed. You were a very knowledgeable instructor. Synde Canarina, PT, DPT
•	I thought the course was very informative. Jessica McLeod, PT
•	Excellent! I would recommend to anyone! Anonymous
•	Being fresh out of school, this was a great course. I needed it. Anonymous
•	I loved how quickly positive results could be achieved. Anonymous
•	I really learned a lot and will spread the word on how well it works. Anonymous
•	The aspect I liked most was that there was plenty of hands-on time and plenty of time to ask questions with thorough answers given. Also, the demo with pelvic models was useful. Anonymous

 

Letters

 

" I especially like some of the techniques that I learned from you that no other manual therapy course I have been to has yet addressed.....like the left side bent sacrums that remain after fixing the major problems, and your techniques of correcting that.  No one else even mentions that, not the NAIOMT people, of course, not DonTigney, not Diane Lee, not Richard Jackson, not the Michigan State folks (at least the therapists I know who have taken those course don't mention it).  But is the one thing that is needed in some folks to get them all the way better, and without you I would not have know to look for it.

  I have learned some new things though at about every course I go to, that I am adding to my bag of tricks....some muscle energy techniques and neuromuscular reeducation techniques to rid some abnormal nueromuscular patterns that lead to recurrence, of like a sacral rotation and segmental dysfunctions, that work really well.  Like the protective spasm in the iliopsoas that occurs with an acute disc derangement that side bends them off the hot disc, and rotates them away.  That can get imbedded as an abnormal pattern, that leads to recurrent FRS lefts, and left sacral rotation.  So, there is a exercise that is done to reestablish a more normal pattern gets rid of the bad one.  It is cool.  It has worked on the last 6 patients that I have tried it on.

Thanks for sharing." 

Barb C

  

Hi Chris,

This is Shellie Parkinson writing and I first met you back in March when you brought the Hesch course to Physical Therapy Innovations in Auburn, MA.  You may not remember me, but I was the PT in the course who was positive for (almost all elements of) the most common pattern and became the class example.  What was also unusual about my situation was that I was about two weeks away from undergoing hip surgery for a labral tear and femoral acetabular impingment.

 

I would like to sincerely THANK YOU for all of your knowledge and hands on treatment approaches.  My surgery has come and gone and I would have never made it NWB/PWB on crutches for five weeks in the pain I was in regarding my SI and low back.  Thanks to you, I am a true success as a result of the Hesch method!

Also, professionally, being able to treat those previously 'difficult' LBP/SI patients with the Hesch method has really changed my practice.  Luckily, I was able to take the course with some co-workers and all of us have had great results using what we learned at your course. 

Thanks again for helping me so much personally and professionally.

Hope you are having a great summer!

Rachelle Parkinson, PT

Physical Therapy Innovations

Hopkinton, MA

  

---

  

Hi Jerry...I've never met you but learned your approach from Christina Maxwell. I just wanted to let you know how many patients I've been able to help using the info I learned. It has been one of the most useful tools I've had for everything from feet to neck. Seems I always clear the pelvis first on almost everyone and so often find a problem which then translates into narrowing the pain down to one or two places. Thanks so much for taking the time to find a way to help these patients.

James Phillips, PT Indianapolis

 

 

Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 9:45 AM

Subject: RE: my video

Barb C

 

 

this was a spontaneous email sent to Chris Gregor-maxwell who also teaches the Hesch Method

 

 

September 2, 2008

Hi Jerry,
 
Two things, first, I was wondering how __________________did after you saw her again?  Second, I was wondering if you had any thoughts about another patient of mine............She was able to ride and swim most of the time since then but had to give up running and she just dealt with the pain and muscle spasms as no one to this point has helped her for any length of time. During the past 2 months she has been able to work on a walk jog progression and has progressed to jogging 25 minutes. She has a lot of confidence in your techniques and is pretty happy with how much better she has felt- even going a few days without spasms was huge for her. I have done a lot of manual therapy including postional release and augmented STM (Graston tools).......

Sharon O, PT

Indianapolis

 

Jerry's comments: Again, I am grateful that this is an unsolicited compliment. This very brief case shows that the Hesch Method is not a closed system, it encourages any and all other approaches after the Hesch Method has been utilized to balance the pelvic structure. Within my clinical practice I do treat whole-body. The term "Hesch Method" applies to my system of treating the sacroiliac, symphysis pubis, pelvis, lumbar spine and hip, which then segues into any of several appropriate techniques such as Grafton for scar release, myofascial release, movement with awareness, lumbar stabilization, etc.

 

 

This email came on August 28, 2008 and the compliment was completely unsolicited. I removed her name, per her request

 

"I have been a ___________ for over 20 years. I now have a two year old daughter. When she was born, the first check in hospital, thought they heard a click in her hip joint. An ultrasound revealed nothing. Now, she walks with definite "pigeon toes" and her ambulation is therefore challenged.   I have taken her to a naturopath who advised "wait and see", which is generally good advice.

 

A friend of mine had her teenage daughter's subluxing kneecap corrected by the Hesch Method after a Dr. had recommended surgery.

 

I am writing to ask, after reviewing your website, does your work/research extend to feet and ankles?  If so, is it "Wait and see?" or "Why did you wait so long?" 

 

Understanding the pelvis as I do, it seems reasonable to ask you if Hesch Method can help my daughter.  If so, at what age?

 

 

Thank you for any info you can give me.            J P, Black Canyon City, AZ

 

 

 

 

     This email came to me today. It is a very nice thoughtful compliment. Sometimes it is very challenging to provide a consultation. However, I am pleased that I was able to be helpful to Elaine and very pleasantly surprised to recieve this via email.

 
----- Original Message -----
From: Elaine Parker
To: jerryhesch
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 7:07 AM
Subject: thank you!!!

October, 2007

Dear Mr Hesch,

It has been about a year since I last spoke with you. I am writing to let you know how I am doing and to thank you for your guidance and help. Without your interventions, I truly feel that I would be in a totally different physical (and mental) state.

I had a total hip replacement to treat advanced osteoarthritis in March, 2006. My surgeon assured me that the surgery had gone well and by measurement, my legs were the same length. However, I was experiencing a leg length discrepancy which created other issues: lower back pain and increased pain in the “other” hip joint. I went through ten weeks of physical therapy aimed at strengthening and rehabilitating my hips. The therapy indeed improved my reconstructed hip but I began experiencing increased pain in the “other” hip which was significantly affected with osteoarthritis as well. An assessment before leaving physical therapy determined a “slight twist’ in my pelvis-probably caused pre-surgery as I compensated for the hip immobility and pain from the osteoarthritis. My therapy plan was to continue strengthening exercises and use a heel lift to lengthen the “shorter” leg. Although my hip strength improved, the pain in the “other” hip increased, and the “shorter” leg was still shorter!

A friend had heard of your physical therapy methods and encouraged me to search for more information. Through this process I ended up contacting you directly. Your help made a huge and significant difference in the level of pain that I was experiencing. After my first “telephone assessment” and instructions for exercise, I began exercising daily. I was amazed that very simple maneuvers led to such relief. I continued strengthening exercises along with your pelvic exercises. My pain level was decreased to a tolerable level so that I could participate in daily activities without the intense pain.

In January 2007, I underwent the second total hip replacement. After this surgery I was able to locate a physical therapy department that utilized your techniques and was treated there post-surgery. My pelvic issues were identified, assessed, and treated. I am no longer under their care but feel that I have learned a great deal. Your initial instructions were continued and expanded in my therapy sessions. I was able to see a huge and significant difference in two treatment plans, physical therapy departments, and in my results and rehabilitation. My experience confirms the power and necessity of addressing pelvic issues!

I still use many of the exercises on a daily basis and some only when the need arises.

I am a true believer in your methods and share my experience with anyone who will listen!! Thank you for taking the time and your patience in teaching me about your techniques.

Sincerely,

Elaine Parker


Elaine Parker, Director
Adult Secondary Education
John A. Logan College
700 Logan College Road
Carterville, IL 62918
(618) 985-3741 Ext 8349
Fax: (618) 985-4825

When I was a PT student my clinical instructor used the Hesch Method to treat a client. The client was very pleased to finally achieve pain relief, having previously sought care from several practitioners. So when I started working in outpatient Orthopedics, I took the basic/intermediate Hesch Seminar.
I was pleased to achieve quick and lasting results, and find the self-treatment very helpful. I appreciate that this work is not restrictive or dogmatic, and it is easily integrated with other PT approaches. Jerry Hesch is very available by phone and e-mail, which helped with learning the advanced material.
I completed an outcome study with 11 discharged clients and 8/11 reported benefit with the Hesch self-treatment. Most clients who present with pelvic girdle movement dysfunction are significantly improved within 3 visits and readily segue into strength and stabilization exercises. I have presented this approach several times to PT students at UNM and it was enthusiastically received. It has been 5 years since I took the seminar and I am grateful that I am very comfortable the lumbopelvic and hip girdle and easily achieving lasting change.

Bernadette Lynch, PT

Albuquerque, NM

Hi Chris
Just wanted to thank you again for the great course in Indianapolis, IN
on 9/8-9/07. You have a contagious excitement and I am now pumped to
see some SIJ clients (instead of dreading them as I did before your
course).

My previous SI coursework consisted of muscle energy techniques and I
did not feel competent in treating SIJD because it relied too heavily on
palpation findings. I now understand the importance of incorporating
sping mobility testing to help determine where to mobilize.
I will relay my positive feedback to my director for we are still
hoping to bring the course to Goshen.

Also, thanks for treating me. We saw the difference at the course, but
I also saw a difference while playing disc golf the next day. In disc
golf there are huge transverse plane motions. I felt better power
transfer from my left hip with less effort to get the distance
required.

I'm looking forward to applying the techniques and I'm sure I will have
a few questions, so plan on a few more emails.

Thanks to Jerry Hesch for developing this work.

Craig Enright PT
Centers for Rehab
Goshen General Hospital
Goshen, IN

My background as a Maitland trained physical therapist has taught me to utilize a clinical reasoning approach to patient care. The Hesch Method fit into my training in that it emphasizes testing/re-testing and utilizes spring testing. The Hesch Method utilizes what I call "springing with awareness" which allows the clinician to determine the patients dysfunctions without having to make the patient fit into pre-conceived ideas and patterns. The Hesch Method is also a very user friendly approach which allows the student to utilize the approach immediately in the clinic. This approach gives students specific patterns to follow by utilizing "the Most Common Patterns" and "the Second Most Common Patterns" . The Hesch Method does not limit the clinician to these patterns but gives him/her the ability to find other less common dysfunctions as indicated. Utilizing this concept I have been able to help numerous patients who where not helped by "traditional methods" . My favorite part about this method is that the techniques utilized are not labor intensive and enable the patient to self treat as appropriate. The Hesch Method has added a new dimension to my ability to treat the most complicated patients.

Robert Shapiro MA PT COMT

Again, I will say that I am enjoying this training and am quite impressed so far! Do you know how many courses I have taken trying to understand the sacrum!? Several! Your method is so simple and effective....This (distance learning with phone consults) seems like the bargain of the century! 

C.B.

Distance Learning Student-When we complete the training I will ask for a longer endorsement!

Jerry Hesch is not only committed to assisting Physical Therapists enhance their manual skills, but is passionate about his work and studies of the pelvis. He is able to explain and describe the complexities of the pelvis in such a manner that it is easier to comprehend and learn the mechanics of his Hesch methodology. It has been a fabulous learning experience to have Jerry as a mentor giving feedback with some of my patients even though he lives in a different state. He is quick to respond to both phone calls and emails, and gives the experienced Physical Therapist a chance to be challenged and to experiment with new and creative treatment approaches. As a Physical Therapist who specializes in pelvic pain and dysfunctions and has over 17 years of experience, I highly recommend Jerry Hesch as teacher, mentor, and educator.

Deena Goodman, PT
Los Angeles, CA