Brett J. Lemire D.C. CSCS
As many of you may know, I am a 30-year veteran in the field of Chiropractic, but that has never defined or limited me. For my entire career, I have continued to practice, study and learn new manual therapy techniques, corrective exercises, and rehabilitative methods to more thoroughly address the concerns and problems that my patients present with. My training beyond my Chiropractic education and degree has been crucial in the development of how I assess and treat patients.
During the past several months, I have pursued a course of study in Osteopathic Manual Therapy that has been profoundly practice enlightening. It’s very apparent to me now when I look back at my professional journey that I have been led back to basic principles that align perfectly with how I have always wanted to practice. The holistic and diverse techniques that I have recently learned allow me to help patients with common ailments like sinus issues, tinnitus, TMJ, and digestive problems that I could not effectively treat before.
Don’t get me wrong- I love Chiropractic and its benefits. The great results that I got from my own first experience as a Chiropractic patient and my readiness to seek out “my calling” led me to Palmer College of Chiropractic- West over 30 years ago. Even as a student and then young licensed practitioner I knew there was more to managing and treating musculoskeletal problems and achieving overall health and wellness than just delivering a great Chiropractic adjustment. I firmly believed in the use of ancillary modalities, the need for exercise, the importance of postural awareness, and rehabilitative exercise.
Shortly after graduating from Chiropractic College, I completed a 300-hour Board Certified Diplomate program in the Rehabilitation of the Spine and Extremities through Southern California Health Science University. During that coursework, I was introduced to osteopathic muscle energy techniques which when implemented in my practice began to improve my therapeutic outcomes.
In the early 2000’s, I was one of a few chiropractors from the U.S. to study developmental kinesiology, manual medicine principles, and techniques with The Prague School and Dynamic Neuromuscular Rehabilitation. It was then that I began to see a common thread of osteopathic principles and methods being taught and used to assess and treat patients with musculoskeletal pain. Working with talented, leading authorities in manual medicine, who utilized a wide and diverse group of skill sets, assured me that I was on the right path. Through the years, DNS, reflex locomotion and muscle energy techniques have become part of my own diagnostic and treatment methods. My patients are pleased and excited by the way I assessed and communicate to them about their problems. Many have said that “they never had a chiropractic experience like this before”. This expanded approach has helped build a referral practice that is filled with long-time patients.
More recently, in late 2020, I studied ELDOA exercises and joint pumping techniques, both of which are osteopathically based. The thoroughness of the teaching and the immediate positive impact it had on my treatment outcomes was very apparent. When the opportunity presented itself to “dive deep” into OMT, I seized it. I can enthusiastically say that the sacrifice of time to intensely study and learn OMT, all while maintaining my current practice, was very challenging but so well worth it. I may be in my 60’s and 30 years into practice but I continue learn and become the kind of manual therapist that I am meant to be. Thank you – National University of Medical Sciences! I look forward to perfecting all of these new skills and helping my community Move Well, Feel Well and Live Well!
