The effect of visceral manipulation on diastasis recti abdominis (DRA)

Presenter: Brandi Kirk PT

Class Format: In-person, Hands-on

About the Class: The goal for this presentation is for the attendees to have the skills to close up a DRA with visceral manipulation to the jejunoileum. The presentation will include a power-point presentation of the concepts of visceral manipulation, anatomy of the jejunoileum, description of the visceral manipulation techniques and presentation of the research. I will then demo the techniques hopefully on someone who has a DRA and then we will do lab practice of checking for DRA and then the visceral manipulation techniques of the jejunoileum. This will not take the place of taking a visceral manipulation class, which is 4 days in length, but it will introduce you to visceral manipulation in hopefully a practical way so you can take these techniques back to your practice.

For your review: https://www.bodyworkmovementtherapies.com/article/S1360-8592(20)30086-3/fulltext

What to Bring: Attendees should bring a massage table, wear very loose clothing (no jeans) and have their nails cut short.

About the Presenter: Brandi Kirk is a licensed physical therapist with over 26 years of experience. She completed her undergraduate studies at the Ohio State University and then graduated from Finch University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School (now named Rosalind Franklin University) acclaimed physical therapy program in 1996. She worked in an array of settings and specialties in Illinois including stroke care, wound care, hippotherapy, vestibular rehab, aquatic rehab, orthopedics, and pelvic health until she found her absolute love in manual therapy. She opened her own private practice called Kirk Center for Healthy Living in 2005, which specialized in treating pelvic conditions, any type of chronic pain, gastrointestinal dysfunction, and visceral conditions. Brandi opened another practice in 2017 called Kirk Integrative Physical Therapy, which is the company she continued to treat out of while she still managed Kirk Center for Healthy Living. She sold Kirk Center for Healthy Living on July 1, 2022 so she could move to Bellingham, Washington in September 2022. This had been a dream of hers for almost 20 years! She absolutely loves the Pacific Northwest! Brandi holds (held) the following professional certifications: Certified Visceral Techniques Practitioner (CVTP) through the Barral Institute​, PREVIOUSLY: Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner Certification (PRPC) through the Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute. Brandi has been a post-graduate teacher for the Barral Institute from 2015-present. She teaches the following classes for this Institute: VM1: Visceral Manipulation: Abdomen Part 1, VM2: Visceral Manipulation: Abdomen Part 2, VM3: Visceral Manipulation: The Pelvis. Brandi was a post-graduate teacher for the Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute from 2010-2016. She taught the following classes for this Institute: PF1: Pelvic Floor Function, Dysfunction and Treatment, PF2A: Pelvic Floor Function, Dysfunction and Treatment, PF2B: Pelvic Floor Function, Dysfunction and Treatment. Brandi was also a Subject Matter Expert for the Herman and Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute’s certification test: “Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner Certification". Brandi has been a Presenter or Lecturer for the following professional organizations: The International Pelvic Pain Society Conference, Midwestern School of Osteopathy, Society of Urological Nurses and Associates Conference, University of Illinois Chicago, American Bariatric Association and American Physical Therapy Association. She has been published in a peer reviewed journal for the effects of visceral manipulation on diastasis recti abdominis (DRA). Her current practice focuses on manual therapy consisting of trainings from the Barral Institute of visceral manipulation, neuromanipulation, vascular manipulation, manual articular techniques and brain work. She also continues to treat internally for pelvic conditions when needed. Her favorite patients are those who suffer from chronic pain or those who have a condition that they've seen numerous practitioners for and it hasn't resolved.