Walt Fritz, PT, has been a physical therapist since 1985 and has been using manual therapy (in a myofascial release-style of engagement) since 1992. After training and working with some of the well-known pioneers of the myofascial release (MFR) field, he began to move the traditional myofascial release narrative from its historical roots into more biologically plausible explanation. The replacement of the term “myofascial release” with "manual therapy" in the course title represents a more accurate description of the work as presented. Walt has taught manual therapy workshops to PTs, OTs, and MTs since 2006 and in 2013 expanded his reach into the unique patient population of the speech-language pathologists and other voice professionals. Rather than trying to narrow this work to a sequence of suggested techniques for specific disorders, Walt teaches a more patient-directed approach wherein educated touch, pressures, and stretch attempts to connect the patient with relevant and familiar aspects of their condition and then allows this sustained engagement to enable change to occur. His approach to manual care is often seen as different in many other lines of training, in that rather than teaching the perception of specificity of tissue impact, Walt speaks to the cascade of plausible factors eliciting change via manual therapy. He also de-emphasizes the ego of the clinician in favor of elevation of patient-driven perspectives. This shift is in keeping with the current view of the equal weighting of the triad contained in the evidence-base model of practice (evidence, clinician experience, and patient perspectives and preferences). Touch and manual therapy have universal qualities that are explainable in a wide variety of perspectives, and these explanations form the core of the Foundations Approach.

Financial: Walt Fritz is a licensed physical therapist, owner of The Pain Relief Center in Rochester, NY and Walt Fritz Seminars. Walt receives a speaker fee from TalkTools for this course

Non-financial: Walt Fritz has no relevant nonfinancial relationships to disclose