I am more of a story teller and have set the website up to reflect this both with stories and videos.  My intention is for you to gleam a bit about the 'soul' of Total Motion Release and the transformational value it can have for your patients. 

Those of us who practice the Total Motion Release Concept will tell you there is no better feeling than to see your patients' eyes light up the moment they do an exercise, feel the relief and laugh or cry because they cannot believe that THEY achieved these results - THEMSELVES. 

Knowing they can do it again and again provides them a sense of security and peace. For many patients for the first time they have control over their pain.

This patient empowerment can be compared to the same wonderful feeling of watching a child learn to ride a bike for the first time. It opens up new worlds to them. 

It is these ah-hah self empowered results that you'll get addicted to. TEACHING patients to fix themselves and then seeing them do it quickly, hands down beats the traditional TREATING of the patient.   My deepest desire as a therapist has always been to 'give my skill away to my patient.  With Total Motion Release I can do that.

The purpose of life is to find your gift.  The meaning of life is to give it away.  David Viscott

The Benefits of Total Motion Release [TMR]

• Teaches Patients to Fix Themselves
• Takes less visits than traditional therapy
• Improve Patient Compliance - able to achieve results at  home in sessions of 10 minutes or less.
• Is a life long skill that can be used for any ache or pain be it chronic or acute.  
• Works on variety of conditions such as pre & post joint surgeries, herniated discs, arthritis or just 'old age.'
• Helps with those who suffer from pain with prolonged standing, sitting or walking
• Improves function & performance of daily activities and athletic performances.
• Did we mentioned - the Patient learns to fix themselves faster than most therapists can.  That's pretty cool!

The easiest way to describe Total Motion Release [TMR] is to ask you the same questions I ask students at the seminars.  Here goes:

If a patient walked in to your clinic with right shoulder pain, what area are you 'programmed' to treat? 

Most likely you said the right shoulder?  Correct?

Have you ever experimented with treating or exercising the opposite shoulder to see what result would happen on the injured right shoulder?  Why Not?  Seriously - Why Not?  Have you even thought about trying this?  Does it even cross your mind?  

Have you ever experimented with treating or exercising the trunk to see what it would do to the injured right shoulder?  Wouldn't a rib out of place, even if it was a lower rib, affect the kinematic chain and couldn't this restriction cause the shoulder to elevate properly?

Have you ever experimented with treating or exercising the same sided hip or the opposite sided hip to see what it would do to the injured right shoulder? Couldn't a misaligned pelvis pull on the shoulder via the lats or indirectly from the paraspinals?

So if you are like most of the students I expect you answered NO to the above questions .  By now  [after watching the videos and reading this] I hope you are beginning to open up to the idea that what you have held as the 'truth' or the 'way' to fix an area of pain might be very limited in scope.  Your 'reality' may be what is preventing you from fixing some of your patients.

A wonderful book that shows the connection of the entire body is Anatomy Trains by Thomas Myers. Take a look.  TMR is not a version of Anatomy Trains, I just like their explanation of the movement patterns of the body.

Many students at this point start feeling a little awkard that they have gone for so many years and never even thought about doing other areas of the body to compare the results.  They are almost embarassed. I remember one student saying - Tom, I cannot believe that I have only been using 10 degrees of the body when someone is in pain and now you have shown me how to use the entire 360 degrees of the body to produce faster results. 

They also will say things like - I have spent 25 years believing the best way to fix a right shoulder is to work primarily on that area.  In a matter of minutes, the entire body is now part of the canvas for treating patients.  Instead of being scary it is refreshing.  They have a new vigor to go back and treat patients again. 

I've had people ready to leave the profession who are now huge advocates of TMR in their specialities.  Several TMR Tots therapists have been an incredible blessing in expanding the TMR knowledge within every field of therapy.  Total Motion Release is now used in every field of physical therapy except for wound care. 

We currently teach seminars specialized for Adults [TMR]; Pediatrics [TMR Tots], Personal Trainers [TMR Fitness].  Currently 70% of therapists are in orthopedics or home health.  20% are in pediatrics and 10% come from other areas such as stroke, skilled nursing, acute care, personal training and massage.

How Long Does TMR Last?

The fact that TMR seminars teaches you to use other parts of the body to fix an injured area isn't the greatest thing about TMR.  Some of you may think using other parts of the body may take longer, and wouldn't be worth the time and effort.  If you feel this way make sure to watch the videos in STEP 1 above.  They'll show you that  TMR can be fast in gettng results.  Go watch the videos if you've read this far and have yet to watch them.  You'll be glad you did.  These are not before and after videos.  They short clips of patients fixing themselves and how they did it. 

Typically when people watch the videos and see the quick results - the next thing out of their mouth is - Yeah but the results probably won't last long.   It is a natural instinct to think it is less effecitive if it is different from what one knows or does.

Long term results are what makes TMR so powerful.  The reason is - ours skills as a therapist are 'given' to the patient so they can treat themselves.  One might think teaching a patient the skills to fix themselves would require a lot of time.  This is not the case. 

Total Motion Release tests for the biggest imbalances in the 5 largest joints of the body - the Shoulders, Spine, Hips, Knees & Ankles using ONLY 5 motions.  We call them the FAB 5. 

The 5 motions are common within ones daily life.  They include an arm raise, trunk twist, leg raise, sit to stand and bent knee toe reach.  These motions are tested left side versus right side and the area found to be most out of balance is treated first.  The second most restricted is treated second and so forth.  It doesn't get much easier than that.  The testing becomes the treatment so  there is nothing additional to teach the patient.  This process saves the therapist time in their evaluation too. 

Most people have been led to believe that pain relief is complex and it follows no patterns. How many times have you heard people say - I have no idea how it comes on, it just happens! 

I don't have time on this page to explain this statement, but the cause of pain is NOT random and the relief of pain does NOT require a huge tool box of techniques to help people. In fact, there are fundamental laws that cause and relieve pain.  These laws have specific steps that when known & applied can lead one out of pain without confusion and complexity.

The Total Motion Release concept is simple:

1. Find motions that are out of balance left side versus right side in the 5 largest joints of the body.
2. Treat or Exercise toward the easier side to achieve fast & effective results.

These 2 steps will alleviate the aches and pains in about 80% of the patients you see.  Of the remaining 20%, about 15% will need modifications or tweaks of the FAB 5 exercises.  Modifications include what we call adding other dimensions to that same exercise or choose alternate body position. 

Total Motion Release systematically takes students and patients through each progression of the program until the desired results are achieved.  The remaining 5% of patients who do not respond may need more hands-on care.  The hands-on care we use still treats the patient using the GOOD side concept.  Those who don't respond to we know quickly if they need to be referred out for other care.

Can 5 Exercises Really Make That Big of a Difference? 

The idea that 5 exercises can have an effect on a large percentage of aches & pains and the entire skill of fixing pain can be turned over to the patient can seem very unfathomable.  I tell students, you should be skeptical.  In order for this to 'become part of you' you have to see success using it again and again. 

It is only as you have more success that you build your own confidence.  It is at this time, what once seemed impossible is now posssible.  At this point you wonder how you ever treated pain any other way.  It won't happen over night, but even the imperfect or bastardized way you'll begin treating patients with often produces some very powerful ah-hah moments that will spur you on to continue doing TMR on more and more patients.

I want to cement home to you the power of Total Motion Release with another question and then an example from  the TMR Seminars.

How long would it take you to reduce by 50% the pain of 20 people using your current techniques?

Who would do all the work to fix them - YOU or THEM?

What we do next kind of blows our students minds.  I have each of them find an issue and then find a motion that increases it to at least a 5 out of 10 [instead of using 1-10 we use 1-100].  Just knowing how to increase a persons restrictions to being above a 5 out of 10 is a pretty cool skill.  Knowing what motion increases an Issue is a roadmap of how to help them.

In about 1 hour and 15 min the students at the seminar learn what to do to reduce their pain, and how to treat themselves  without me ever touching them. In a class of 20 people they will have potentially 20 different aches & pains, but the FAB 5 motions will be used to test & treat all of them .  At the end of this time frame, I ask them to give me their pre & post scores for their Issue [an issue can be anything from a pain, ache, stiffness, weakness, etc].

I write everyone's score on the board.  Typical results are [and no I am not exaggerating these for a marketing purpose]. 15 people will be 70% or greater improved, 2 people achieve around 50% better, 2 people only get 5-30% better and 1 doesn't improve. 

In less than 90 minutes 17 people get at least 50% better. 

These results happen even with non-therapists.  I hold patient seminars and present the same material.  I had one the other day with 10 people.  7 out of 10 got 50% or greater improvement, 2 hovered around 30% and 1 did not improve.

How long would it have taken you to get these results?  Hours, Days, Weeks? 

The Total Motion Release Program gives the patient the ability to fix themselves in a short period of time.  It uses simple motions that a toddler can understand and provides a medically designed progression so the patient can improve to the level they desire.  It not only is effective one on one, but can be applied to large groups.

My Life Changing Moment

A patient I was treating once asked me - Tom how good are your patient results?  I puffed up my shoulders and said - excellent.  I am in the top 10% of therapists when it comes to results.  I have taken this, that and the other thing.  I am highly trained and will do whatever it takes to make sure I can help get my patients out of pain. 

He then asked me, how good are your patients at getting results. In that moment he changed everything I had come to believe about treating patients. 

I didn't know what to say.  From that moment forward my career has been about improving the results PATIENTS can get on themselves and not about the results I get on patients. 

My gold standard for myself now is this - In 2 minutes, 2 hours, 2 days, 2 months or 2 years will my patients be able to fix themselves?

If the answer to the question is yes, then I know my job was well done.  I no longer stress about how much I need to know or how many techniques I should have in my toolbox.  Instead, I focus on if my patients have the skills to help themselves. 

This is a different mindset than what we as medical professionals are taught, however, I think it is what we all yearn for. 

Why do I think this? 

Let me ask you another questions - What patients are the biggest 'energy suckers' or the most draining to you? 

Most likely, they are the ones who want you to do all the work for them.  They are on the extreme end of the FIX ME -------- FIX MYSELF scale.  On the other end of the spectrum are the patients who you probably enjoy the most and are the most rewarding. 

The reason Total Motion Release is so rewarding is it creates so many more FIX MYSELF patients.  It causes more light bulbs to go off and you'll see more people cry from appreciation than you have in your entire career.  To transform one from pain to empowerment is incredible.

If you have read through this entire webpage then chances are you too are looking for this type of transformation, both in yourself and in your patients.  If you are ready there are many ways to begin your TMR Journey.  Go to Seminars and learn how. 

Seeing is Believing, Doing is Knowing

From the Tabs at the Top of this page, under TMR Info there are more videos that I think will challenge your current treatment paradigm in an enjoyable and non-threatening way.  

You'll notice there is enough free stuff on this website so you can start achieving results on yourself and patients immediately.  If you haven't done so already, download the FREE TMR LESSON and begin here. 

Of course, it wouldn't be me if I didn't share one last story. 

I remember some therapists where saying some negative stuff about Total Motion Release on www.rehabedge.com.  I was offering ideas for fixing a few patients using the TMR concept. 

If you have never been on this website you'll see certain techniques outside of the norm can be picked apart from a few of the members.  I wanted to provide a means that they could try out TMR and report back the results to the forum.  I was hoping those who were being negative would at least try it out and post what happened when they tried TMR.  I didn't care if it was negative or positive.  I just wanted them to try it out for themselves.  I am very confident that anyone can get good results using TMR and the idea these people would be novices and reported back their results might make some anxious, but I was certain of what they would find.z

This is where my first set of FREE TMR LESSONS originated.  I wanted to help people experiment using the TMR concept and have them come to their own conclusions.  I wanted it to be unbiased.  I was hoping others would willingly try it.

Guess what happened? 

All the discussion stopped.  Not one single person who wanted to resist or argue against TMR tried it and posted something.

At the time I found that unusual. I know now that in order to get someone to stop resisting or stop being being skeptical, or stop doing what they have always done or stop them from believing what they have always believed is to give them something to do.  It is not with words that a person changes, it is within the act of doingness that changes an individual. 

I hope you'll take time out of your day and DO a few of the things offered on this website and from this DOING you'll learn something of value to you.  Enjoy!

If I can be help you in any way don't hesitate to contact me via email or give me a call.  I love sharing. 

Tom Dalonzo-Baker, MPT - Founder of Total Motion Release