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Positional Release Techniques

24 Hour CE Course

Average rating based on the following evaluation questions:

  2. Content was interesting to me.
  3. I gained new knowledge.
  4. The materials held my attention.
  5. I can use this information in my practice.
  6. This program met my personal expectations.
  7. Overall quality of course content and materials were excellent.

Enrollment Options

Text Materials Shipped and Test Online

Contents: Text shipped to you. online multiple-choice test.


Materials and Test Shipped to You

Contents: Text and multiple-choice test shipped to you.


No Text (I Already Own Text) and Test Online

Contents: online multiple-choice test only.
(I already own "Positional Release Techniques" text.)


No Text (I Already Own Text) and Test Shipped

Contents: Multiple-choice test shipped only.
(I already own "Positional Release Techniques" text.)


Fully Online Materials and Test

Contents: Video, Text and multiple-choice test all online.


Do you have the Positional Release Techniques textbook? See your enrollment options above for "I already own the text".


This advanced course explores the core concepts of positional release techniques for muscle and joint problems. The textbook, by Leon Chaitow, ND, DO, communicates the ideas, theories and history of many different approaches and includes online videos that shows how the author applies his techniques. This course does not teach hands-on skills. Please seek additional experience, with a mentor, to add hands-on skills.

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Bernard Howell


Bob Garza, M.Ed., RMT

Thanks this was great!

Brian Sari, CMT


Claire Balint, LMT, NCTMB

I loved this course! I had a very difficult personal time and the staff were wonderful in extending my class time for submission which I greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!!

Denise A. Volmer, LMT


Jakki Wienecke, CMT, BFA - Bel Air, MD


Laura Hess, NCTMB



Loved this course. Packed full of information!

Lisa Stabe, LMT, NCTMB


Lowell Seeman, NCTMB, LMT


Shirley Milner, LMT

Very informative and technical course. I will definitely use in my practice and use book as a constant reference. I have never been disappointed with any course I have taken from Integrative Healthcare Studies. I have referred many colleagues.

Yalanda Patria, LMT

Extremely comprehensive material. Definitely worth the time and a great tool for a practitioner.

Zachary Bell, LMT, NCTMB

The course material was far more substantial than expected. The text books makes an excellent reference book for the office library.

Tonia Zanter, LMT

Excellent course study, very well put together and presented to the advanced therapists. I look forward to my next pick for obtaining CE's online.

Heriberto Soltero, LMT, BCTMB

This course was very interesting. It had my attention. My schedule is full so I had to make time to study but it was easy to pick my right back up and continue the course. I am looking forward to my next course.

Jenny Raety, LMT

There was a lot of information to take in with this course. It was all very helpful and great information though. I would recommend this course for sure. It is a lot of work but totally worth it!

Heather VanHoesen, LMT

Really a great presentation of this information. This course is quite difficult and the knowledge acquired should be very useful in my practice

John LeMunyon, LMT

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Learning Objectives

  1. List, describe and compare the movement patterns of at least four of the positional release variations.
  2. Compare and contrast the following approaches: osteopathic palpation according to Gibbons and Tehan; positional release palpation according to McPartland and Goodridge; the tight-loose concept; Zink’s concept of tissue preference and assessment, and Travell and Simon’s model of trigger point facilitation.
  3. Compare the Proprioceptive Hypothesis with the Nociceptive Hypothesis and recognize the five major fascial chains described in Myer’s Anatomy Trains.
  4. Describe the following in accordance with Jones’ SCS practice: positioning; prioritizing points for treatment; feedback, and fine-tuning the ease position.
  5. Recognize the contraindications and cautions of SCS in at least three of the following areas: cervical flexion, suboccipital, lower cervical spine, upper thoracic spine and lumbar spine.
  6. List the SCS guidelines and describe the key elements of assessment in the Spencer shoulder sequence.
  7. Compare the key elements of Goodheart’s Coccygeal Lift Technique with Morrison’s Inguinal Lift Technique.
  8. List and describe the characteristics of trigger points; the causes for trigger points, and at least three types of trigger points.
  9. Explain the INIT hypothesis and describe the two INIT methods of treatment.
  10. Recognize the possible uses of positional release methods for each of the following post-operative conditions: traumatized fascial structures, rib restrictions, lymphatic stasis and the side-effects and the advantages of using SCS in a hospital setting.
  11. List the five major elements of Sutherland’s cranial hypothesis.
  12. Describe Jone’s methodology of locating tender points on the cranium.
  13. Compare the positional release methods for TMJ as proposed by: DiGiovanna, Upledger and Goodheart.
  14. Compare Mulligan’s concepts and methods to Positional Release Techniques.
  15. Describe the components of Mulligan’s Concept.
  16. Compare and contrast the techniques, rules, protocols and common errors for each of the following methods: NAGs, SNAGs and MWMs.
  17. Compare direct methods of taping to indirect methods of taping.
  18. Describe the purpose and/or function of proprioceptive taping.
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Sample Text

"A crowding of the tissues to induce slackness in the affected tissues is a usual final aspect of the 'fine-tuning' once initial point reduction has been achieved. Additional ease can often be achieved by asking the patient to fully inhale or exhale to evaluate which phase of the breathing cycle reduces point (or which reduces increased tone the most).

Eye movements can also be used in this way - always allowing the patient's report of pain levels and/or your palpation of a sense of ease in the tissues, to guide you towards the 'comfort zone'.

Tips and comments about positioning into ease

  1. There should be NO increase in pain elsewhere in the body during the treatment process.
  2. It is not necessary to maintain possibly painful pressure on the tender point throughout, although this almost certainly has an 'acupressure' effect (ischaemic compression/inhibition/endorphin release, etc.) Intermittent pressure applied periodically, to evaluate the effects of a change in position in order to ascertain the degree of sensitivity still present, is the preferred Jones method."

(Positional Release Techniques by Leon Chaitow, 2nd ed., 2002, p. 50)

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Sample Test Question

Which of the following applies to fine-tuning the ease position?

  1. crowding of the tissues
  2. applying cervical traction
  3. increasing joint flexion
  4. re-positioning limbs
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