ABOUT US
Introducing...
Abigail & Frida
Office Managers
I was born in Massachusetts, raised here in the beautiful PNW. By profession, I have spent the last 20+ years in leadership, team building and retail management. I love animals and music; my hobbies include playing RPG’s with friends and spending time in the outdoors. All our clients here have been so amazing! A big “thank you” to Root & Branch for bringing me onto their team.
Alex & Kai
Physical Therapists
I graduated with a BS in Kinesiology from Western Washington University in 2009 and a DPT in Physical Therapy from Regis University in 2013. I then moved to Oregon in 2013 and have been working in Portland ever since. I am deeply passionate about learning and have accumulated over 400 hours of continued education hours, most of which being taught by the Postural Restoration Institute. In 2015 I opened Root & Branch Physical Therapy and by 2019 I was named Top Physical Therapist in Portland Monthly Magazine's Wellness Issue, as voted by my peers. I then went on to win Top Physical Therapist four additional years in a row. I co-parent my dog Kai, a German Shepard Mix that loves butt scratches. Kai is in the office every other week to help me with patients.
Brandon
Physical Therapist
I have experience across multiple physical therapy settings including acute care, sub acute, home health and outpatient. Most recently I have worked in home health for the freedom and autonomy this setting offers. Here I’ve been able to experiment with new treatments and spend as much time I need with the patient. The quality of my work is important to me as well as continuing education. I frequently go above and beyond standard job duties to serve my patients. If I’m unable to help them, I will find a clinician who will. My treatment philosophy is grounded in the science of the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI), which accounts for the impact of postural asymmetries on the rehabilitative process. I want to return to work in the outpatient setting at least part time and collaborate within like-minded clinicians.
Elizabeth
PT Aide & Licensed Massage Therapist
Elizabeth Nakamura is Alex's Physical Therapy Aide, as well as a Licensed Massage Therapist. Elizabeth performs manual therapy at Root & Branch, as directed by Dr. Alex, as well as helping with taking notes and occasionally teaching exercises. She has been a LMT since 2012 and has trained in a variety of modalities. Depending on the patient's need for that day she may use myofascial release, trigger point therapy, cranio-sacral therapy, manual lymphatic drainage, or visceral manipulation. Elizabeth has also trained in Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) principles and manual techniques under Dr. Alex, and has taken a course in Gait and Grounding through the Applied Integration Academy (AIA). Elizabeth loves connecting with our patients and holding space for people wherever they are on their healing journey. Elizabeth and Alex are life partners and live together in SE Portland with her daughter Ayumi and Alex's dog Kai. When she is not at Root & Branch, Elizabeth has a private practice focused on Lymphatic & Nervous System healing.
Please check her out!
THE POSTURAL RESTORATION INSTITUTE®
What Is PRI?
The Postural Restoration Institute® (PRI) studies the natural asymmetry of the human body and the predictable movement patterns that can develop because of it.
Your body is not built symmetrically. Your heart, lungs, diaphragm, liver, brain, and other structures differ from side to side. We also develop preferences for how we stand, breathe, walk, reach, rotate, and shift our weight.
These patterns are normal.
Problems can develop, however, when the body becomes overly dependent on one pattern and has difficulty accessing the opposite one.
A PRI-based examination may therefore look beyond the painful joint and evaluate relationships between your:
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Pelvis and hips
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Ribcage and spine
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Diaphragm and breathing mechanics
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Neck and shoulders
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Feet and ground contact
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Head, jaw, and visual orientation
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Ability to shift, rotate, and alternate from one side of the body to the other
Treatment is designed to improve position, sensory awareness, breathing mechanics, and movement options rather than simply stretching something that feels tight or strengthening something that appears weak.
THE APPLIED INTEGRATION ACADEMY®
What Is AIA?
The Applied Integration Academy™ (AIA) takes an interdisciplinary, whole-body approach to human movement.
Many of its concepts overlap with the study of human asymmetry found in PRI, while AIA explores a broader spectrum of movement and grounding patterns and places additional emphasis on how the body interacts with its environment.
AIA asks questions such as:
How do you sense the ground beneath your feet?
Can your body accept and transfer weight from one side to the other when you walk?
Are your eyes giving your brain accurate information about where you are in space?
Are your teeth, tongue, or bite influencing how you stabilize your head and body?
Can your ribcage and pelvis change position as you breathe and move?
AIA considers the interaction between multiple sensory and mechanical systems, including:
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Gait
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Ground reaction forces
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Foot mechanics
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Respiration
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Vision
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The jaw and dental occlusion
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Tongue position
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Cranial and cervical mechanics
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Pelvic and hip mechanics
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The nervous system's perception of stability
This can also lead to collaboration with dentists, optometrists, and other healthcare professionals when another sensory system appears to be significantly influencing movement.