About

Erl Pettman

Biography

About Erl Pettman

Erl acquired his first private practice clinic in 1978, from his dear friend and mentor Cliff Fowler.

He continued to clinically direct the clinic for the next 40 years before retiring in 2019. During that time, he treated several generations of grateful patients and educated countless therapists in their pursuit of excellence in orthopedic manual therapy.

Retiring from clinical practice was challenging but with his endless desire to teach it has enabled him to focus on developing a new teaching institute ASPIRE OMT, and continue spreading his knowledge and expertise to therapists, both young and old. This desire was epitomized in 2010 when he received the AAOMPT Freddy Kaltenborn ‘Teach I must’ award. His goal is to expand and improve their clinical skills and cultivate better clinical reasoning, thus improving outcomes for those patients under their care.

Erl was a formative influence in the development of the Orthopaedic Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, and subsequently helped in the creation of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physical Therapy, of which he is a ‘Life Member’.

In 1980 Erl introduced the ‘Quadrant System’ of education within orthopaedic manual therapy. The system integrated pathologies between the spine and the periphery. This ideology was used as a basis for the first long term Orthopaedic Manual Therapy course, which included the use of clinically supervised practice, in turn helping fulfill Canada’s entry requirement into the IFOMPT. This integrated system of education is still being utilised in Canada and the US today.

Erl has been teaching at Andrews University since 1994, where he helped establish the clinical program for the Doctor of Science in Physical Therapy (DScPT). At that time, it was the only DSc program focusing on Orthopedic Manual Therapy.

The ongoing, close professional and academic relationship between Andrews University and ASPIRE has facilitated orthopedic manual therapists in achieving both their Fellowship and the DSc degree.

Erl founded ASPIRE in 2020. Together with dedicated, specialized, caring therapists and educators. The organization continues to grow with sites in several States across the US, with more in negotiation (see ‘Links’).

ASPIRE’s goal is to encourage and educate future manual therapists who desire to improve their clinical outcomes by integrating skilled, evidence-based practice with analytical thinking and a constant desire to innovate new therapeutic concepts.

ASPIRE

Analytical Skills in Pettman’s Institute of Reasoning and Empowerment

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