Unlocking the Power of the Thorax: The Thoracic Ring Approach™ Comes to KNÓSIS
At KNÓSIS, we are committed to elevating the experience of the body—through evidence-based, whole-person care that integrates science, movement, and the art of human performance. As part of this mission, we are proud to serve as an internationally recognized physical therapy education center, hosting leading global educators in movement science and manual therapy.
October 24–26, 2025, we welcome back Dr. LJ Lee, renowned physiotherapist, researcher, and founder ofConnectTherapy™ and the Thoracic Ring Approach™. Her course—ConnectTherapy™ & The Thorax—is sold out, bringing clinicians from across the U.S. and abroad to KNÓSIS to explore one of the body’s most influential (and misunderstood) regions.
From Tracey: A Personal Note
It’s an honor to invite LJ Lee back to my practice in New York City. For over 15 years, I’ve had the privilege of learning from and hosting LJ Lee and Diane Lee—including the full, three-week Discover Physio Series (with Diane Lee, BSR, FCAMT, CGIMS and LJ Lee, BSc, BSc(PT), FCAMT, CGIMS; then a PhD candidate) and Discover the Thorax – Level 1: Biomechanics & Inter-Ring Control for Optimal Trunk Function (Linda-Joy Lee, PT).
LJ Lee’s deep knowledge of the thorax—and her generosity in sharing it with me and my teams—has been transformational in how I work with clients. The commitment to deep clinical reasoning and to finding the Primary Driver of dysfunction sits at the heart of KNÓSIS’s approach to getting to the root cause of pain. Hosting LJ Lee again is both a celebration of that lineage and a renewal of our promise to deliver the most precise, whole-body care we can.
— Tracey Vincel, PT, MPhty
Founder & Clinical Director, KNÓSIS
The Thorax: The Hidden Driver of Whole-Body Function
For years, the thoracic spine was described as a rigid “cage.” LJ Lee’s work reframes it as a dynamic, adaptable system that meaningfully influences how we breathe, move, regulate load, and maintain balance. When thoracic rings lose optimal 3-D control, the body compensates elsewhere—often showing up as low-back or pelvic pain, shoulder dysfunction, headaches, persistent lower-extremity pain, or abdominal wall and pelvic floor dys-synergies. Restore thoracic control and coordination, and global movement quality often improves.
What Clinicians Explore in ConnectTherapy™ & The Thorax
Beyond the “stiff thorax” myth: Why the thorax needs 3-D neuromuscular control, not just mobility work.
Whole-person connections: Breath, autonomic regulation, posture, and load transfer through the spine, pelvis, and limbs.
Primary Driver reasoning: Using ConnectTherapy’s diagnostic framework to identify when the thorax drives a patient’s problem—and when it does not.
Movement as Medicine: Decompress, retrain, and build capacity with targeted strategies and LJ’s signature methods—Stack & Breathe, Stack & Release, Stack & Train—that create meaningful, felt change.
Self-efficacy: Coaching simple tools (Cue Check, Self-Check, Resets, Presets) so patients can influence their own outcomes.
Research Spotlight: Is Thoracic Ring Control the Missing Link?
Key takeaways from Lee (2013):
The thorax is inherently mobile in all planes—with primary motion in rotation, then lateral bending, and less flexion/extension—countering the “inherently stiff” assumption.
Due to multi-articular connections and strong ligaments, the thorax functions as integrated “rings” (rib–vertebra–sternal complexes) that move three-dimensionally.
Loss of rotational control (often coupled with lateral translation) can propagate issues across the kinetic chain.
Non-optimal ring control can drive abdominal wall dys-synergies, pelvic floor issues, shoulder impingement, spine pain, hip/groin pain, and load-related foot/ankle symptoms via altered force distribution and neuromuscular strategies.
Meaningful Task Analysis is decisive: if precise thoracic ring correction during a patient’s meaningful task improves symptoms and mechanics more than corrections elsewhere, the thorax is likely the Primary Driver—guiding targeted treatment and progression.
Citation:
Lee LJ. Thoracic Ring Control: A Missing Link? MPA In Touch (official publication of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Australia, Australian Physiotherapy Association). Issue 4, 2013: 13–16.
KNÓSIS: A Hub for Learning and Care
Hosting Dr. Lee reflects our commitment to clinical excellence and ongoing education. Our entire team of six physical therapists will participate in this intensive training, ensuring that the latest insights translate directly into more precise diagnosis, faster outcomes, and individualized programs for our patients.
While this course is sold out, we’ll continue to share updates from our teaching faculty and highlight future educational initiatives at KNÓSIS.
