Welcome to The Central Institute for Human Performance
Do What Matters
For Your Mind & Body
Our Mission
At CIHP our mission is simple yet important: to do what matters and make an impact that lasts. Sometimes that means solving chronic pain when every other approach has failed. Other times, it means restoring movement, building resilience, or unlocking the vitality that allows you to live longer and stronger.
This philosophy has been forged through years of treating people others couldn’t help. It’s shared in our book, The Power of Doing What Matters, and expanded through our digital platform, The Curious Gap. Education, tools, and assessments help you close the distance between where you are and where you want to be. These platforms are a blueprint for resilience and a guide to lifelong health and they provide the ability to work with us in whatever way you choose.
Featured In
The Institute
World-class, personalized care. Musculoskeletal assessments, treatment and performance training.
The Book
Discover the philosophy that changed chronic pain care forever. Build resilience and restore balance while improving mental and physical health.
The Platform
Your online guide to lifelong resilience. Hosting the flagship course Breathing That Matters: Foundation.
Testimonials
The Institute
For nearly two decades, the Central Institute for Human Performance (CIHP) has advanced the science of human recovery and resilience. Our team, led by the world renowned Dr. Clayton Skaggs, specializes in solving complex pain, movement, and performance challenges where conventional approaches have failed.
Our success stories include the world’s most elite performers—professional athletes, Olympians, military specialists, and artists at the peak of their careers—to individuals who’ve spent years searching for answers to chronic pain. Each found their way back to movement, strength, and most importantly, life, through CIHP’s unique approach. At CIHP, every recovery tells the same story: when precision meets simplicity, the human body can do extraordinary things.
FAQs
What makes CIHP different?
CIHP takes a team-based, systems-level approach to pain, performance, and resilience. Rather than chasing symptoms, we focus on understanding how and why problems persist, integrating orthopedic assessment, movement analysis, and progressive training to create durable change.
What types of cases and ages do you treat?
We treat acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions involving the spine and upper and lower extremities. Our clients range from children to older adults, and from individuals new to exercise to high-level and professional athletes.
I don’t live in St. Louis. What options are available to me?
For those outside St. Louis, we offer Visiting Consultations, where clients travel to CIHP for several days of in-depth assessment and one-on-one instruction. We also provide virtual consultations and ongoing remote training, allowing clients to continue care and progress from anywhere.
What can I expect during a new client assessment or Visiting Consultation?
We take the time to fully understand your history, current symptoms, and long-term goals. Assessments range from two hours to multi-day evaluations for more complex cases. Our team collaborates to evaluate orthopedic findings, posture, movement strategies, and compensatory patterns—providing multiple expert perspectives on your care.
How do you determine who I will work with at CIHP?
Your evaluation determines your care team. We assign practitioners based on your needs, goals, and findings rather than fitting you into a preset model. This ensures the right expertise is applied at the right time.
Are clients assigned to a single practitioner?
No. CIHP operates using a collaborative team approach. While you may have a primary point of contact, your case benefits from shared insight across our practitioner team.
What is the difference between CIHP and the Karel Lewit Clinic?
The Karel Lewit Clinic is a specialized clinical arm within CIHP, focusing on complex pain presentations and clinical evaluation. CIHP encompasses the broader continuum of assessment, rehabilitation, training, education, and long-term performance development.
What follow-up options do you offer?
We offer multiple follow-up pathways, both in-person and virtual, based on your needs and provider recommendations. Many clients transition into our Restore Program, which includes bi-weekly virtual sessions with your practitioner team to guide ongoing progress.
How do virtual appointments work?
Virtual sessions are conducted via a secure video platform and focus on reassessment, guided exercise progression, education, and problem-solving. These sessions are often used following in-person evaluations or Visiting Consultations, but can also stand alone when appropriate.
How do I know if CIHP is right for me?
No program works for everyone. That’s why we begin with a 15-minute phone consultation with one of our providers. This allows us to understand your case, answer questions, and ensure we believe CIHP is a good fit before scheduling any formal assessment.