TAI Therapist Assumes Role as President, Oregon Physical Therapy Association

Karen Elton-Walz, PT, MA, OCS, COMT, FAAOMPT

Therapeutic Associates Inc (TAI) Central Oregon physical therapist clinic director, Karen Elton-Walz, PT, MA, OCS, COMT, FAAOMPT, has begun her term as president of the Oregon Physical Therapy Association. Walz is director of the Therapeutic Associates Central Oregon Physical Therapy clinic in Redmond, Ore.

Walz graduated from Stanford University, where she earned a master's degree in physical therapy. She completed both her certification as a manual therapist as well as her fellowship training through the North American Institute of Orthopedic Manual Therapy and is one of only two physical therapists in central Oregon to attain this designation.

"We are extremely proud of Karen's achievement," says Steve Anderson, PT, CEO of Therapeutic Associates Inc, and acting president of the private practice section of the American Physical Therapy Association. "Her high professional ideals and commitment to patients will help bring new energy and vision to the entire physical therapy profession in the state of Oregon. She is an inspiration to all of us at Therapeutic Associates."

A 22-year resident of central Oregon, Walz is also an ergonomic consultant and performs ergoscience physical capacity evaluations for injured workers. She brings 2 decades of professional experience to her new leadership position.

Permobil Sponsors National ALS Fundraiser Walk

As a national sponsor of the ALS Association's Walk to D'Feet ALS fund-raiser, Permobil Inc, Lebanon, Tenn, has donated four power wheelchairs and $50,000 in support of the event.

The wheelchairs and money will be awarded to the chapter that earns the highest increase of donations for each of the regions.

Now in its eighth year, Walk to D'Feet ALS is the signature event of the ALS Association, which comprises approximately 150 walks conducted across the country throughout the year. In 2006, walkers raised more than $12 million in support of cutting-edge research for ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease.

"We are proud to be a part of such an important cause and to be able to partner with the ALS Association in furthering the awareness of the disease as well as raising money for research and patient care," Larry Jackson, president of Permobil Inc, says. "Since ALS can strike anyone, it is crucial that we do all we can to help find a cure."

Iraq War Vet Speaks for Quantum Rehab

Iraq War veteran and power mobility device user Bryan Anderson has become spokesperson for Quantum Rehab, a division of Pride Mobility Products Corp, Exeter, Pa.

Bryan Anderson

Anderson, a 26-year-old who was awarded a Purple Heart, uses the Q6000 power chair. He will attend Abilities Expos, ISS Clinician Shows, and various consumer shows across the country to promote consumer education while evaluating the latest product innovations and consumer services from Quantum Rehab. Anderson will also work with Pride's Owners Club through interactive Web Talk message boards, a series of live online chats, and a monthly blog on www.pridemobility.com.

During Anderson's second tour in Iraq in 2005, the Humvee in which he was riding was hit by a roadside bomb. He lost his right leg at the hip, his left leg 6 inches below the hip, and his left arm below the elbow. In the early days of what would be a year of rehab at Walter Reed, Anderson's parents selected the Q6000 power chair for their son.

Anderson recalls: "I was in and out of consciousness at the time, and the medications made it necessary for my dad to pick out a chair for me. Like any father, he wanted the best for me, so after some intense research, he went after the top of the line for me and selected the Q6000."

Pete Lancaster, owner of Patient First Medical Equipment Co, is Anderson's provider. The two met while Anderson was in rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where Lancaster spends time assisting veterans with various levels of injury and ability to find and use the appropriate mobility product. Lancaster said the Q6000 was the logical power chair choice for someone like Anderson.

"At first, we did have the speed programmed down a bit, until he got used to it," Lancaster says, "but Bryan made us change that pretty quickly. He doesn't do things slowly very much."

Anderson now lives independently. Since leaving Walter Reed, he has experienced skiing and rock climbing in Colorado, water skiing and jet skiing, hiking, biking, as well as table tennis and archery at the National Wheelchair Games in Alaska.

The Iraq War veteran has appeared on the cover of the January 2007 issue of Esquire magazine, and has received extensive media coverage including feature stories in the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Sun-Times. Anderson has also appeared on FOX News and CNN.

Hanger Vice President Works to Develop Prosthetic Dolphin Tail

Kevin Carroll, vice president of prosthetics for Hanger Orthopedic Group, Bethesda, Md, has been chosen to join a pool of international prosthetics experts who are developing a prosthetic tail to be fitted to a dolphin injured in a crab trap near Cape Canaveral in December 2005.

Hanger Orthopedic Group is part of a consortium assembled by Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Clearwater, Fla, that will develop the prosthetic tail for Winter, an 18-month-old Atlantic bottlenose dolphin that lost her tail fluke. After surviving the incident, Winter adapted a side-to-side swimming style that is less efficient than a dolphin's normal swimming motion and could potentially cause damage to the dolphin herself.

Carroll treats amputations nationwide and codeveloped the Hanger ComfortFlex Socket System. He is an American Board Certified prosthetist with nearly 30 years of experience as a practicing clinician, researcher, and educator. Carroll has appeared on the Discovery Channel, as well as on news broadcasts such as Dateline and 20/20.

"I am honored to be selected by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium for this unique patient case," Carroll says. "Winter is an amazing animal with an inspirational story of overcoming adversity. Her story echoes the spirit and endurance of so many of our patients."

"This is the one of the strongest and most experienced teams I have seen in any industry," David Yates, CEO of Clearwater Marine Aquarium, says. "These are the most qualified people in their respective industries. They give us a real chance at success."

The consortium consists of Clearwater Marine Aquarium and Hanger Orthopedic Group Inc, and will be advised by Mike Walsh, DVM, former lead veterinarian at SeaWorld; Steve McColluch, director of dolphin research and conservation at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution; and Juli D. Goldstein, DVM, a marine mammal specialist.