Course Information

Course Name:

“I Can: Enhancing Quality of Life Through Effective Orthotic Intervention”

Course Description:

This interactive course is designed to address and meet challenges commonly faced by children with neuromuscular deficits. Physical therapists and orthotists can benefit from understanding why their patients are struggling to meet a goal and why it’s important that they accomplish it. Surestep’s Education Team has worked closely with families and patients to develop a course that addresses these challenges and provides solutions to facilitate successful goal attainment. Participants will work in small groups throughout the course to develop a strong understanding of deficits leading to and consequences of poor trunk and head control, as well as toe walking. Building on that foundation, attendees will learn to evaluate and assess for orthotic solutions.

Course/learner objective:

-Describe how trunk and head control develop

-Explain the consequences (structural, postural and functional) of poor head and trunk control

-Apply this knowledge to evaluate patients with poor head and trunk control

-Assess and recommend orthotic treatment solutions to improve function for those patients

-Describe typical gait development, including the development of a heel-toe gait pattern

-Gain a firmer grasp of modern treatment advances above the common standard of care

-Explain the consequences (structural, developmental and functional) of toe walking gait

-Understand the risk factors for developing a toe walking pattern and distinguish between different types of toe walking

-Evaluate patients who toe walk with an orthotic assessment form and recommend orthotic treatment solutions

-Describe the open heel modification, it’s benefits and uses

Outline: (3.5 Hours (210 min) / 3 Contact Hours)

Intro (5 min.)

Trunk and Head Control Development (30 min.): Discuss how trunk and head control develop. Includes discussion of postural control development and consequences of poor trunk and head control in everyday activities.

Trunk and Head Control Module (25 min.): Work in small groups to navigate through multiple commonly faced challenges of patients with poor head and/or trunk control. Learn about why patients may struggle with skills and why achieving those skills is important. Understand how Surestep’s TLSO and DCO can help address these deficits and facilitate successful goal attainment.

Integration / Discussion – Break out session debrief (20 min.): Work in groups to answer questions on previous module and present take-aways to entire group.

Break (25 min.)

Toe Walking – Issues, types and assessment (30 min.): Discuss when toe walking should be addressed with therapy and/or orthoses. Learn to identify reasons for and different types of toe walking gait patterns. Discuss Surestep’s Toe Walking Assessment Guide and consequences of a toe walking gait pattern to everyday activities.

Toe Walking Module (25 min.): Work in small groups to navigate through multiple commonly faced challenges of patients with a toe walking pattern. Learn about why patients may struggle with skills and why achieving those skills is important. Understand how Surestep’s SMO, Toe Walking SMO and Indy 2 Stage AFO can help address these deficits and facilitate successful goal attainment.

Integration / Discussion - Break out session debrief (20 min.): Work in groups to answer questions on previous module and present take-aways to entire group.

Open Heel Modification (15 min.): Learn about Surestep’s new Open Heel Modification and its benefits and application to many devices.

Close / Questions (15)

Speaker: Anne Paré, CO/LO

Anne W Paré, Certified Orthotist is currently a practicing orthotist specializing in pediatrics in Houston, Texas. Anne is the founder and part owner of Transcend Orthotics in Houston (formerly Hope Orthotics), an ABC accredited facility and member of AOPA. Anne graduated from University of Texas Southwestern Allied Health Sciences School in 1993 and completed a pediatric internship at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas in 1994. She worked as a staff orthotist at The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research in Houston Texas before opening Hope Orthotics. For over 20 years, Anne has specialized in pediatrics, spinal cord and brain injury, working closely with many therapists and healthcare professions to provide superior service and quality care to the Greater Houston area. Anne has been active in both Texas and National Conferences in Orthotics and Prosthetics and has spoken on the subjects of the orthotic management of the pediatric patient on multiple occasions. Anne’s current clinical focus is on improving the quality and efficiency of her patient’s gait through analysis using the GAITrite and ZENO Gait Electronic Walkways and the Protokinetics Movement Analysis Software in conjunction with orthotic intervention.

Speaker: Steve Kulifaj, CO/BOCP/LO

Steve Kulifaj, CO, BOCP, LO is a certified and licensed Orthotist/Prosthetist who has over 16 years of clinical experience. With caring consistent focus on pediatrics, Steve was a lead Orthotist for a pediatric specialty team in Minnesota, co-founded a 3 facility O&P pediatric based practice in Minnesota, and is multi-state recognized for his passion for challenging scoliosis treatment and lower extremity bracing. Steve provided pediatric care in Detroit and Minneapolis Children’s Hospitals, Hennipin County Medical Center’s pediatric specialty clinic, and formed multi-state pediatric teams. Coupling strong business acumen with expansive clinical knowledge, Steve was awarded the position of Chief Executive Officer for an innovative medical company and remains a board member today. A passion for educating and lecturing, marketing and clinical advancement, and sheer commitment to the field of O&P, Steve was carefully chosen as the Director of Education for Surestep.

Speaker: Josh Ahlstrom, CPO/LPO

Josh Ahlstrom, CPO/LPO is an ABC Certified and licensed Prosthetist/Orthotist with 20 years of clinical experience.  He has spent the last 14 years focused specifically on providing exceptional care for children with a vast array of pathologies and presentations.  In 2004, Josh opened a pediatric O&P facility in Indianapolis, which eventually grew to 5 offices providing care across 3 states.  Throughout his career he has enjoyed working with numerous children’s hospitals, specialty clinics and physical therapy facilities.  Josh has been cited in numerous publications, while also lecturing across the country, and internationally, on a variety of topics related to pediatric orthotics.  He was also instrumental in the development of the Indy 2 Stage and Pullover AFOs in the SureStep product lineup.  Josh’s current role of Business Development Specialist with Midwest Orthotic Services affords him the opportunity to mentor other offices and practitioners, while also exposing him to a wide range of business models, clinical settings and demographics.  His passion for learning, problem solving, teaching and developing relationships with others continues to drive him today to pursue better outcomes for the patients, families and referral sources he serves.