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Volume 6, Issue 2, Winter, December 2007
The Department of Veterans Affairs facilitates unique training and mentoring opportunities for researchers dedicated to improving veterans’ lives. VA Rehabilitation Research and Development offers a pre-doctoral fellowship program to foster PhD-level rehabilitation research that directly relates to veterans with disabilities and enhances rehab research capacity within VA. The program gives students a chance to become experts in clinical research and prepare to become leaders in rehab research and clinical care after receiving their doctoral degrees. Many VA pre-doctoral fellows go on to work in VA research.
The VA provides mentored awards for post-doctoral researchers as well. The VA Advanced Spinal Cord Injury Medicine (SCIM) Fellowship provides in-depth education in spinal cord injury medicine practice, research, and leadership. This program takes advantage of the international preeminence of VA’s spinal cord injury medicine resources to provide outstanding training opportunities and contribute to the improvement of clinical practice and the scholarly pursuit of spinal cord injury medicine. The program also serves to retain outstanding individuals committed to advancing the quality of care and research for spinal cord injury medicine within the VA.
This year, three investigators joined the legacy of HERL’s VA pre-doctoral and post-doctoral fellows. Brad Impink and Ian Rice, graduate students studying at HERL since 2001 and 2002, respectively, were awarded VA Pre-Doctoral Fellowships. Jennifer Yang, MD also joined HERL as a VA Post-Doctoral Fellow. HERL Medical Director Michael Boninger, MD mentors Ian, Brad, and Dr. Yang.
The VA awarded Dr. Boninger a Post-Resident Advanced Fellowship Program in Spinal Cord Injury, allowing him to support and mentor two post-doctoral fellows per year. Dr. Jennifer Yang joined his fellowship program in June 2006. She earned her medical doctorate from the University of the Philippines School of Medicine in 1999. Prior to coming to HERL, Dr. Yang was Chief Resident at Temple University Hospital’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehab (PM&R) and completed a Spinal Cord Injury Medicine Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Department of PM&R. Dr. Yang is investigating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in manual wheelchair users, wheelchair users with spina bifida, and manual wheelchair propulsion biomechanics during her post-doctoral training.
Brad Impink earned his B.S. in Bioengineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 2002 and is working towards his PhD in Bioengineering. Brad has been conducting research since 2001 when he was a HERL undergraduate summer intern. He continued to work at HERL as a research associate and eventually a graduate student researcher. Brad has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications regarding wheelchair propulsion biomechanics and upper extremity pathology. Brad has been conditionally funded a VA Pre-Doctoral Fellowship to research Ultrasonographic Evaluation of the Median Nerve in Manual Wheelchair Users.
Ian Rice is a doctoral student in The Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology at The University of Pittsburgh. He received a B.S in Psychology from University of Illinois and an MS in Occupational Therapy from Washington University. Ian has competed professionally in wheelchair racing for seven years, racing in over 35 marathons. Ian won the Columbus Marathon, the Chicago Marathon twice, the 10 kilometer road world championships, placed third at the Boston Marathon, and was a member of the 2000 Sydney Paralympics racing team. Ian’s pre-doctoral research focuses on Manual Wheelchair Propulsion Training. His goal is to teach people how to propel their wheelchairs based on sound scientific evidence to help reduce pain and injury.
-Christine Heiner
In order to ensure optimal treatment and rehab of young combat related amputees, the military care community needs a “road map” to provide focus for their efforts and priorities. With this mission in mind, HERL Director Dr. Rory Cooper and LTC Paul Pasquina, MD, Medical Director of the Amputee Care Program at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, organized a three-day symposium entitled “Rehabilitation of the Combat Amputee-Consensus Conference and Creating a Roadmap for the Future.” The symposium was held at the Center for the Intrepid/Brooke Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas from September 17-19, 2007.
The event united VA, civilian and military experts in amputee care and rehabilitation to help establish consensus on standard of care issues, as well as to help identify areas most needed for further clinical, technical, translational and developmental research. The symposium work will be written into a textbook, “Rehabilitation of the Combat Amputee” and published by the Borden Institute as part of their Textbooks on Military Medicine series. Drs. Cooper and Pasquina will edit the textbook. Experts in key research areas also lectured at the symposium, allowing the University of Pittsburgh to provide a maximum of 23 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits TM/ 2.3 continuing education credits for the invited attendees.
A total of 18 experts lectured during the 3-day symposium, including engineers, physiatrists, therapists, surgeons, historians, psychologists, neurologists, prosthetists, audiologists, and experts in pain management and veterans benefits. The speakers came mainly from the VA, the Department of Defense, universities, and private companies and institutions.
Also, the 100-120 symposium attendees broke out into groups organized by specialty—Programs and Systems Practices, Surgical Management and Planning, Special Medical Considerations, Physical Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Interventions, and Prosthetic Devices and Assistive Technologies. Prior to the conference, attendees were asked to prepare book chapters in their areas on expertise. The breakout groups discussed and edited each chapter, ensuring the written text met consensus opinion.
HERL graduate students Jennifer Mercer, Michelle Sporner, Amol Karmarkar, Garrett Grindle, and Brad Impink were each assigned to a breakout group at the symposium to transcribe the discussions and facilitate development of the textbook chapters. They will also write the final chapter of the textbook, which will summarize the textbook and recommend future research.
Support staff who organized and attended the symposium were Kathy Rasmussen and COL Rebecca Hooper from the Center for the Intrepid, and Paula Stankovic, Amy Donovan, Jennifer Lee-Hooper, and Christine Heiner from HERL and the University of Pittsburgh Department of Rehabilitation Science & Technology.
Drs. Cooper and Pasquina are working towards a September 2008 publication date for this monumental textbook.
- Christine Heiner
Assessing the Mobility Characteristics and Activity Levels of Manual Wheelchair Users
Michelle Tolerico, M.S., Dan Ding, Ph.D., Rory Cooper, Ph.D., Donald Spaeth, Ph.D., Shirley Fitzgerald, Ph.D., Rosemarie Cooper, M.P.T., Annmarie Kelleher, M.S., OTR/L, Michael Boninger, M.D.
Full article published in Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, pp. 561-572, Vol. 44, No. 4, 2007.
Purpose of work: Although research shows that participating in an active lifestyle is beneficial to maintaining quality of life, a majority of wheelchair users are inactive. The goal of this study was to investigate the mobility characteristics and activity levels of manual wheelchair users in the residential setting and at the National Veterans Wheelchair Games (NVWG). Procedures: Fifty-two manual wheelchair users completed a brief survey and their activity was monitored with a custom data logger over a period of 13 or 20 days. Results: We found that the manual wheelchair users traveled an average of 2,457 meters per day at a speed of 0.79 meters per second for 8.3 hours per day while using their primary wheelchair in the home environment. We also found that participants traveled further and faster and were active for more hours during an average day at the NVWG than in the home environment. We found that manual wheelchair users who were employed were more active than those who were unemployed. Relevance to wheelchair users: Attaining a level of physical activity is important in reducing the risk of secondary health problems. Results from this study provide a better understanding of the activity levels achieved by manual wheelchair users and insight into factors that may influence this activity. -Michelle Tolerico, M.S.
Review of Use of Restraints and Lap Belts with Wheelchair Users Eliana Chaves Ferretti, Ph.D., Rory Cooper, Ph.D., Diane Collins, Ph.D., Amol Karmarkar, M.S., Rosemarie Cooper, M.P.T. Full article published in Assistive Technology Journal, Vol. 19.2, pp. 94-107, Summer 2007.
Purpose of the Work. The purpose of this study was to conduct a review of available literature from 1966-2006, to identify the risks and benefits associated with lap-belts while seated in wheelchairs.
Procedures. Twenty five studies which met the criteria were included for review. Nine studies reported the frequency of asphyxial deaths caused by physical restraints, 9 studies reported the long-term complication and indirect adverse effects of physical restraints and lap belt use and 7 studies reported the benefits of physical restraints and lap-belts with individuals using wheelchairs.
Results. Despite the weak evidence, the results suggest a considerable number of deaths from asphyxia caused by the use of physical restraints occurred each year in the US. The majority of the deaths occurred in nursing homes, followed by hospitals and then the home of the person. Most deaths occurred while persons were restrained in wheelchairs or beds.
Relevance to wheelchair users. Caution needs to be exercised when using restraints or positioning belts. In addition, other seating and environment alternatives should be explored prior to using restraints or positioning belts, such as power wheelchair seating options. Positioning belts may reduce risk of falls from wheelchairs and should be given careful consideration, but caution should be exercised if the individual cannot open the latch independently. Also, the duration of use of the physical restraint should be limited. Several factors should be considered when devising a better quality of physical restraints services provided by healthcare professionals. These efforts can lead to improved safety and quality of life of individuals who use wheelchairs.
-Eliana Chaves, Ph.D.
Multi-site Comparison of Wheelchair Propulsion Kinetics in Persons with Paraplegia Alicia M. Koontz, PhD, RET, Yusheng Yang, PhD, Robert Price, MSME, Michelle L. Tolerico, MS, Carmen P. DiGiovine, PhD, RET, Sue Ann Sisto, PhD, Rory A. Cooper, PhD, Michael L. Boninger, MD Full article published in Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, pp. 449-458, Vol. 44, No. 3, 2007.
Purpose of Work: Research is being conducted at three different institutions (HERL, Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation, West Orange, NJ (KMRREC), and the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, (UW)) to study manual wheelchair propulsion techniques and the relationship between technique and the development of wrist and shoulder injuries in wheelchair users with paraplegia. Before the problem can be investigated in more detail, it was important to check that the data was consistent across sites so that each site’s data could be combined into one large dataset. Subjects/Procedures: Forty-two manual wheelchair users (14 from each site) with paraplegia performed a slow and fast steady-state propulsion trial and an acceleration-brake-coast down trial on a wheelchair roller system while their propulsion forces and moment about the hub were measured using an instrumented wheelchair wheel called the SMARTWheelTM. Results: Participants at one institution were discovered to push with less force and torque compared to the other two sites. Further analysis revealed that the wheelchair roller system at this site had lower rolling resistance. A method was developed to correct the data so that one large dataset could be compiled. Relevance to wheelchair users: Our previous Pittsburgh-based work has shown that wheelchair propulsion is partly responsible for the development of wrist and shoulder pain and injury among wheelchair users. We are collecting data from wheelchair users from different geographical regions to study in more detail the complex relationship between wheelchair and propulsion related factors, user characteristics, and the development of wrist and shoulder pain and injury. Before we can proceed with this investigation we needed to verify that the data collected at the two new sites (KMRREC and UW) was consistent with the data being collected at the HERL site.
-Alicia Koontz, Ph.D.
A Sports Wheelchair for Low Income Countries Erica Authier, B.S., Jon Pearlman, Ph.D., Ana Allegretti, M.S., Ian Rice, M.S., Rory Cooper, Ph.D. Full article published in Disability and Rehabilitation, pp. 963-967, Vol. 29, No. 11-12, June 2007.
Purpose: Appropriate wheelchairs for basic mobility needs are still not commonly available in low-income countries, although several organizations are working toward this goal. After basic mobility is secured it is important to provide more diverse assistive technology to allow people with disabilities to more completely participate in society and live healthy lives. Our goal was to design an affordable sports wheelchair that would allow individuals in low-income countries to participate in basketball.
Methods: Design requirements established for the sports wheelchair included: removable anti-tippers, adjustable tension backrest, 24" wheels, adjustable seat dump, variable camber, 4" casters, fore-aft axle position, removable bumpers, height adjustable footrest, four wheels, single anti-tipper (pivot), cost less than $125 without wheels, 16" seat width and backrest height, and nylon upholstery. The wheelchair was designed using 3D modeling, standard materials, and standard tools.
Discussion: An affordable wheelchair, versatile enough to be used for a variety of sports and even everyday use, was designed and prototyped successfully. Documentation for the design including step-by-step directions, engineering drawings, and photographs are available at the Human Engineering Research Laboratories website (http://www.herlpitt.org/intw.htm). Future work on the prototype should include design refinement including adaptations for other sports and standards testing.
-Erica Authier, B.S.
New Design and Development of a Manual Wheelchair for India Emily Zipfel, M.S.; Rory A Cooper, PhD; Jon Pearlman, PhD; Rosemarie Cooper, MPT, ATP; Mark McCartney Full article published in Disability and Rehabilitation, pp. 949-962, Vol. 29, No. 11-12, June 2007.
Purpose of the Work. The most common methods of delivering assistive technology in developing countries are charitable donations and small-scale production workshops. These methods have had varying degrees of success, thus, a vast need for higher quality wheelchairs still remains. This paper describes a new approach to produce wheelchairs for India, a collaboration undertaken by HERL and a manufacturer in India. A main goal of this publication is to provide the design of an adult manual wheelchair free of charge world-wide. The product development, technology transfer process and the final design are described. Procedures. An iterative process was implemented to design and transfer the wheelchair. The process included: identifying design requirements, constructing prototypes, small production runs, ANSI/RESNA testing, material testing and informal trials with wheelchair users in India. The initial design was developed at HERL. It was then transferred to India. Wheelchairs produced in India were tested at HERL. Failures seen were reported to the manufacturer with design recommendations on how to fix the problems. Subsequent prototypes were retested. Several visits were made by HERL engineers to India to ensure technology transfer success. Results. The final product is a manual folding cross-brace design with several points of adjustability; axle position, seat dump, foot rest and backrest angle. Final pre-production prototypes experienced some fastener failures during ANSI/RESNA durability testing, thus certain key fasteners, such as the cross brace pivot bolt were specified as higher grade steel available in India. To date, trial-run production has begun and an ANSI/RESNA wheelchair test lab constructed in India. Subsequent projects include power and pediatric tilt-in-space wheelchairs. Relevance to Wheelchair Users. The new India chair design has so far proven to be more durable, comfortable and usable than most chairs being provided in developing countries. In developing countries, most people who need wheelchairs have few options in terms of the equipment available. We hope that access to an affordable, durable and usable wheelchair will increase the quality of many people’s lives, health outcomes and their ability to perform jobs and activities of daily living. The true evaluation of the design is how well the chair performs in the field over years of use. In order to determine the effectiveness of the wheelchair and make improvements where necessary, outcomes studies need to be implemented in India.
-Emily Zipfel, M.S.
Comparison of Mobility Device Delivery Within the Department of Veterans Affairs for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis Versus Spinal Cord Injury Fabrisia Ambrosio, Ph.D., Michael Boninger, M.D. Shirley G. Fitzgerald, Ph.D., Sandra Hubbard, Ph.D. Steven Schwid, M.D. Rory Cooper, Ph.D. Full Article Published in Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, pp. 693-702, Vol. 44, No. 5, 2007.
Purpose of Work: The purpose of this study was to: 1.) investigate the demographic differences between veterans with Multiple Sclerosis (V-MS) and Spinal Cord Injury (V-SCI) who were issued a wheelchair through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and 2.) describe differences in mobility prescription. Subjects and Procedures: The VHA National Patient Care Database and the National Prosthetics Patient Database were merged to obtain demographic and wheelchair distribution information for all veterans with SCI and MS in 2000 and 2001. Results: 7076 V-SCI or V-MS received wheelchairs in the three years investigated, 2154 of which had descriptive information about the type of wheelchair issued. Of these 2154 entries, we found that VMS were less likely to receive the higher quality (based on weight and adjustability) wheelchairs (manual or power) when compared to VSCI Relevance to wheelchair users: The disparity in wheelchair prescription within the VA for these two populations may help explain the reported differences in AT satisfaction.
-Fabrisia Ambrosio, Ph.D.
Longitudinal Assessment of Vibrations During Manual and Electric Powered Wheelchair Driving over Selected Sidewalk Surfaces Erik J. Wolf, Ph.D., Rory A. Cooper, Ph.D., Jon Pearlman, Ph.D. Shirley G. Fitzgerald, Ph.D., Annmarie Kelleher, M.S., OTR/L Full article published in Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, pp. 573-580, Vol. 44, No. 4, 2007.
Purpose of Work: Individuals in a seated position for long periods of time are at risk of injury and pain due to vibration exposure. Wheelchair users fit this description perfectly, however little research on this has been conducted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the amount of vibrations transmitted to the user during travel of different sidewalk surfaces over three years. Procedures: Ten unimpaired subjects propelled over nine different sidewalk surfaces in a manual wheelchair and a powered wheelchair in three consecutive years. Vibrations were collected at the seat and the footrest. One surface was a standard poured concrete sidewalk and each of the other eight was a concrete or brick paver of varying bevels. Results: There were significant differences between surfaces and years for both the manual and power wheelchairs. Relevance to Wheelchair Users: Using smaller bevels on pavers exposes individuals using wheelchairs to less vibration. It is possible to provide sidewalks that are made from concrete or brick pavers that are also safe for wheelchair users.
-Erik Wolf, PhD
Price R, Ashwell ZR, Chang MW, Boninger ML, Koontz AM, Sisto SA, Upper Limb Joint Power and its Distribution in Spinal Cord Injured Wheelchair Users: Steady State Self-Selected Speed Versus Maximal Acceleration Trials, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Vol. 88, No. 4, pp. 456-463, April 2007.
Authier EL, Pearlman J, Allegretti A, Rice I, Cooper RA, A Sports Wheelchair for Low Income Counties, Disability and Rehabilitation, pp. 963-967, Vol. 29, No. 11-12, June 2007.
Kirby RL, Cooper RA, Applicability of the Wheelchair Skills Program to the Indian Context, Disability and Rehabilitation, pp. 969-972, Vol. 29, No. 11-12, June 2007.
Zipfel E, Cooper RA, Pearlman J, Cooper RM, McCartney M, New Design and Development of a Manual Wheelchair for India, Disability and Rehabilitation, pp. 949-962, Vol. 29, No. 11-12, June 2007.
Dicianno BE, Tovey E, Power Mobility Device Provision: Understanding Medicare Guidelines and Advocating for Clients, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Vol. 88, No. 6, pp. 807-816, June 2007.
Chaves ES, Cooper RA, Collins DM, Karmarkar A, Cooper RM, Review of Use of Restraints and Lap Belts with Wheelchair Users, Assistive Technology Journal, Vol. 19.2, pp. 94-107, Summer 2007.
Simpson R, Koester H, LoPresti E, Selecting an Appropriate Scan Rate: The “.65 Rule”, Assistive Technology, Vol. 19.2, pp. 51-58, Summer 2007.
Koontz AM, Yang Y, Price R, Tolerico ML, DiGiovine CP, Sisto SA, Cooper RA, Boninger ML, Multi-site Comparison of Wheelchair Propulsion Kinetics in Persons with Paraplegia, Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, pp. 449-458, Vol. 44, No. 3, 2007.
Hubbard SL, Fitzgerald SG, Vogel B, Reker DM, Cooper RA, Boninger ML, Distribution and Cost of Wheelchairs and Scooters Provided by the Veterans Health Administration, Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, pp. 581-592, Vol. 44, No. 4, 2007.
Wolf EJ, Cooper RA, Pearlman J, Fitzgerald SG, Kelleher AR, Longitudinal Assessment of Vibrations During Manual and Electric Powered Wheelchair Driving over Selected Sidewalk Surfaces, Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, pp. 573-580, Vol. 44, No. 4, 2007.
Tolerico ML, Ding D, Cooper RA, Spaeth DM, Fitzgerald SG, Cooper R, Kelleher A, Boninger ML, Assessing the Mobility Characteristics and Activity Levels of Manual Wheelchair Users, Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, pp. 561-572, Vol. 44, No. 4, 2007.
Ambrosio F, Boninger ML, Fitzgerald SG, Hubbard S, Schwid S, Cooper RA, Comparison of Mobility Device Delivery Within the Department of Veterans Affairs for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis Versus Spinal Cord Injury, Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, pp. 693-702, Vol. 44, No. 5, 2007.
Cooper RA, Cooper RM, Vertical Value: Whether Sitting or Standing, Vertical Movement Has Its' Advantages!, Paraplegia News, pp. 34-38, Vol. 61, No. 8, August 2007.
Sibenaller S, Souza A, Research Update: State of the Science Workshop, Paraplegia News, pp. 39-41, Vol. 61, No. 8, August 2007.
Seelman KD, Collins DM, Bharucha AJ, Osborn J, Giving Meaning to Quality of Life Through Technology, Nursing Homes Magazine, pp. 40-42, Vol. 56, No. 10, October 2007.
HOPE Network’s 25th Healthsports Ski Classic will be held from February 4-5, 2008 at Hidden Valley Ski Resort in the Laurel Mountains of Southwestern PA (about 60 miles from Pittsburgh) For more information or to register for this adaptive skiing event, please contact the Healthsports office at 412-826-2703.
The Department of RST at the University of Pittsburgh organized a second OIF/OEF Community Response Symposium at Hiram G. Andrews Center in Johnstown, PA, on July 24, 2007. The symposium addressed returning veterans’ needs and featured world renowned experts from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the VA, the Department of Defense, and the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, as well as opening remarks from Congressman John P. Murtha. The speakers covered topics ranging from amputations, brain injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder, and provided valuable information for veterans to connect to service groups such as the US Wounded Warrior Program.
Times Online.com (Beaver County Times and Allegheny Times, April 2007: Groundbreaking for Vet's New House http://www.timesonline.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18281948&BRD=2305&PAG=461&dept_id=478569&rfi=6
KPVA Parascope, p. 5, May/June 2007: Open House Drew a Wide Variety of Guests
AAP News, pp. 8-9, Summer 2007: 2007 Annual Meeting Highlights
Great Games Gazette, p. 2, June 2007: ADA Medical Research at the Games http://www1.va.gov/vetevent/nvwg/2007/docs/2007%20Gazette%20NVWG%20Fri%200622%20Web.pdf
Pittsburgh Post Gazette, June 2007: Thinkers: Wheelchairs Compound Troubles for Some Users http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07176/796910-85.stm
Paraplegia News, p. 25, July 2007: Research Utilization & Dissemination: From Research to the Clinic, Rachel Cowan, MS
Western PA Hospital News, p. 18, July 2007: VAPHS Lab Creates Modern Technology to Improve Lives Valley News Dispatch, pp. B1-B3, July 2007: Two Local Veterans Score Big at National Wheelchair Athletic Competition
Web Wire, July 2007: Pitt’s Dr. Rory Cooper to Emcee Pennsylvania Disabled Veterans Rehabilitation Vocational Retraining Project: Community Response Symposium II http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=42801
What's Happening at the McGowan Institute? August 2007: Dr. Cooper to Receive Da Vinci Lifetime Achievement Award http://www.mirm.pitt.edu/Newsletter/archive/0708newsletter.asp
VA Research Currents, p. 5, August/September 2007: Wheelchair Innovator to be Honored by Multiple Sclerosis Society http://www.research.va.gov/resources/pubs/docs/va_research_currents_aug-sept_07.pdf V
A Research Advances, September 2007: Prosthetics/Amputations http://www.research.va.gov/resources/pubs/docs/Prosthetics.pdf
Mobility Management, pp. 36-37, September 2007: Q&A With Dr. Rory Cooper Paraplegia News, pp. 26-27, October 2007: People in the News: Dr. Rory Cooper
At first, the thought of lobbying for one’s position especially in the historic surroundings of the United States Capitol, seemed like a daunting task. However, through the two day conference I learned how important it is for law makers to hear what issues are important to the people who live in their states in order to make laws that reflect the needs of their constituents. I also learned skills and techniques in talking with and contacting government representatives.
The most valuable part of the conference was the opportunity to actually visit with legislators and their staff. As part of the group of AIMBE representatives from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon we met with the offices of Senators Arlen Specter and Robert Casey and Congressman Michael Doyle to show support of medical and biological research. All representatives appreciated the information we provided and voiced support for medical and biological engineering research.
Advocating for a position can be challenging, but rewarding as well. Here are some suggestions learned from the conference:
·Be clear about who you represent
·Present your goals in a straightforward manner
·Show that your position is “good policy”
Letters to public officials (written frequently) are very effective in influencing the decisions of our leaders
More information, including presentations from the AIMBE federal symposium, can be found on the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering website at www.aimbe.org.
-Sara Sibenaller
The National MS Society Michigan Chapter formally presented HERL Director Rory Cooper, PhD with their da Vinci Lifetime Achievement Award at a gala event at the Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn, Michigan on September 28.
Dr. Cooper also became a Biomedical Engineering Society Fellow on Sept. 28. BMES awards Fellow status to Society members who demonstrate exceptional achievements and experience in the field of biomedical engineering, and a record of membership and participation in the Society.
HERL Medical Director Michael Boninger, MD was appointed Interim Chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh.
HERL walkers formed a team to raise over $500 for Easter Seals “Walk with Me” on July 15, 2007 at the Pittsburgh Zoo. The HERL walkers were Rory and Rosemarie Cooper, Mark and Joan McCartney, Annmarie, Presley, and Kayleigh Kelleher, Harshal Mahajan, and Christine Heiner. HERL students Padmaja Kankipati, Mike Turkovich, and Elise Ferguson attended the Disability Pride Rally on July 26, 2007. Organized by Three Rivers Center for Independent Living and the Kittanning Investigative Group, the event at Waterfront Park in Kittanning commemorated the 17th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. HERL sponsored HOPE Network’s 3rd annual Las Vegas Night on November 2, 2007. The event raised funds to support the Steel City Starz, our local women's’ wheelchair basketball team in Pittsburgh.
Attention Manual Wheelchair Users The Human Engineering Research Laboratories is looking for manual wheelchair users to participate in a research study.
If you are between the ages of 18 and 65, use a manual wheelchair as your main means of Mobility, and do not have a progressive or degenerative disability, you may be eligible to participate in a research study. We are investigating the relationship between wheelchair propulsion and nerve and tendon health. If you agree to participate, we will ask you to come to our lab for various evaluations including, a physical examination, completion of a questionnaire, an ultrasound evaluation of your arm, an evaluation of how you propel your wheelchair, and possibly nerve conduction studies. The testing is expected to take a maximum of 6 hours and you will be reimbursed $100 for your participation. Your participation in this study is strictly voluntary. All information will be kept strictly confidential. If you would like to participate or have questions please contact one of the Clinical Coordinators: Michelle, Annmarie or Emily, at (412) 365-4850. Principal Investigator: Michael L. Boninger, MD Human Engineering Research Laboratories VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System 7180 Highland Drive, Bldg 4, 2nd floor, East 151R1-H Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Rehab Engineering Research Center on Recreational Technology and Exercise Physiology Benefiting Persons with Disabilities, Chicago. Project Title: Utility of Common Activity Monitoring Devices in Measuring Energy Expenditure in Individuals with SCI. Project Principle Investigator: Dan Ding, Ph.D. National Institute of Disability Rehabilitation Research.
Rehab Engineering Research Center on Spinal Cord Injury, University of Pittsburgh, SHRS. Project Title: Development of Measurement Tools for Propulsion Training in the Natural Environment. Project Principle Investigator: Dan Ding, Ph.D. Project Title: Effects of Handrim Technology on Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Injury. Project Principle Investigator: Michael Boninger, MD. National Institute of Disability Rehabilitation Research.
Manual Wheelchair Propulsion Training. Principle Investigator: Ian Rice, M.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Rehab Research and Development.
Development of a Lightweight Durable Adjustable Composite Backrest. University of Pittsburgh Principle Investigator: Rory Cooper, Ph.D. National Institutes of Health.
International Training and Research on Assistive Technologies for India and other Low-Income Countries. Principle Investigator: Rory Cooper, Ph.D. National Science Foundation.
Effect of Cross Slope on Accessibility for Manual Wheelchair Users. Principle Investigator: Rory Cooper, Ph.D. U.S. Access Board – Department of Justice . Rehabilitation of the Combat Amputee Consensus Conference and Creating a Roadmap for the Future. Principle Investigator: Rory Cooper, Ph.D. U.S. Army.
Computer-Based and Virtual Assessments of Power Wheelchair Mobility. Principle Investigators: Rory Cooper, PhD. and Brad Dicianno, M.D. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Rehab Research and Development. (conditionally funded)
Ultrasonographic Evaluation of the Median Nerve in Manual Wheelchair Users. Principle Investigator: Brad Impink, B.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Rehab Research and Development. (conditionally funded)
Accessible Website Design for Cognitive Impairment: e.g. Schizophrenia. Principle Investigator: Armando Rotondi, Ph.D. Co-Investigator: Richard Simpson, Ph.D. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Rehab Research and Development. (conditionally funded)
New Web Community for Wheelchair Users
Disaboom.com was founded by Dr. J. Glen House, a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation who is also a quadriplegic. His firsthand knowledge of the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and those whose lives they touch has driven the Disaboom.com mission: to create the first comprehensive, evolving source of information, insight, and personal engagement for the disability community. This extremely comprehensive web site has health, dating and living articles, job postings, discussion boards, and hundreds of accessibility reviews of restaurants, hotels, cruises, attractions, and facilities. Users also provide reviews of wheelchairs and other assistive equipment. Clicking the “My Disaboom” link allow users to become members and closely interact among this unique online community. Members can make friends, share their stories, and post photos and blogs, and help others by building Disaboom’s resources. The Disaboom social network comes together on the “community” page, where members’ bios, profiles, photos, and blogs are posted. Disaboom’s “Media Room” contains tons of video, many on adaptive sports (you’ve got to check out the instructional video on adaptive skydiving!) Join this new online community by visiting www.disaboom.com.
Quality of Life Summit Deemed a Success
The 1st Annual Quality of Life Technology (QoLT) Summit took place on November 7th and 8th. Organized by Executive Director Jim Osborn and Administrative Associate Melissa Keaton, it was a gathering of stakeholders and thought leaders in the area of using technology to deliver higher quality and more effective and efficient care for older adults and people with disabilities. The Summit brought together over 100 industry professionals, clinicians, researchers and government officials. Included in attendance were 17 technology provider companies and 21 support provider companies. The summit was co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and co-organized with PANPHA, the PA Homecare Association, the PA Health Care Association, and the Hiram G. Andrews Center.
The first day focused on panel discussions that addressed independent living, independent transportation, cognitive assistive technologies, and physical assistive technologies. Each panel included technology providers, support providers, technical and clinical researchers, representatives of government agencies, and other stakeholder organizations. The second day centered on group discussions along the same lines as the panel discussions with similar make-ups of the groups.
Among the government officials in attendance, Deputy Secretary of Aging and Public Welfare Michael Hall, DCED Manufacturing Ombudsman Tom Palisin and PA Senator Rob Wonderling gave keynote addresses regarding policy reform relating to assistive technologies.
Response to the Summit was very positive among the attendees, with most citing it as a unique opportunity to network with a broad, diverse group of stakeholders. The goals of the summit were to develop an outline for a forthcoming QoLT market assessment document, create needs and technology opportunity statements, and establish and foster stronger relationships among QoLT developers and users. All goals were met and documents will be elaborated upon in future summits.
-Mary Hershberger
PVA Magazine Editor Passes Away
Cliff Crase, editor of the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) magazines Paraplegia News (PN) and Sports N’ Spokes (SNS), sadly passed away on August 15, 2007 at the age of 68 following a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.
Mr. Crase entertained and enlightened PN's readers for years, first as sports columnist and later as editor (PN, 1978 to present; SNS, 1975 to present. PN is known as “The magazine for wheelchair users—news and information to broaden your horizons and improve your life.” SNS Magazine focuses on sports for people with disabilities.
A member of the U.S. Air Force, Cliff was stationed in the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean areas from 1956 to 1959. He sustained a spinal-cord injury in 1959 while an Air Force navigator.
Cliff served as PVA national sports director for ten years, after achieving great success as a national and international wheelchair athlete. He was a gold-medal swimmer on the U.S. Wheelchair Team (1967-70).
He held the world's breaststroke record for 1967 and 1968. He was inducted into the National Wheelchair Athletic Association (NWAA, now Wheelchair Sports of the U.S.A.) in 1973 and is a member of the Upper Michigan Sports Hall of Fame (1979) and the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) Hall of Fame (1989). In 2006, he was inducted into the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame (Michigan).
On behalf of PVA, HERL sends our deepest sympathy to Cliff’s wife Nancy and their daughter Tori, and to his dedicated team at the PN and SNS, whom he loved and respected dearly. Many of us at HERL knew Cliff personally through PVA, sports, and through his magazines. In addition to his lifelong dedication to PVA, Cliff has helped HERL tremendously by spreading the word about our research in SNS and PN in numerous feature articles over the last decade. Cliff will not be forgotten at HERL.
The Human Engineering Research Laboratories is recruiting individuals interested in participating in research studies for the WHEELCHAIR USERS REGISTRY. If you would like to be notified of Wheelchair related Research Studies for which you may be eligible to participate, contact The Human Engineering Research Laboratories and join the Wheelchair Users Registry. This is an informational resource and notification of a study does not obligate you to participate. You do not need to be located in nor are you required to travel to Pittsburgh in order to participate in research studies. If you are at least 18 years of age, and use a wheelchair or scooter, please contact Emily, Annmarie, or Michelle for more information.
VA PGH Healthcare System 7180 Highland Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15206
412-365-4850 registry@herlpitt.org www.herlpitt.org
Human Engineering Research Laboratories
VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System
7180 Highland Drive
Building 4, 2nd Floor East Wing, 151R-1
Pittsburgh, Pa, 15206
Phone: 412-365-4850
Fax: 412-365-4858
E-mail any comments, corrections, or questions concerning the newsletter to the editor, Christine Heiner
at heinercm@pitt.edu
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