OCTOBER NEWSLETTER Patients in The News Danny Stein (Bilateral BK amputee) was featured in Long Island’s Newsday on September 14th for his recent athletic accomplishments. Since taking up golf after watching the US Open at the famed Bethpage Black Golf Course, Danny a high school junior, has excelled to being the No. 1 player on the Bethpage High School Golf team.
Tommy Koehler (BK Amputee) will be featured in the November issue of Runners World. Tommy will be running the NYC Marathon for the second time and will be featured in the Runners World New York City Marathon issue. The article focuses on Tommy’s training and preparation for the Marathon. Look for Tommy’s article which will be on newsstands in early October.
As of the third episode of the Emmy award winning CBS show, “The Amazing Race”, Sarah Reinersten (AK amputee), and her teammate, Peter Harsch, are in fifth place. Keep watching on Sunday nights at 8pm ET to see how Sarah and Peter fare in this world wide reality show competition. A Note from Theresa, Patient Care Coordinator Hi everyone! The holidays are rapidly approaching, and the schedule is starting to fill up, especially for the days the kids are out of school. Please consider this, and keep in mind that our office will be closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday November 23rd and 24th, Christmas Day, December 25th, and New Years Day, January 1st. Of course, we will accommodate any emergencies that arise, but please try to prevent them by making your routine follow up appointments now. Thank you. From the Billing Department Yes, it is that time of year again, summer ends and fall begins. It is also Insurance Options time for most people. It is time to check your insurance coverage to make sure that you are optimizing your prosthetic coverage. So check your options and your insurance coverage. If you have any questions about your current insurance coverage or any changes in coverage call the billing department or email us at janet@astepaheadonline.com New Technology Recently there has been a lot of print and TV media regarding the newest prosthetic technology, specifically the innovations in computerized knees and feet. A Step Ahead is currently one of the few private prosthetic facilities in the world to be recognized by Ossur as a provider of Bionic Technology. This includes the Power Knee for above the knee amputees and the soon to be released Proprio Foot for below the knee amputees. For more information about these exciting advancements in prosthetics watch our video, Live life without Limitations or call us for more details. Look for more information on our web site in the near future about New Technology in Prosthetics.
ASPIRE Support Group Meeting The monthly ASPIRE adult amputee support group meeting takes place on Wednesday, October 25 at 6:15 pm at the Hospital for Special Surgery located at 535 East 70th Street, NY, NY For more information about this informative monthly meeting contact Charlie Steele at charlieatl@aol.com or (646) 331-1510. Mobility Clinics Join Dave Balsley, P.T. and Phil Kreuter, P.T. for their monthly mobility clinic, Sunday, October 22 at 10 am at the Jericho High School track. They will provide instruction in gait training running techniques as well as advanced mobility skills. Dave and Phil have extensive experience working with amputees of all ages and activity levels. For more information and directions to the mobility clinic, please call the office. Team A Step Ahead 50 Mile Ocean to Sound Relay – On Sunday, September 10, Team A Step Ahead once again took on the challenge of the ocean to sound relay which traverses through 50 miles of roads in Nassau county Long Island from Jones Beach to Oyster Bay. This annual event, hosted by the Greater Long Island Running Club, consisted of 89 eight-person teams. Due to last minute injuries and changes, Team A Step Ahead was forced to run with only 6 runners. The team of 6 runners included Tommy Koehler (BK) (who ran legs 1 & 6), Lauren Peters (BK), Isaac Feliciano (BK), Brian O’Sullivan (AK/PFFD), Lori Penesis (BK), and Amy Winters (BK) (who ran legs 7 & 8). On a bright sunny Sunday morning Tommy Koehler led off the team running the first leg at a very fast 6:44 pace. In total, the 6 person team averaged an 8:09 pace for the 50 miles. The team’s final time of 6 hours and 51 minutes placed them 46th out of 89 teams, and was the fastest time for a physically challenged team in the history of the race. Supporting Team A Step ahead were Team Leader Phil Kreuter, PT, and Erik Schaffer, CP and Chris Kort, CPO, providing prosthetic support. Team A Step Ahead looks forward to improving on this performance next year. Amy Winters and Kelly Bruno spent the first few days of September in Lausanne, Switzerland, at the International Triathlon Union World age Group Championships. Despite the smaller than expected turnout of athletes with disabilities, Amy and Kelly got to participate along side the world’s best triathletes and compete at a world class event. Amy and Kelly took first and second place respectively in their physically-challenged divison.
Also over seas, in Great Britain was Jesse Karamzin (BK), who competed in the 2006 World Rowing Championships. His team of 4 rowers took 5th place in their division against very tough international competition.
Closer to home on September 17, Ray Viscome (BK) competed in the prestigious Westchester Olympic Distance Triathlon. Ray completed the race in a time of 2 hours and 32 minutes, placing him 185th out of a total of 691 finishers. Ray would have placed 23 out of 54 triathletes in the 45-49 year age group. From the Prosthetic Staff THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER SHOEWEAR When being fit with a prosthesis your prosthetist will align your prosthesis according to the shoe that you are wearing. If your prosthesis does not have a high heel adjustable ankle, changing shoes may be challenging. It is not uncommon for a patient to suddenly have socket issues when changing shoes. For example, summer just ended and a patient may choose to no longer wear sneakers and switch to a shoe or a boot. Sneakers traditionally have a lower heel height and the heel is made of soft rubber or an air bladder. The soft rubber or air bladder allow for compression at heel strike which correlates to a smooth roll over on the prosthetic foot. A shoe or boot which has a stiffer rubber sole will not allow for as much compression of the heel which will adversely affect your socket fit. In addition to being stiffer the heels are usually higher.
There are a variety of gait deviations that may occur when changing shoes. If you notice discomfort and/or difficulty with walking when wearing new shoes it is important that you call your prosthetist. If you do not have a high heel adjustable ankle, then you should bring a range of shoes that you wear so that the prosthetist can align the prosthesis accordingly using the appropriate size custom heel wedges. Proper shoe and heel heights are essential. If you are currently shoe shopping try different shoes keeping in mind the importance of the heel. Air bladders which have been traditionally for sneakers are now being applied to dress shoes and other shoe wear. An air bladder allows for more compression at heel strike and a smoother roll over. Air bladders will always rebound to a neutral position, which will decrease wear on the heel and increase the longevity of your investment.
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