Houston
Pediatric Specialty Care
Orthopaedics
Cleft Lip and Palate
Pediatric Specialty Care
Orthopaedics
Cleft Lip and Palate
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Helping Kids Keep Their Feet Firmly on the Ground While Reaching for the Stars
December 4, 2009
Every year, the Grand High Priestess of the Ladies’ Oriental Shrine of North America, a ladies organization connected to the Shriners fraternity, chooses a special project to promote throughout her year in office. After discussions with staff of Shriners Hospitals for Children — Houston’s motion analysis laboratory, Lady Patricia “PC” Mabray, chose their project, “Balance: Keeping Your Feet Firmly on the Ground.”
The project is a research effort aimed at developing a better understanding of how various orthopaedic diagnoses or injuries impact a child’s ability to balance. Although many children with these issues have problems with balance, it remains a relatively untapped area of research. In fact, few studies have been done that look at how a treatment provided for an orthopaedic condition may change a patient’s ability to balance.
Although not something most think about, being able to balance oneself is a critical element in the routines of daily life.
Judi Linton, motion analysis laboratory research coordinator explained, “Balance is truly a critical element of independent living. For children, it means being able to move about with confidence, at home, school and play.”
Mabray understands the importance of this skill, and wants to help.
“While visiting the Shriners Hospital for Children in Houston, I was so touched by the children who are in need of balance treatment,” said Mabray. “After speaking with staff members there I knew for sure that helping children keep their feet firmly on the ground while reaching for the stars would be our mission.”
The special project of the Grand Council of the Ladies’ Oriental Shrine of North America generally raises about $100,000, which will be used to purchase equipment needed to both test and train children with balance problems caused by underlying orthopaedic conditions such as cerebral palsy or scoliosis.
Shriners Hospitals for Children — Houston has already begun several balance-related research projects. One, in collaboration with Texas Woman’s University (TWU), involves evaluating the impact of ankle braces on children with cerebral palsy.
A second collaborative study with TWU is underway to examine the effect of musculoskeletal surgery on balance in children with cerebral palsy. Motion analysis laboratory staff are testing the children prior to surgery and again a year after surgery to see what kinds of changes in their balance have taken place.
The funding received from the Ladies of the Oriental Shrine is intended to benefit patients throughout the Shriners Hospitals for Children health care system. The Houston Shriners Hospital is looking forward to collaborating with other Shriners Hospitals for Children on balance-related research in the future.
It is hoped these efforts will lead to developing new treatment plans that provide better results to children with orthopaedic conditions or injuries, ultimately improving their lives.
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