The Orthotic and Prosthetic Education and Research Foundation (OPERF) announced the recipients of the 2011 Research Awards Program. According to a press release, the organization congratulated this year’s award recipients and thanked everyone who applied. The release stated that OPERF’s board of directors also extends its gratitude and appreciation to all of those who served as clinical and scientific reviewers for this year’s submissions.
The Small Grant Award went to Mark D. Geil, PhD, and O&P Business News Practitioner Advisory Council member, in the department of kinesiology and health at Georgia State University, and Kinsey Herrin, a resident orthotist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in the orthotics and prosthetics department. The two received the award for “Minimizing Bracing in the Treatment of Idiopathic Toe Walking: A Randomized Controlled Trial to Compare Functional Outcomes after Treatment with an Articulated Ankle-Foot Orthosis and a Rigid Carbon Fiber Footplate.”
There were two winners of the Resident Travel Award: John Frederick, CO/LO, BEP, of Scheck & Siress, for “Transtibial Amputees’ Ability and Knowledge of Sock Management and the Relationship to the Educational Needs of Amputees,” and Brock Sande, CP, of Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics, for “Using Gait Analysis to Compare the Biomechanical Effects of AFOs Designed with a Solid Ankle versus AFOs Designed with a Compression Heel.”
OPERF stated that the organization is proud to promote research and education activities in the O&P profession through activities such as the 2011 Research Award Program. Thanks go out to all the individuals, companies and organizations within the O&P profession who sustain these programs through donations.
