June 2016 AWS, Case Management and Certified Peer Visitor Training on the Way!

Yes - that's right!  A combined training event will be held June 15, 2016.  In addition to the Amputee Walking School session, and the Case Manager continuing education session, Certified Peer Visitor training will be offered. And all of the three individual sessions are FREE! FREE! It's time to register for the event that so many clinicians, case managers, and lower limb amputees have previously enjoyed, or train to become a Peer Visitor.  All events will be held at the University of Maryland Rehabilitation and Orthopaedic Institute (UMROI) at 2200 Kernan Drive in Baltimore. 

Everyone that comes that day is welcome at the evening AWS session from 4-7pm to network and participate.  THE MORE THE MERRIER!!

Amputee Walking School for Persons With Amputation

The Amputee Walking School series is co-hosted by the Amputee Support Group, UMROI and Dankmeyer.  It aims to teach and practice training exercises for lower limb amputees.  Todd Schaffhauser and Dennis Oehler, Paralympians and self-styled “professional amputees”, co-founded the Amputee Walking School in 1989 to take amputees beyond traditional rehabilitation.  Their stories and training sessions are an inspiration to the professionals, amputees and their families who attend.  Previous amputee participants are encouraged to attend more than one session - all free of charge.  New attendees are always welcome!

NEW THIS SESSION: Special activities geared toward child amputees!

Registration for amputees can be found at Eventbrite.com.  This session will be 4-7 pm.

Case Manager Continuing Education

For information and registration for the Case Manager Training, 2-4 pm, click here.

Certified Peer Visitor Training Class

In addition to Amputee Walking School, a day long training session will be held for those interested in becoming a Peer Visitor.  This 8am - 4pm program is hosted by UMROI and Dankmeyer, in collaboration with the Amputee Coalition (AC).  This session is from 8am - 4pm at the same location.  There is a short list of criteria to look at, to help interested parties understand what the AC expects.  That criteria can be found by clicking here.

If you find you are interested,  or you want more information about becoming an Amputee Coalition Certified Peer Visitor, please contact Kevin Hughes at khughes@dankmeyer.com, or you can call 410-636-8114 for questions and registration. The application for this program can be found by clicking here.  Lunch will be provided to all registered participants.

 

Did you attend March Amputee Walking School?

The 2016 season of Amputee Walking School events kicked off on March 16, 2016, the first of three dates this year. The University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute welcomed back Dennis Oehler and Todd Schaffhauser for the popular program. Todd and Dennis are both individuals with amputation who won their running events in the 1988 Seoul Paralympics, and now travel around the country with this event. Hosted locally by the Amputee Support Group, and co-sponsored by Dankmeyer Inc. Prosthetics and Orthotics, the program is designed for people with lower extremity amputation - with sessions for clinicians and patients with their families.

The program includes instruction in exercises for people with amputation to improve walking, balance, coordination and even running!  Included is testing for balance and walking speed with retests at subsequent events to track your progress.  Attendees always enjoy the positive atmosphere and team work that is found at these events.  Here are some pictures of the March event we hope you will enjoy - and please plan to join us for the next three sessions:

  • June 15, 2016 - in conjunction with the Amputee Coalition Peer Visitor training

  • November 16, 2016

 

New Dates for Amputee Walking School

Dates for the 2016 series of Advanced Gait Training for Individuals with Lower Extremity Amputations (Amputee Walking School) have been announced.  

  • March 16, 2016

  • June 15, 2016

  • November 16, 2016

If you are interested in attending, either as a professional, or as an amputee, put these dates on your calendar!  

Registration for the March 16 event is open.  

For amputees and their families, click here.  There is no charge for attending!

For professionals who want to learn more about this event, click here.

All events will be held at the University of Maryland Rehabilitation and Orthopaedic Institute (UMROI) on Kernan Drive in Baltimore. This series is co-hosted by the Amputee Support Group, UMROI and Dankmeyer.  It aims to teach and practice training exercises for lower limb amputees.  Todd Schaffhauser and Dennis Oehler, Paralympians and self-styled “professional amputees”, co-founded the Amputee Walking School in 1989 to take amputees beyond traditional rehabilitation.  Their stories and training sessions are an inspiration to the professionals, amputees and their families who attend.

Previous amputee participants are encouraged to attend more than one session.  We will post additional information as soon as it becomes available.  For pictures and video of previous sessions, please scroll down through OLDER news on this page.

Summer Advanced Gait Training/Amputee Walking School Complete!

Hosted by the Amputee Support Group, Dankmeyer and the University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopedic Institute co-sponsored the June 17, 2015 session of Advanced Gait Training for Individuals with Lower Extremity Amputations.  Fourth in an ongoing series of training sessions, the morning program of Advanced Gait Training and the evening session of Amputee Walking School is designed to bring Paralympians and self-styled “professional amputees” Todd Schaffhauser and Dennis Oehler together with other amputees and their families, physical therapists, prosthetists and support staff - to teach and practice training exercises for lower limb amputees.  Todd and Dennis, both lower limb amputees, co-founded the Amputee Walking School (AWS) in 1989 to take amputees beyond traditional rehabilitation.  This June session was attended by over 30 clinicians and patients and they were joined by a large group of physical therapy students from the University of Maryland.

Mark Hopkins, CEO of Dankmeyer, a Certified Prosthetist Orthotist and a Physical Therapist, notes: “Amputees need training to use their prosthesis properly as only so much can be overcome with technology.  A long term relationship between the patient and his/her support team is motivation for progress and helps to facilitate confidence in device use.  There is a starting point for prosthesis use - the patient progresses from beginner, to intermediate and advanced use.  Over a span of time there is a change of ability and progress in movement.  Sometimes people plateau or digress, or are ready for the next advance.  This multi-disciplinary clinic is designed for long term followup and provides a touchstone for all involved to evaluate progress.   For these reasons this is a continuing education training program - it is meant to benefit all levels for gait training, and patients are encouraged to attend AWS regularly."

Todd and Dennis begin with a morning lecture and demonstration session, primarily attended by physical therapists and clinicians, to review the biomechanics of walking, running and other physical activities with a prosthetic device.  They discuss how to assess functional level and learn to look for indicators of successful prosthetic use. Stretching and strengthening exercises for amputees are reviewed along with some treatment approaches for their patients.  Todd and Dennis provide a number of practical demonstrations with the lecture and share their experiences as Para-Olympian Track and Field Medalists to educate and inspire these clinicians on sports and recreational opportunities for amputees.

 

After this morning session, clinicians are joined by patients in a gym environment where Todd and Dennis rotate through clinician/patient workgroups for hands on exercises.  Patients work with assistive devices, Therabands, stairs, balance boards, balance beam, agility gym floor ladder, and even an obstacle course in some cases.  With these tools they work on fast walking, self selected walking speed, varying steps, running, balance and knee control, movement on stairs and curbs, and for some pediatric patients, perhaps kicking a soccer ball. Family members who are present are able to participate and assist in these activities.

Todd and Dennis never fail to engage all attendees in an educational experience that is both fun, active and informative.  We look forward to their next visit Wednesday, October 21, 2015.  Specific information will be available soon.