Update: Here are the sessions!

Professor Nachiappan (Nachi) Chockalingam -  Plantar Pressure Analysis: From Research to Frontline Clinical Practice

Patrict Rainville: Guiding Clinicians through the Process of Assessing Complex Orthotic Cases

Dr. Joe Hart and Amelia Bruce - ACL Reconstruction: How Instrumentation and Data-Monitoring Enhances Clinical Decisions.

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Data obtained from pressure mapping and measurement technologies can provide key clinical insights to improve patient outcomes. From plantar pressure measurement for diabetic foot disease, to post-ACL reconstructive monitoring, to the most complex orthotics cases, learn how performing assessments of foot pressure, gait and balance helps clinicians get their patients on the road to recovery. Join us as we learn from three highly-experienced and knowledgeable researchers, clinicians and educators in the field of gait analysis as they share results from actual case studies, innovative protocols, and cutting-edge research.

Sign up for this free webinar today. ABC-Approved 3.0 CEUs.

Speaker Sessions

Professor Nachiappan (Nachi) Chockalingam 3:00 – 4:00 pm EST

Title: Plantar Pressure Analysis: From Research to Frontline Clinical Practice

Whilst highlighting various techniques used in plantar pressure measurement, Professor Chockalingam will provide an overview of available procedures to analyse data and support effective clinical management. He will use examples from his research to showcase how research-informed practice has changed the way clinicians currently manage patients who have complications resulting from diabetic foot disease. He will focus on the use of plantar pressure measurement in his cutting-edge research on footwear materials and explain how this has the potential to lead to the development of clinical management to prevent diabetic foot ulcers.

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Patrick Rainville, chiropodist 4:00 – 5:00 pm EST

Title: Guiding Clinicians through the Process of Assessing Complex Orthotic Cases

This session will describe how pressure measurement technologies can assist providers with difficult orthotic cases, resulting in these complex cases being common and often left unresolved. This class of patients typically see many professionals from wide-ranging backgrounds in the medical industry as they attempt to resolve their issues. In effect, patients are left broke, symptomatic, and hopeless. Providers who face complex cases expect results, using experience and peer review journals to figure out the best management plans for these clients. Providers who cannot achieve results become frustrated and discouraged and spend office resources to help these patients. Tekscan gait analysis technology can assist providers with assessing, fitting, and re-assessment of an orthotic case. The session will describe three complex cases using pressure measurement technology and how patients and providers can use a data-driven management plan to manage expectations.

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Dr. Joe Hart and Amelia Bruce 5:00 – 6:00 pm

Title: ACL Reconstruction: How Instrumentation and Data-Monitoring Enhances Clinical Decisions.

Precise instrumented musculoskeletal evaluations are essential to support healthcare decisions, especially for patients recovering from ACL reconstruction with the goal of returning to high level sports.  In this session, Dr. Joe Hart and Amelia Leicht will provide an overview of an approach to monitoring rehabilitation progress and return-to-play testing following ACL reconstruction using instrumented assessments of balance and loading distribution. Their talk will introduce a specific protocol called the LEAP program (Lower Extremity Assessment Protocol) used to assess functional outcomes following ACLR.

Speaker Bios

Professor Nachiappan (Nachi) Chockalingam

Director, Centre for Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Technologies , Staffordshire University, UK.

Nachi is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, an Affiliate Professor at the University of Malta, and a Visiting Professor at Sri Ramachandra University, India. He has published over 230 full research manuscripts alongside numerous abstracts, book chapters and lectures. He has served on the boards of and supported several international scientific communities. He reviews for several journals and grant-awarding bodies worldwide. He is also an Associate Editor for the ‘Footwear Science’, ‘Prosthetics and Orthotics International’ and ‘Rehabilitation for Musculoskeletal Conditions’ journals. His research has received funding from various international bodies including the European Commission and the British Council. His work focuses on translational research and he has played a pivotal role in bringing various allied health professionals to the wider biomechanics community. He has published widely on pressure measurement and its utility in the clinical assessment of the foot at risk.

Patrick Rainville

Patrick Rainville graduated as a Chiropodist from the Michener Institute of Applied Health Sciences in 1997. He is a member of the Ontario Society of Chiropodists and the College of Chiropodists of Ontario.

Rainville Foot Health has been established for twenty-five years. It is co-owned with his business partner and wife, Tina Marie (Rivest) Rainville, in Timmins, Ontario. The Rainville’s also has co-established practices in Owen Sound and Hanover. The clinic has a multidisciplinary approach to foot health.  The team consists of RPN Foot Care Nurses, a Pedorthist, Lab Technician, Chiropodists and Support Staff. Patrick holds the post of Visionary and Senior Chiropodist for the organization.

The clinic specializes in second opinion biomechanical cases, nail surgery and plantar warts removal. Patrick has had a particular interest in pressure measurement systems and gait analysis.

The practice is a clinical site for the 3rd year Ontario Chiropody program. It also regularly hosts medical students from NOSM as a part of their clinical rotations. Patrick continues to help his colleagues and profession in the medical foot health industry with his consulting company The Foot Health Network. 

Dr. Joe Hart

 Joe Hart is the Norfleet-Raney Distinguished Professor and Vice Chair for Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  Dr. Hart’s research is devoted to studying outcomes following musculoskeletal injury and orthopaedic surgery with primary focus on patients with knee ligament (anterior cruciate ligament, ACL) reconstruction.  Dr. Hart has developed point-of-care research programs utilizing performance assessments that creates data to help track recovery in patients following ACL reconstruction surgery.  This line of research leverages the most current and emerging evaluation tools and techniques to understand barriers to recovery.  The ultimate goal is the use of data to support important healthcare decision-making aimed at reducing risk of re-injury and promoting well-being through safe engagement in physical activity.

Amelia Bruce

Amelia Bruce Leicht is a PhD candidate at the University of Virginia in the Sports Medicine program working in the Exercise and Sports Injury Laboratory. Amelia received her Bachelor's degree in Exercise and Sport Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2017, and completed her Masters of Science in Exercise Science from Appalachian State University in 2019. Amelia's primary research interest is directed towards leveraging metrics derived from limb loading during functional tasks as well as musculoskeletal return-to-play assessments following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction to enhance clinical decision making.