FOX 4: Here’s to You – Burrel Poston

FOX 4: Here’s to You – Burrel Poston

by | Feb 10, 2022 | General News, Press Coverage

At 46 years, Burrel Poston retired as the current longest tenured employee at Scottish Rite for Children.

Burrel started working at Scottish Rite when he was a teenager. In his own words, “I was an 18-year-old looking for a job in 1975. I went to Airline Personnel Agency to apply for a job I saw in The Dallas Times Herald Newspaper. The job I wanted was filled, but they mentioned they had an opening in the Print Shop at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. I came here, was interviewed and then hired. I paid the agency $300.00. Best $300.00 I have ever spent. I started here January 12, 1976 – 46 years ago. I had no clue that I was beginning a career path that would shape my life as a man, a mason, and most of all, as person who loves this hospital.”

We are extremely honored to have had Burrel as a Scottish Rite employee for the past 46 years and wish him nothing but the best in his retirement.

Watch the full story.

Clarice tinsley wrote a post on january 12 1976 | Clarice Tinsley 16h. HERE'S TO YOU: January 12, 1976 Burrell Poston started working in the print shop at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. He worked his way up to Masonic Liaison in the Development Dept. On January 31 he retired after 46 years at Scottish Rite for Children as the longest tenured employee. For long time residents, Burrell got the job info from the Dallas Times Herald which was the evening newspaper

Overuse Injuries in Pediatric Female Gymnasts

Overuse Injuries in Pediatric Female Gymnasts

by | Feb 9, 2022 | Sports Medicine

Overuse injuries can come in many forms and remain a concern for athletes of various sports.

Many recognize the risk of overuse injuries in the elbow in baseball players, but did you know gymnasts are at risk for elbow injuries as well? In our pediatric sports medicine practice, we see two unique conditions of overuse in gymnasts’ elbows. These conditions are triggered differently than in a throwing athlete. For gymnasts, these injuries are caused by compression when the arms are repeatedly in a weight-bearing position.

Recently published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, this study from our team described the different aspects between the following elbow conditions induced by repeated activity in a group of 58 competitive gymnasts seen in our practice.

What is capitellar osteochondritis dissecans (OCD)?
A rare, painful developmental bone and cartilage injury to the capitellum on the elbow end of the humerus, the upper arm bone.

What is a radial head stress fracture?
An even less common bone injury to the radial head, the elbow end of a forearm bone, caused by repeated compressive forces in the elbow.

“Even though these are rare conditions, we see them enough that we were able to look at a large group seen over five years in our practice,” study author Chuck W. Wyatt, M.S., CPNP, says,  Comparing multiple details of the images and characteristics of the gymnasts, including activity levels, the study found several key findings.

  • Both injuries present at a young age, 11.6 years on average in this group.
  • Radial head stress fracture may be more likely in a more acute (sudden) manner.
  • Likelihood of returning to competition seemed likelier with higher level of training and competition at the time of diagnosis.
  • Having capitellar OCD on both elbows was associated with the lowest rate of return. One in three returned to same or similar level of competition.

In our sports medicine practice, we will use this information to counsel gymnasts who present with these conditions and more importantly, continue to study and educate the gymnastics community about early recognition, treatment and prevention. “This population has so many unique characteristics to consider when it comes to injuries,” assistant chief of staff and lead author Philip L. Wilson, M.D., says. “We look forward to continuing to study to understand how growing and intense training affect their bones and long-term health, particularly in the elbow.”

This study, “Elbow Overuse Injuries in Pediatric Female Gymnastic Athletes” was published in a highly rated, peer-reviewed journal, The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. Authors include Scottish Rite for Children Sports Medicine medical staff and former research coordinators who have gone on to pursue post-graduate degrees in the field.

Read the full article here.

Learn more about Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) in the Elbow.

What are Flat Feet?

What are Flat Feet?

by | Feb 3, 2022 | Clubfoot & Foot Disorders

At Scottish Rite for Children, the Center for Excellence in Foot includes a multidisciplinary team of experts who collaborate to determine the best treatment plan for each patient. We know there are a lot of questions if your child begins treatment for their flat feet (Pes Planus). Below are the most commonly asked and the answers from our team. What are flat feet? Flat feet are the flattening of the arches of the feet when standing. What is the cause? Children’s bones and joints are flexible, which can cause their feet to flatten when they stand. Babies are often born with flat feet, and this condition may continue into early childhood. Flat feet can also be hereditary or run-in families. In most children, the feet become less flexible, the arch develops, and flat feet disappear by the age of five or six, but some children continue to have flat feet into adulthood. Do flat feet cause pain? Flat feet are usually painless and do not interfere with walking or participation in sports. In young children, flat feet are not associated with pain to the knees, hips or back. What are the two types of flat feet? 1. Flexible flat feet
  • A flexible flat foot is a variation of a normal foot.
  • Flexible flat feet can be normal in most infants and toddlers, as the arch has not yet developed.
  • The arch is visible when the child is sitting or on their tiptoes, but the arch collapses when the child is standing.
  • This type may be seen in multiple family members.
2. Rigid flat feet
  • A rigid flat foot means that there is no arch in the foot, even when the child is standing on the tiptoes.
  • The motion of the foot and ankle is stiff.
  • X-rays or other imaging may be ordered to determine why your child has a rigid flat foot.
What are treatments for painful flat feet?
  • Most flat feet are not painful and do not require any treatment.
  • For painful flat feet, treatment is focused on comfort and flexibility.
    • Shoe inserts or tennis shoes with a stiff sole and good arch support may be used for painful flat feet, but they will not permanently change the appearance of the foot.
    • Over-the-counter gel and soft shoe inserts are often recommended.
    •  Hard plastic inserts tend to cause discomfort.
    • A referral may be made to an orthotist, for custom shoe inserts.
  • A stretching exercise program may be recommended for flexible flat feet with tight heel cords.
  • Surgery is not recommended in most cases of flat feet.
Learn more about the common foot disorders our experts treat.
Get to Know our Staff: Rhae Kiessling, Orthotics & Prosthetics

Get to Know our Staff: Rhae Kiessling, Orthotics & Prosthetics

by | Jan 31, 2022 | Prosthetics & Orthotics

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite for Children?  
I work directly with patients to assess their musculoskeletal needs and design prosthetic and orthotic devices that will enhance a sector of their lives. An orthosis acts upon a bone or joint that is existent on the patient, whereas a prosthesis substitutes for a bone or joint that is missing. A majority of orthotic and prosthetic devices assist with ambulation, but we also correct flexible bony deformities, provide function in upper extremities and protect sites of injury as well. 

What do you do on a daily basis or what sort of duties do you have at work? 
Our weeks vary, day to day. Some days I am in the O&P department all day, completing patient assessments, designing and fabricating devices and delivering the devices to the patient. Other days, I spend time with the physicians and their teams in clinic as a support staff member. It’s nice for them to have a dedicated O&P clinician to ensure the flow of clinic goes smoothly, and all orthotic and prosthetic questions are addressed immediately as they may come up. 

What was your first job? What path did you take to get here or what led you to Scottish Rite? How long have you worked here? 
It’s such a small world, and the world works in mysterious ways. My first job was in teaching. I was teaching biology and chemistry at a high school in Richardson, Texas, and attended a seminar titled “Women in Science,” with a group of students. The seminar was intended as motivation for female students to major in science disciplines and to explore the many careers that can come out of a science degree. We learned about the field of Orthotics and Prosthetics and I, as the teacher in charge, was actually so moved to learn more about this field that this seminar changed MY life. I still remember turning to my colleague that day at lunch and saying “I think I’m actually going to change everything and become one of these people…” I googled “kids” and “orthotics and prosthetics” and Scottish Rite came up. That summer while I wasn’t teaching, I volunteered over 200 hours at Scottish Rite. Completely coincidentally, the O&P director’s daughter was a student at my school in Richardson and taking chemistry classes that year. I applied to one O&P school – UT Southwestern School of Health Professions in Dallas, was accepted and my life changed. Working with kids is something I enjoyed long before my time here at Scottish Rite. What a wonderful blending of my O&P career and my passion for kids this institution allows me. I have been on staff here for two years now.

What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
The population. I worked in a small, adult, private sector before coming to Scottish Rite. While serving the community is my number one motivation in any regard, I have always had a passion for changing the life of a child. Having a job in this institution lights me up every day. I see the resilience of the kids, but I also form relationships with the parents, who are so humbled and appreciative of every aspect of this organization. The people around me are the best part of my job. My favorite O&P projects are scoliosis braces and lower limb prostheses. 

What do you wish you knew more about?
A lot! I don’t know, maybe Paralympic Sports? I haven’t broken into that yet. That would be where the orthopedic patient becomes the athlete. This is where my skills in orthotics/prosthetics and my side interest of elite athletes would blend. I am excited to take the first step in participating in the Endeavor Games this year, which I have never done before. These games are a wonderful platform for our O&P patients to compete in a three-day sporting event. 

Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?
Germany. I have visited many times because my grandparents, aunts and uncles are German. They have a beautiful home in a small German village, it’s everything you would think of straight out of a book. I have been trying to get back with my husband and two kids to show them what it’s like to live in Europe, but the pandemic has made this very difficult. Hopefully we will be able to go this year! 

What would you rate 10/10?
God is 10/10. “Trust in the Lord with all your Heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Is there anything that are you looking forward to in 2022?
I look forward to growing as a clinician in our O&P department. I am working to get better at what I do and be more involved. I look forward to my two boys growing and learning, as they are about to start elementary school. I am excited for my husband and the journey he is on. And I look forward to the coronavirus being a virus that is easily managed and a threat of the past.