Get to Know our Staff: Sophia Ulman, Movement Science Lab

Get to Know our Staff: Sophia Ulman, Movement Science Lab

What is your role at the hospital? What do you do on a daily basis? 
I am the assistant director of the Movement Science Lab (MSL) at the Frisco campus. In our lab, we use motion capture technology to analyze movement patterns of patients and/or athletes. Similar technology is used to create video games and special effects in movies. I love working in the MSL because every day looks different. Some days we get concussion patients who come into the lab the day they are diagnosed to participate in research, or we might see a patellofemoral instability patient who has recently been cleared to return to sport. Other days, I spend my time processing data or writing a research paper. Recently, I have loved mentoring our high school and college interns while they were on winter break. We stay on our toes down in the lab.  
What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite for Children?
I absolutely love sharing what we do in the lab. We get quite a few tours that come through including students, medical staff and/or community partners. I enjoy describing what motion capture is, how we use it to help our patients and what we are working on in regard to injury prevention for youth athletes.  

What was your first job? What path did you take to get here? How long have you worked here?
My first job was working at a local basketball gym – cleaning the floors, running the concession stand and working the clock/book for games. I worked numerous jobs throughout high school and undergrad, and my favorite job while at Duke University was working for the Sports Information Office, writing stat sheets and transcribing press conference interviews.

My path to Scottish Rite started the summer after my sophomore year when I shadowed one of Dr. Ellis’ surgeries. He was a fantastic resource for me. After sharing my interests in biomedical engineering and biomechanics, he referred me to Dr. Tulchin-Francis. The following summer I had the opportunity to intern in the Movement Science Lab in Dallas, which led to a student position in the K-Lab at Duke Medical Center (Coach K’s Human Performance Lab). In this lab, I helped with biomechanical assessments of professional athletes and sport-specific patient populations. I had the opportunity to work with an extremely experienced and successful medical staff.

These two internships prepared me for my graduate program at Virginia Tech where I completed my Ph.D. in collaboration with the Army Research Lab. My dissertation investigated performance prediction and injury prevention in the military domain using biomechanics. This work was directly related to current sports research and led me back to Scottish Rite for Children. I have been working here since June, and I am super excited for what we have already accomplished and what we have in the works for future research.
 
What’s the coolest or most interesting thing you’re working on right now?
In the Movement Science Lab, we recently started the SAFE Program (Specialized Athletes Functional Evaluation). We are excited to analyze elite athletes’ movements pre-injury to see if there are any movement discrepancies or deficiencies in specialized athletes compared to a multi-sport or non-elite athlete. Additionally, all participants will be participating in injury surveillance for a year after testing, which will be extremely interesting to observe.
 
What are you currently watching on Netflix?
Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez.

Who would you most like to swap places with for a day?
I would love to switch places with one of Coach K’s (Duke University basketball coach, Mike Krzyzewski) assistant coaches for a day. In my opinion, he is one of the best coaches in basketball history (or all sports) and an obvious leader in his field. I would love the opportunity to learn from him and pick his brain for a day.

What is a fun or interesting fact about your hometown?
My hometown is Argyle, TX, like the sweater/sock pattern.

What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not working? 
Spending time with family and friends, attending sporting events in the community and running.

Hospital Doctors Lead the Research and Education in Children with Clubfeet

Hospital Doctors Lead the Research and Education in Children with Clubfeet

At Scottish Rite Hospital, we are dedicated to providing world-renowned patient care. Our team of experts are able to do so through their steadfast commitment to advancing treatment through research and education. The hospital’s physicians and clinical staff are known worldwide for the research conducted in our Center for Excellence in Foot.

Clubfoot is one of the most common pediatric foot conditions that our experts treat. Through research, our team can study this patient population to better understand the condition and develop innovative treatment plans. With voluntary participation from patients, the team is able to review outcomes after treatment and assess how a child with clubfeet is functioning.

Recently, the hospital published two articles on their latest clubfoot research. Below is what our team is learning:

Functional Outcomes of Patient with Clubfeet at 10-year Follow-up
This research was led by Assistant Chief of Staff Lori A. Karol, M.D., Movement Science Manager Kelly Jeans, M.S., and other staff from the Movement Science Lab.

Summary

Our team analyzed outcomes of patients’ feet who received either the Ponseti serial casting (a form of treatment that places a cast from the thigh to the toes after gentle stretching of the foot) or French physiotherapy (daily stretching, exercise and massage, and taping to slowing move the foot to the correct position), and those who later required subsequent surgery. The Movement Science Lab recorded gait analysis, ankle strength, daily step activity and parent-reported outcomes of patients 10 years after receiving treatment.

What We Learned

  1. Children with clubfeet have less range of motion, movement and power in their ankle in comparison to children with normal feet.
  2. There are minimal differences in gait, parent-reported outcomes and daily activity between feet treated with Ponseti casting or physical therapy.
  3. Feet that did not receive surgery had better ankle power and muscle strength than feet requiring invasive joint surgery.

Clinical Significance

This study supports our efforts to minimize invasive joint surgery when treating a patient with clubfoot. Functional studies such as this continue to help our doctors in developing treatment plans for patients diagnosed with clubfoot.

Read the full article

Non-operative Treatment Outcomes for Patient with Non-Idiopathic Clubfeet
This research was led by Chief Medical Officer B. Stephens “Steve” Richards, M.D., and nurse practitioner Shawne Faulks, M.S.N., R.N., C.N.S.

Summary

Our doctors regularly diagnose and begin treating clubfoot during infancy. Since much of the non-operative treatment takes place before developmental milestones, some patients who were initially thought to have “idiopathic” (no known cause) clubfoot may develop other conditions throughout development rendering a “non-idiopathic” diagnosis. Little is known about the treatment outcomes of this population. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to better understand the clinical outcomes of patients who were later found to have non-idiopathic clubfoot, and how their outcomes compare to patients who have idiopathic clubfoot.

What We Learned

  1. Nearly 1 in 10 infants with idiopathic clubfoot were found to later have non-idiopathic clubfoot due to other orthopedic, neurological or developmental disorders.
  2. Non-idiopathic patients can be expected to respond favorably to non-operative treatment.
  3. Patients later found to be non-idiopathic had a greater chance for clubfoot recurrence that required surgery.

Clinical Significance

This study demonstrates the importance of developmental assessments during a child’s clinical visit. Pediatric orthopedic specialists should be proactive in evaluating more than just clubfeet or other orthopedic disorders during follow-up exams.

Read the full article

Learn more about the research in our Center for Excellence in Foot.

McIntosh and Tulchin-Francis Receive the Women Who STEAM Award

McIntosh and Tulchin-Francis Receive the Women Who STEAM Award

At Scottish Rite Hospital, our team of experts are recognized nationally and internationally for their dedication to advancing the care for children with orthopedic conditions. This week, two of the hospital’s very own received a unique honor.

Pediatric orthopedic surgeon Amy L. McIntosh, M.D., and Division Director of Movement Science Kirsten Tulchin-Francis, Ph.D., were selected as Women Who STEAM by the Dallas Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. The STEAM award acknowledges outstanding women from diverse backgrounds in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts and math. McIntosh, Tulchin-Francis and the other six women honored, have made remarkable contributions in their respective fields, while also teaching, mentoring and serving within the community and workplace.

McIntosh and Tulchin-Francis are leaders and innovators at the hospital. Both understand the importance of educating the next generation, especially young women who may be interested in the sciences. Together, they organize and host the Dallas Perry Outreach Program and Medical Student Outreach Program through The Perry Initiative – an organization that encourages young women to pursue careers in orthopedic surgery and engineering. They have the opportunity to share their story to this group and showcase what it is like to be a female working in this industry. “The greatest honor is to have the opportunity to influence young girls,” says Tulchin-Francis. “Being able to show them what I do and letting them take what they are learning in the classroom and see how it can be applied in real life is a victory in itself.”

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation established in 1946 that consists of over 15,000 professional women of color located throughout the world. The 2019 inaugural Women Who STEAM Award luncheon was hosted by the corporation’s Dallas chapter. They recognize the tremendous value in actively supporting the growth and development of young girls to create a positive future for the community. The chapter established the Women Who STEAM Award to create a pipeline to success for all girls of color, specifically in the STEAM fields.

(Photos courtesy of Reflections HP Photography, ReflectionsHD.com)

Health Care Providers Gather in Frisco to Learn from Hospital Experts

Health Care Providers Gather in Frisco to Learn from Hospital Experts

Over the weekend, Scottish Rite Hospital hosted the Pediatric Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Symposium (POSMS) at the Frisco campus. In its first year, POSMS is a combination of two medical conferences – Pediatric Orthopedics Education Series and the Sports Medicine for the Young Athlete. The one-day meeting welcomed over 110 health care specialists from around the community including pediatricians, advance practice providers, athletic trainers, physical therapists and other medical professionals. Attendees learned the latest in evaluation and treatment of pediatric orthopedic and sports medicine conditions through lectures and hands-on breakout sessions.

Several of the hospital’s staff presented throughout the day. Topics included:

  • Developmental dysplasia of the hip
  • Acute knee injuries in young athletes
  • Hip conditions in young athletes
  • Myths of sports-related concussions
  • Rheumatology
  • Scoliosis screening
  • Hot topics in sports medicine treatments
  • Return to play and testing in the movement science lab
  • Ethical implications in fracture management
  • Safety of popular diet and supplement trends

Here is some of the positive feedback we have received so far:
Every talk was helpful and high-yield. This was all great!
Thank you for such a great conference. Loved the variety of topics and knowledgeable speakers.
The fracture splinting small group was fantastic.
Location is great. Building is beautiful.
All of the speakers were great and engaging.
It was super helpful to have kids demonstrate the exams!
Enjoyed every lecture; very informative and all relevant to my practice.

Course director and sports medicine physician, Shane M. Miller, M.D., said, “We really enjoy the opportunity to connect with the community providers at these events. We genuinely want to support everyone who provides care to children and adolescents. Together, we are better.” 

Learn more about the Center for Excellence in Sports Medicine. 

D CEO: Scottish Rite’s Frisco Facility is Open for Business

D CEO: Scottish Rite’s Frisco Facility is Open for Business

Read the original story on D CEO’s website here.

The Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center started accepting its first patients this week, and the entire building is a testament to movement and recovery.

Color-coded floors, bands of shifting color on the facade, colorful spiral staircases, and dynamic floor and wall art are designed to reflect movement and encourage children toward recovery. HKS designed the center and partnered with general contractor Beck in construction of the building.

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children is building its second facility after 96 years in its Dallas location. Located at the corner of Lebanon Road and the Dallas North Tollway in Frisco, the facility will mirror the population boom in the northern suburbs and fit in well with other athletic facilities in the area such as The Star and FC Dallas. Conversations about the new center began in 2014, with construction breaking ground in 2016.

According to Scottish Rite, around 25 percent of their patient families live north of Dallas, and the ambulatory surgery facility will be an extension of the Dallas campus and will offer clinic visits and orthopedic day surgeries for children.

The five-story building offers views of Lake Lewisville from the upper floors, and will include 345,000 square feet of space, which includes one and a half floors of unused space so that the healthcare giver can grow with the area. If desired, the facility can be a full service hospital in the future.

Imaging will include MRI and three X-ray units with potential for a CT scan and additional MRI and X-rays. The second floor clinics are positioned around the imaging for convenience, and include a walk in clinic for fractures and centrally located admin space separated from patient rooms. There are two operating rooms with room for more, an infusion lab and space for other ancillary clinics. Surgeries will begin November, and families will be able to wait in apartment style family waiting rooms with furniture and sibling play areas.

The physical therapy gym is more reminiscent of a professional gym than a healthcare facility, and it will be accompanied by a Movement Science Lab built for sport-specific training and testing to focus on sports injury or general orthopedic rehabilitation.

The building also includes a conference center with smaller meeting rooms, a 150-seat auditorium, and courtyard that will serve community needs as well as academic gatherings. The adjacent U-11 soccer field can be used for group rehab sessions, injury prevention demonstrations and coaching clinics, and is accompanied by a playground with adaptive play equipment (which should be complete in December) and a half-mile walking and running trail that ties in to local trails.

Scottish Rite anticipates more than 22,000 clinical visits in year one for sports medicine, orthopedics and a fracture clinic, and 13,000 for physical therapy. Around 50 staff relocated from Scottish Rite’s Plan facility, while 30 relocated from the Dallas campus and 50 new staff were hired for the center.

“We are on the forefront of what is happening,” says Jeremy Howell, Vice President, North Campus at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.”We want to focus on the growing child.”

Scottish Rite continues the growth of Frisco’s sports medicine healthcare facilities, joining the Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star, which opened earlier this year.