Archive for Joanne Barker
Thanks to Carter and his family, people are talking about spastic paraplegia
Nine-year-old Carter may be the most devoted — and popular — sports fan in his Connecticut town. “He loves all sports,” says his mother, Natalie. Whenever one of Carter’s buddies has a game, Natalie’s phone lights up with texts asking if he can attend. As his friends play, Carter cheers and gives high fives from his ... Read More about Thanks to Carter and his family, people are talking about spastic paraplegia
Mark’s winning pass with cochlear implants
Mark Bradshaw wanted to break out of his parents’ protective shell — as many teens do when they start pushing for more independence. Mark’s parents, however, hesitated. The issue? Mark, who is 15 and has had cochlear implants since early childhood, wanted to play tackle football. Access to sound and language Mark was diagnosed with ... Read More about Mark’s winning pass with cochlear implants
Jackie’s dreams of playing professional soccer back on track after ACL surgery
From her dorm in Newcastle, England, Jackie Zapata can hear fans roaring in the soccer stadium a few blocks away. Soccer is a major pastime in her adopted home. “The city gets amped up anytime there’s a game,” she says. “It’s a huge part of the culture here.” This enthusiasm makes Newcastle a good place ... Read More about Jackie’s dreams of playing professional soccer back on track after ACL surgery
What orthopedic trauma surgeons wish more parents knew about lawnmower injuries
Summer is full of delights: lemonade, ice cream, and fresh-cut grass to name a few. Unfortunately, the warmer months can also come with a type of injury that takes many families by surprise. Mowing the lawn may seem perfectly normal and safe. However, the blades that cut the grass can also do serious damage to ... Read More about What orthopedic trauma surgeons wish more parents knew about lawnmower injuries
Pirate puzzles and peekaboo: Beckett’s brachial plexus birth injury story
Beckett Stone-Lyman is an adorable, fun 2-year-old who loves to run, sprint, and climb. If he’s not charging around the playground, he’s probably doing a pirate puzzle. Or maybe he’s staring at his fingers as he wiggles them, amazed that his right hand can now do many of the same things as his left. Thanks ... Read More about Pirate puzzles and peekaboo: Beckett’s brachial plexus birth injury story
A fall from a swing uncovers a rare cervical spine condition: Charlotte’s story
If it were any other year, Charlotte Gillis would have celebrated her 10th birthday in mid-July with a big party. But in June 2024, a fall from a swing had left her temporarily paralyzed. Though her mobility returned within a few hours, she was still in a neck brace, still wobbly on her feet, and ... Read More about A fall from a swing uncovers a rare cervical spine condition: Charlotte’s story
The surprising energy demands of marathon training
Training for a marathon? Are you eating enough to help your body recover from one long training run and gear up for the next one? A surprising number of marathon runners don’t. In a study of athletes training for the Boston Marathon, more than two in five women and almost one in five men regularly ... Read More about The surprising energy demands of marathon training
MRI could reduce the mystery of brachial plexus injuries in infants
About one in 1,000 children are born with brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI), upper extremity weakness or paralysis resulting from trauma to the brachial plexus nerves during childbirth. Most children with BPBI recover with observation and minimally invasive care, but about 30 percent have injuries severe enough to lead to long-term impairment. Thanks to recent ... Read More about MRI could reduce the mystery of brachial plexus injuries in infants
Unstoppable: Flatfoot correction helps Jacob take control
The first time Dr. Susan Mahan examined Jacob’s feet, she pressed on a tender spot near one of his arches. “You see that?” Jacob’s mother, Lucie, remembers her saying. “That bone isn’t supposed to be there.” Jacob was 13 and had spent a frustrating year trying to figure out why basketball, his greatest source of ... Read More about Unstoppable: Flatfoot correction helps Jacob take control
A heavy-medaled gymnast and his close call with leg-length discrepancy
Ask 15-year-old Kaleb what he likes about gymnastics and with a sly smile, he’ll say, “flipping around.” That’s Kaleb: understated, funny. But watch him in action, and you’ll see a focused gymnast who earned two medals in the 2024 Men’s Eastern National Championships. He probably won’t mention that two years ago, a surgeon told his ... Read More about A heavy-medaled gymnast and his close call with leg-length discrepancy