Celebrating Woman’s History Month
Honoring Two of Southern California’s Most Outstanding Women Leaders in the Science and Advancement of Physical Therapy, Celebrating Women’s History Month.
This month we celebrate Woman’s History Month. We also acknowledge the one-year mark of the Covid -19 Pandemic. It's been an incredibly challenging and stressful year for women.
We focused on keeping our families safe, handling homeschooling challenges while working from home if we were that lucky! Many women had to choose between their jobs and their families. With limited daycare options and business closures from the pandemic, an additional 37% of women were unemployed.
The emotional and financial stresses of 2020 have taken their toll on women. Now is the perfect time to take a moment and honor the amazing women in your life. We can start by honoring the Doctors, Nurses, and Hospital support staff who cared for our loved ones like family members.
Looking back on 2020, take a moment to make a list of the women in your life who you relied on this year. Whether they offered to grocery shop for you, support the kids, or offer to listen, laugh, and cry with you on a late-night Zoom call or FaceTime chat. Find a way to acknowledge people.
Acknowledgment is one of the most powerful communication tools we have. Think about when someone has taken the time to acknowledge you, to recognize the work you do and the difference it makes for them and in the world. Most of us are purpose-driven. Believe it or not, making a difference is more important for most people than financial gain. It can make you feel great, energize you, and even improve your performance.
According to The Center for Grateful Leadership:
"It is likely that acknowledgment can improve the emotional and physical health of both the giver and the receiver. There is already substantial scientific evidence that gratitude and forgiveness help well-being, alertness, and energy, dimmish stress, and feelings of negativity, actually boosting the immune system. It is reported that they can even reduce the risk of stroke and heart failure."
Here at Aim Sports Medicine, a woman-owned business, we are incredibly grateful to the amazing women who have contributed to the field of Physical Therapy. There are two women with ties to Southern California that I would personally like to acknowledge for making a difference in my career.
Helen Hislop, Ph.D., former chair of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, a division at the Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC. Hislop spent 30 years at USC, heading the division from 1975 to 1998.
According to an HSC News Story, she died at 84 with a lifetime of accomplishments.
Here are a few highlights from the article:
“In a message to colleagues at USC, James Gordon, EdD, current chair of the division, wrote, “More than anyone, she was responsible for the growth of our research programs, the formation of our clinical programs, and the excellence of our education programs.”
“She was a true visionary, and she is recognized as a giant in the physical therapy profession. Every physical therapist, not just those of us at USC, benefits from her legacy.”
“At USC, Hislop developed the first Ph.D. program in physical therapy in the United States and one of the first Doctor of Physical Therapy programs. Scientific research, which has since become the standard at the division and for all physical therapy programs in the United States.”
I graduated with her Ph.D. Program. I am grateful to her for making the opportunity available, elevating the science of Physical Therapy, and her mentorship.
Jacqueline Perry was first a physical therapist and then a physician at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital here in Los Angeles. My research group had the privilege of presenting our Physical Therapy Master’s research to her while at USC.
According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, written by Valerie Nelson, Jacqueline Perry began her career in the 1950s performing spinal surgery on Polio Victims to help them function.
Here are some excerpts from that article:
"As far as I'm concerned, I've never worked," Perry told The Times in 1999. "I do what I like to."
Jacqueline Perry passed at the age of 94, still doing what she loved to do. An innovator and creative contributor to her field. She came up with new theories and exercises to keep people moving.
During World War II, Perry had served as a physical therapist in the Army, treating polio patients in Hot Springs, Ark.
After joining Rancho Los Amigos, Perry collaborated with Dr. Vernon Nickel on polio cases. For spinal surgery patients, the pair developed the halo, a metal ring still in use today that is screwed into the skull, immobilizing the spine and neck.
When The Times honored her as the 1959 Woman of the Year in Science, Perry pointed out that “most doctors go into medicine to save lives. I’m more interested in getting handicapped persons functioning again.
After a brain artery blockage forced Perry to stop operating, she founded Rancho’s Pathokinesiology Laboratory in 1968 to analyze the biomechanics of walking. She served as chief of the department until 1996 and continued to consult in semi-retirement.
“Dr. Perry was a visionary pioneer in the field of rehabilitation sciences and gait analysis,” said Judith M. Burnfield, director of the Institute for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Neb.
With physical therapist colleagues at Rancho, Perry established an observational system used by clinicians worldwide to determine why patients are having trouble walking and how to manage the problem.
Her research on patients with severe deficits from neurologic and orthopedic injuries continues to guide present-day therapeutic approaches, said Burnfield, who helped Perry update her textbook, “Gait Analysis,” first published in 1992.
These two women have made a profound impact on the science and practice of physical therapy today. The foundation they provided inspires me to keep learning, observing, and pushing myself and our staff to provide the best care possible. I'm committed to following their model of creativity and innovation for the best possible outcome for every one of our patients.
Come in for your spring Tune-up! The Aim Sports medicine team offers an impressive array of treatment modalities to get you moving again. Known as the top Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy practice in the South Bay, our team includes experienced licensed Physical Therapists, Chiropractors, Acupuncturists, and Massage Therapists. We offer Fascial Stretch Therapy, Deep Tissue laser Therapy, and Personal Training.
Now is a great time to discover how working with a physical therapist and using a soft tissue management regiment can improve your athletic recovery and optimize body function.
Whether you are a top professional athlete, a weekend warrior, or someone looking to function better and experience more ease and freedom of movement in your body, we can custom-design an effective treatment regimen for you.
Contact Aim
If you have a question about our physical therapy, call us, and we'll provide you with our professional opinion. We are ready to support you during your healing journey.
Call or Text us today: (310) 937-2323
Aim Sports Medicine
1035 Aviation Blvd.
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
