OVERVIEW

To complete the University mission of providing services relevant to one's profession, the faculty in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences participate in a variety of clinical practices. These occur in diverse settings with clients across the life span: from working with premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit, to elite athletes on the field and in the dance studio, to outpatient clinic work with older adults who have marked a century's worth of birthdays. The faculty welcome and encourage student therapists to join them in their particular areas of clinical practice.

CAROLYN CRAVEN

Carolyn Craven
Carolyn Craven provides physical therapy services in the Balance & Dizziness Clinic, which is one area of the Allied Health Faculty Practice located near the College of Allied Health.  She is certified in vestibular rehabilitation and her practice focuses on those individuals with balance and/or vestibular disorders.  In addition to traditional evidence-based evaluation and interventions, the Balance Clinic also utilizes a NeuroCom Smart Balance Master (www.onbalance.com) which provides computerized dynamic posturography assessment and biofeedback training. 

Carolyn is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association (www.apta.org) and a member of the Geriatric and Neurology sections as well as the Vestibular SIG.  She belongs to the Vestibular Disorders Association (www.vestibular.org) and the Oklahoma Alliance on Aging.  She also volunteers at community health events and promotes fall prevention awareness. 

KEN RANDALL

In July of 2007, the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences in collaboration with the OU Department of Family Medicine opened a new rehabilitation clinic, aptly named OU Physical Therapy at Family Medicine, which is located at 1111 South St. Louis Avenue in Tulsa. Professor Randall serves as the Director of the clinic as well as a staff therapist, and Professor Karol Andrew is the lead physical therapist. OU Physical Therapy at Family Medicine is a general practice outpatient clinic for patients with all types of diagnoses, plus it offers specialty services in the area of lumbopelvic dysfunction, chronic pain, balance dysfunction, and rehabilitation of performing artists and elite athletes. The clinic also serves as an education site for physical therapy interns, family medicine residents and sports medicine fellows.

One of the aspects of Professor Ken Randall's clinical practice is providing consultation to the dancers and staff of the Tulsa Ballet Theatre. Specializing in manual therapy and advanced exercise prescription, Professor Randall provides physical therapy services to the ballet troupe during rehearsals as well as performances. Given the exceptional learning opportunities presented by this collaboration between OU and the Ballet, student participation is a central element of the process. Both students and Professor Randall will agree that working with elite athletes such as ballet dancers is both challenging and rewarding: to develop effective interventions, they have to take their knowledge and understanding of human biomechanics and physiology and push them to their extremes. Physical therapy is an integral portion of ensuring that this form of "Art in Motion" continues to flourish in Tulsa.

Related link: http://www.tulsaballet.org/affiliates.html

Related link: Tulsa World: Dancers get therapeutic hand (12/19/2004)
By April Marciszewski, World Staff Writer

Related video: KOTV, Tulsa News, March 4, 2008

Pictures are courtesy of Lynette Lobban of Sooner Magazine.

Rene Daman

Rene Daman is program director of  the Oklahoma Autism Network and the Oklahoma Family Center for Autism. The Oklahoma Autism Network was established in 2003 as the first step in implementing the Individuals with Autism and Their Families Oklahoma Plan. The Oklahoma Autism Network is sponsored by the Lee Mitchener Tolbert Center for Developmental Disabilities, Department of Rehabilitation Science, College of Allied Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. The network is funded by the Developmental Disabilities Services Division, Department of Human Services and the Oklahoma State Department of Education, Special Education Services.  The Autism network collaborates with other Oklahoma organizations who share a common vision of improving supports and services for individuals with autism and their families in the state.

Carol dionnE

Carol P. Dionne, PT, PhD, OCS, Cert MDT is pleased to announce the transfer of her clinical practice to the Allied Health Clinic in the beautiful College of Allied Health Building. Dr. Dionne, a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor in Physical Therapy, also brings 33 years of clinical experience in comprehensive rehabilitation, to focus upon serving patients with neck and back pain, as well as those with limb revision (Ertl amputation). Dr. Dionne is Board Certified Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy and holds a certificate in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (McKenzie approach). She also is a standing member of the weekly Amputee Clinic headed by Dr William Ertl in the OU Physicians Building.

JAMIE HOWELL

Occupational therapy serving people with low vision
Jamie Howell, OTR/L, provides services to clients who have low vision, as one area of practice at the Allied Health Practice Center, located near the College of Allied Health in Oklahoma City.  The low vision practice was started by Professor Cyndy Robinson, MS, OTR/L in 1999 and continues to be the only practice providing occupational therapy specifically in the area of low vision in the state.  Professor Robinson continues to oversee the project. Occupational therapists providing rehabilitation for low vision strive to help people live as safely and as independently as possible in their home and community environments.  Through an adaptive approach, they provide training and instruction to help people compensate for vision loss by helping individuals to perform everyday tasks such as self-care, cooking, homemaking, shopping, and work and leisure tasks through:  learning how to use remaining vision better, exploring improved lighting and contrast, finding the right assistive devices (primarily magnifiers), and making changes in the environment.  They provide services for clients who have low vision because of conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and visual field cuts.  Vision impacts every area of life and being able to provide a service that enhances a person’s quality of and participation in life is satisfying and rewarding.

Serving children and families in the community
Jamie Howell also provides occupational therapy services for children both in the home and school settings.  Currently, school contracts include Guthrie Public Schools (Pre-K through High School) and Mulhall-Orlando Public Schools.  Home based services are provided in the Oklahoma City and surrounding areas. Jamie believes strongly in providing services for children in their natural environments where the day-to-day difficulties occur and she can best support the child, as well as the family, teachers, and caregivers.  When a child has a disability, it can impact both the child and the family’s participation in crucial areas, particularly social activities.  Jamie aims to provide interventions that help the child and the family live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

Maria Jones

Dr. Jones is a consultant to several different state agencies, including the Oklahoma State Department of Education, Oklahoma State Department of Human Services – Developmental Disabilities Services Division, Oklahoma State Department of Health, and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority.  Specializing in providing therapy and assistive technology services for children and adults with developmental disabilities, Professor Jones consults with the state agencies and assists with the development and review of guidelines and policies to support the provision of necessary services. Dr. Jones’ consultations are evidence-based and lead to measurable outcomes.

Amy thiessen

Amy Thiessen’s clinical practice specializes in utilizing the Lokomat Robotic Gait Training System with individuals with neurological impairments.  This unique system allows patients to begin retraining their bodies to walk again far earlier than traditional therapy allowed.  The Lokomat Project is located within the OUHSC College of Health building in Oklahoma city.  This proximity allows unique access for students to learn first-hand about this cutting edge technology and how it impacts patients.  Thiessen and Prof. Shirley James continue to explore new ways to integrate this technology  into therapy in was that impact how patients walk and move about in their daily lives. 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Department of Rehabilitation Sciences
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
1200 N Stonewall, Oklahoma City, OK 73104
Phone: (405) 271-2131, Email: Department Contact