“Freedom Through Sport” to Help Disabled Get Moving Sooner
EDMONTON - Patients and physiotherapists from Edmonton’s Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital have met with people from the U.S. Walter Reed Army Medical Centre to discuss how they can work together.
Master Cpl. Paul Franklin, an Alberta soldier who lost both legs in a suicide attack in Afghanistan, says he hopes a new program, “Freedom Through Sport,” will help amputees start rehabilitation and fitness early and keep it up throughout their lives. He helped develop the program at the University of Alberta’s Steadward Centre in Edmonton ( www.steadwardcentre.ualberta.ca).
The Centre provides physical activity and sports programs for people with disabilities. He was inspired to initiate the program, which will help amputees return to sports and fitness soon after their original injuries, after visiting the U.S. Walter Reed Army Medical Centre. Franklin says he’s able to walk with canes, but he has seen double amputees in the United States who can walk unassisted – something he attributes at least in part to early physical activity.
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February 23rd, 2009 at 12:18 pm
I met the inspirational M/Cpl Paul Franklin (please feel free to fwd this mail to him) on a day-long rehab visit last summer to the Glenrose with my colleagues in rehab (including Capt Walker, physio) . I hope he is well and continuing to inspire others as he did us. I am myself due to go back to Afghan to serve in a month. I am also compiling a portfolio for specialist curriculum application for sports, training injuries and special needs sports acitvities, especially those rlevant to our military. I have recently spent a spell with our “Battle Back” team (Major Martin Colclough). In short, I wonder if Paul might be kind enough to sign a short summary of our meet. If so, perhaps he could drop mer a short reply to the above - . I could then draft a summary and e-mail it. Best Wishes. Duncan Roibertson,. Yorkshire, UK. 00441325718966. dunxrob@googlemail.com