Balance Matters: A neuro physical therapist’s journey to make “Sense” of Balance

Impacts of Lower Limb Lymphedema on Gait and Balance with Alaina Newell

December 29, 2020 Erica Season 1 Episode 6
Balance Matters: A neuro physical therapist’s journey to make “Sense” of Balance
Impacts of Lower Limb Lymphedema on Gait and Balance with Alaina Newell
Show Notes

Alaina Newell, PT, DPT
Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Oncological Physical Therapy
Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Women's Health Physical Therapy

Alaina received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA in 2012. She completed her Women’s Health residency at UPMC and joined the team in 2014. She is one of the few Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Oncology as well as Women’s Health Physical Therapy. She is also a Certified Lymphedema Therapist from the Lymphology Association of North America. She enjoys treated a wide variety of oncological diagnoses from melanoma, pancreatic, bladder, ovarian to breast cancer as well as Women’s Health needs secondary to oncological diagnosis including urinary urgency, gastrointestinal dysfunction, pelvic pain and postural dysfunction.

Alaina is passionate about approaching each patient’s individual needs and desires to improve their daily function and quality of life. She integrates her understanding of the foundational understanding of the neuromuscular, integumentary, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular systems with her advanced training in gastrointestinal and urogynecological system to approach each patient. She has a strong emphasis in restoring the body to its natural alignment to allow it to optimally function. Alaina is the Pelvic, GI & Sarcoma Cancer Clinical Coordinator at Oncology Rehab as well as sitting on Oncology Rehab's Breast Cancer and Chemotoxicity & Cancer Exercise teams.

Resources:
Oncology Rehab - Home
PORi - Oncology Rehabilitation Courses - Home

-          Aggithaya MG, Narahari SR, Ryan TJ. Yoga for correction of lymphedema's impairment of gait as an adjunct to lymphatic drainage: A pilot observational study. Int J Yoga. 2015 Jan;8(1):54-61. doi: 10.4103/0973-6131.146063. PMID: 25558134; PMCID: PMC4278136.

-          Doruk Analan P, Kaya E. Postural Stability in Patients with Lower Limb Lymphedema. Lymphat Res Biol. 2019 Dec;17(6):647-650. doi: 10.1089/lrb.2019.0004. Epub 2019 Jul 19. PMID: 31329503.

-          Forner-Cordero, Isabel & Furtado, Fabianne & Cervera-Deval, Juan & Forner-Cordero, Arturo. (2016). Ground reaction force patterns during gait in patients with lower limb lymphedema. Acta Fisiátrica. 23. 10.5935/0104-7795.20160038.

-          Forner-Cordero, Isabel & Forner-Cordero, Arturo & Maldonado-Garrido, D. & Cervera-Deval, J.. (2009). Biomechanical study of the gait in patients with lower limb lymphedema. European Journal of Lymphology and Related Problems. 20. 1-6.

-          Yoosefinejad AK, Hadadi M, Eslamloo P. Evaluating the responsiveness of the fullerton advanced balance scale in patients with lymphedema secondary to breast cancer surgery. Lymphology. 2019;52(2):61-70. PMID: 31525827