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Mobility is Life:
Sustained research insures a powerful
outcome
Research Programs
When mobility is threatened, independence is lost and one's world becomes very small.
BioMotion studies have included various projects geared towards prevention, therapy, advanced orthopaedic and cardiac
implant devices, education and much more.
 Neuromuscular disease in children
The only program of its kind in South Florida committed to providing state-of-the-art
diagnostic information to better treat movement disorders in children with cerebral palsy, spina bifida and other
neuromuscular disorders. The specialized Pediatric Gait Analysis program is unique to Florida and has served children
from Miami to Jacksonville. 75% of these children do not have private health
insurance so major support for this life changing service comes from the generous support of local foundations
and individuals. With the use of 3 dimensional, computerized analysis,
researchers collaborate with surgeons to restore new muscle balance with greater success and therefore provide
these children with improved mobility.
Arthritis and joint replacement
The BioMotion Foundation is known as one of the world's premier laboratories for arthritis, spine and joint replacement research using novel imaging techniques to
precisely measure how artificial joints perform inside patients. In addition, precise computer controlled stimulators
can predict how new implants should perform before they are implanted. BioMotion, together with partners at MIT,
have several projects on radio telemetry implants that sense joint stress in the human body and help regulate rehabilitation
as well as design of implants. These studies have helped to improve and streamline the technology of orthopaedic
implants.
Implant retrieval analysis
BioMotion has developed one of the world's most sophisticated implant retrieval
programs for cardiac and orthopaedics in an effort to improve implant
performance by analyzing which implant works best. Palm Beach County is one of the top locations in the world for
this kind of research in that a high percentage of the population has medical implants.
The Cardiovascular Device Retrieval Program
uses the successful Orthopaedic Implant Retrieval program as a model to obtain cardiovascular devices for research.
The first of its kind in the U.S. and a collaborative effort with Dr. Mehmet
Oz, founder of the Foundation for the Advancement of Cardiac Therapies (FACT),
the program will analyze cardiovascular devices such as heart valves and stents retrieved from patients. Careful
analysis will provide recommendations for improved performance. With the hundreds of thousands of stents being
used each year, the local medical community will benefit tremendously from
BioMotion's findings.
 Osteoporosis and women's health
Identifying individuals at risk and instituting the preventative education and therapeutic measures necessary.
This disease can begin at college age causing severe crippling in their 70's and 80's.
With the development of better implants and technology suffering will be lessened.
Sports biomechanics and injury prevention
In recognition of the active South Florida lifestyle the BioMotion Foundation uses advanced motion analysis assessments
to understand how injuries occur, how they might be prevented, and how to enhance healing of recreational sports
injuries. Analyzing professionals can teach young players how to "stay
in the game" better and longer.
Innovative Orthopaedic Treatment 
 The BioMotion
Foundation conducted the groundbreaking research leading to a new type of knee replacement first used by W. Andrew
Hodge, M.D. right here in Palm Beach County. This device, manufactured by the Encore Medical Corporation of Austin, Texas, was
approved by the FDA and introduced nationwide a year ago. The 3D Knee was
specifically designed with more active and demanding patients in mind and is projected to reach a million patients
within the next 10 years. Dr. Hodge and his team hold the patent for the
3D Knee in addition to several other innovative orthopaedic devices.
Cynta Gabreila de Narvaez was
a river guide in Big Bend National Park in 1986 when overnight she was struck with a crippling disease, later diagnosed
as lupus. Cynta came close to dying and was told by doctors that she would never walk again.
Traditional knee joint replacements would not have been an option for her so she
remained in constant and severe pain until she was introduced to Dr. Hodge and the 3D Knee. Cynta received new
knees in 2001 and in less than a year was living the life she loved once again - boating, hiking and guiding people
through Copper Canyon without pain.
"There is a profound hopelessness that comes when, at the age of 30, one
hears that they need new knees but can't get then until the age of 50. This is just not fair. At the time, all
I could think of was, Hey, I hurt now. I can't walk now. I could be dead
in 20 years! I want my freedom now. Other doctors said that I would never
walk again. Then I met Dr. Hodge. I have my legs and my life back," she said.
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