b'"OneofthethingsIammostproudofThere for the patientwhen I look back over my career is knowingKarpatkin\'s relationship with MS Focus: that my innovations became a standard of carethe Multiple Sclerosis Foundation dates back for physical therapists who treat MS patients.nearly20years."Igravitatedtowardthe Rather than pushing them without a break,FoundationnotonlybecauseIfeltthey which, at one time, was the way PTs operated,should know about me and what I do but the individual receives that much-neededbecause I thought, and still think, it\'s a fantastic recovery time now after the short, intenseorganization run by such caring people. I work period. A nice thing about being the olderbecame affiliated with other associations in man that I am is that I have had decades totheMSCoalition,whichareincredibleas well, of course. Still, their priority was primarily watch the ideas and ideals change, and I feelresearch-based, whereas MS Focus was down privileged to be part of how people with MSin the trenches alongside people with multiple get treated nowadays," he said. sclerosis, concerned with issues of quality of Prescription exercise life, as I was. The Foundation was and is for the patient and not much else, so that drew Over the years, Karpatkin remained adamantme immediately," he recalled. about the intentional and immediate use ofSince then, Karpatkin has written several physical therapy in comprehensive MS carearticles for MS Focus Magazine and hosted despite some in healthcare overlooking itspresentations alongside the organization. In signicance. "I recall a neurologist from manyrecent years, he became a recurring speaker for years ago saying that he wouldn\'t recommendthe Foundation\'s bimonthly teleconference, PT to someone with multiple sclerosis untilAsk the Physical Therapist, a town hall-style webinar wherein Karpatkin answers practice-they were in real trouble physically; baffled,related questions for an entire hour on Zoom. my response was, \'Would you wait until theseAs for the future, he plans to continue teaching, patientsstartingexperiencingfallsbeforeseeing his home care PT patients, and doing putting them on medication? No, you prescribemoreinternationalwork,educatingother their meds in hopes of preventing diseasecountries on the benets of physical therapy.progression. WehavetothinkofphysicalAnotherinitiativeonhisplateinvolves therapy in the same way.\' creating a clinician locator map, which helps persons with MS nd therapists nearby who As a physician uses medication or surgeryspecialize in the disease. Karpatkin also desires to treat a patient, we use exercise; so, for eachto lend a hand in solving access to care issues decit we see in them, PTs prescribe a specicin marginalized communities. "People of color exercise. It goes beyond tness, but its dosageand older adults, for instance, tend not to getas in the frequency, intensity, number ofthe same medical services as white upper repetitions, sets, and rest times - it all matters.middle class males, and that\'s an area that It\'s a very similar phenomenon to theneeds pushing into. While we\'ve come so far in prescription of medicine, just that physicalmany ways, much more still needs to happen, and although I am not the young man I used therapy is cheaper and has fewer side effects,"to be, I intend to be part of and look forward Karpatkin said.to the change."Tell us what you want to see in MS Focus Magazine.Email comments to: editor@msfocus.org or write to: Editor, MS Focus 6520 N. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 35 msfocusmagazine.org'