Jacqueline Perry

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Jacquelin Perry, M.D. has just passed away at age 94 on March Dr. Perry was a key researcher in gait and abnormal gait. She was a pioneer as one of the few female orthopedists in the 1950's becoming board certified in 1958. She taught at USC Medical School from 1972 until the late 90's. She worked at Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center in California for many years and was Chief of Pathokinesiology and later Chief of the Biomechanics and Gait Lab among other positions. More recently the Jacquelin Perry Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Laboratory was dedicated in December, 2008

She is best known for her work on polio patients and her 1992 text Gait Analysis: Normal and Pathological Function" became an instant classic.

Before beginning her medical studies Dr. Perry studied physical therapy and served as a physical therapist in army hospitals during WWII from 1941-1945. She reported that in addition to trauma patients, she had been exposed to polio patients during this time which spurred her interest.

From an early time in her career she began observational gait analysis and worked to codify her observations.

Her clinical observations and descriptions of "loading response" were clear and had implications for many biomechanists. She also well described the terminology which led to an emphasis by some on "sagittal plane biomechanics":

Heel Rocker
Ankle Rocker
and Forefoot Rocker

She is acknowledged often in the physical therapy community especially and has inspired many to research in gait and biomechanics. But all biomechanists know of her work and realize the thanks owed to her for her interests, work, inspiration and research. We often have had a more limited acknowledgment of our forebearers but she is certainly a major one in the realm of biomechanics and gait analysis.


While we now have improved measuring devices (in laboratories and sometimes in clinical offices) and we measure and make observations of moments of force in addition to the things we can see, her work has had tremendous impact and has had much value. As Galileo performed visual observation with his telescope long before we could study pulsars, quasars and black holes, Jacqueline Perry worked well with the instruments she had available. Eyes and a brain were among the instruments she often put to good use and this was where much research and treatment began.


Obituary at the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/24/health/dr-jacquelin-perry-who-aided-polio-victims-dies-at-94.html

 

That's so very sad news. I spend a wonderful week with Dr. Perry in 1984.

 

I met Dr. Perry about six years ago at a biomechanics meeting and she was in a wheelchair at the time. She seemed like a very pleasant individual. Her work on gait analysis is legendary and I recommend all of those who are interested in foot and lower extremity biomechanics to read her book.

May she rest in peace.

 

Gait Analysis: Normal and Pathological Function Jacqueline Perry

Great book that should be on the shelf of anyone who studies foot and lower limb biomechanics.


JP a great contributor to our world

Dave Smith

 

Absolute legend and work has provided a solid basis on which many researchers and clinicians can build upon. What a legacy she has left behind.