Alvin L. Muilenburg, chairman and founder of Muilenburg Prosthetics and Orthotics, died Tuesday, July 5, 2005, following a sudden stroke. One of the true pioneers of the prosthetics and orthotics field in America, 85-year-old Al was not only an innovator and industry leader, but he was also well-known, a friend, and loved by many, many in the O & P field. Born May 13, 1920, in Edgerton, Minnesota, Al graduated with a degree in accounting from the University of Minnesota in 1943, where he met his wifeLoretta. He then began postgraduate courses in prosthetics and orthotics. As a lieutenant in the US Navy in World War II, he had served on the Navy tanker USS Sepulga in the Pacific theater for two and a half years. It was there that he saw the need for more improved artificial limbs and received encouragement from a shipmate doctor while they were standing watch together at night. After receiving his O&P training, he worked two years at Minneapolis Artificial Limb Company. In 1948, he was number 16 to be nationally accredited by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics Inc. That was also the year that he and his wifeLoretta, an occupational therapist, both relocated from Minneapolis to Houston and saw their first patient at the new Muilenburg Artificial Limb Company. They cast their first prosthesis in their garage and dried the socket in the kitchen oven in their home. It was a time before personal computers, pocket calculators, microwave ovens, and Medicare. It was also a time of great change in the prosthetics field, as returning disabled war veterans from WWII and the Korean War spurred efforts to improve prosthetic devices.Through the years, as prosthetic limbs made of wood, leather, and rawhide evolved into computerized "smart" knees and myoelectric hands, Al stayed abreast of the field and the technology, attending seminars, conducting research, and teaching. He was an instructor in prosthetics at the University of California Los Angeles and at Baylor University Houston, and a consultant in prosthetics at both the University of Texas and Shriners Hospital in Houston. He has authored or co-authored several papers and publications, including "Prosthetic Considerations for the Cancer Amputee," a report on the first International Prosthetics course held in Africa University of Abidjan, "A Manual for Below Knee Amputees," and "A Manual for Above Knee Amputees." He was president of the American Orthotics and Prosthetics Association (AOPA) in 1968, director of the American Board for Certification (ABC), Director of the US Committee International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO), a Fellow International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics, a member of the National Research Council Committees on Prosthetics and Orthotics Research and Development, and a member of the American Academy of Orthotics and Prosthetics (Academy). In addition to being a loving husband, father, and grandfather, Al was a talented and respected prosthetist and orthotist who affected many lives for the better, and he was well respected by his peers and patients alike. In 1992, he was awarded the Distinguished Practitioner Award by the Academy, an award given only to those who have distinguished themselves through their personal dedication and leadership to the advancement of the orthotic and prosthetic profession. It is given to an individual who has demonstrated a record of sustained contributions and commitment to the advancement of the ideals of the Academy and the profession.In 1995, the Academy awarded him the Titus-Ferguson Award, which is "a lifetime achievement award intended to be the highest level of recognition bestowed upon an outstanding Academician whose accomplishments and contributions have made a significant impact on the growth and development of the profession. This highly dedicated individual must have demonstrated a record of sustained devotion and leadership to the advancement of the Academy and the orthotics and prosthetics profession." In June of 2000, the Texas Chapter of the Academy named its top student research award after him. After he announced the winner of the first Al Muilenburg Award, he said, "Although I'm grateful for the recognition I've received, I have derived the most satisfaction from encouraging orthotic and prosthetic students and beginning practitioners to provide the best possible care for people with physical disabilities &. I have always believed that a thorough education, combined with an insistence on quality, is the key to helping those with disabling conditions to lead independent and productive lives." Through the years, many practitioners were fortunate to work with and learn from Al. He was a mentor to many, including his son, Ted, who became a certified prosthetist 30 years after his father and continues to run the business his father began, now called Muilenburg Prosthetics and Orthotics. Alvin Muilenburg's legacy of caring, commitment, and education lives on. Upon learning of Al's passing, fellow prosthetists and others commented that Al was "a true gentleman, a teacher, and an absolutely wonderful role model. He was one about whom a person could never say a disparaging word about." A true giant in the profession, Al will certainly be missed. Remembrances can be given to The Houston Shriners Hospital for Children, 713.797.1616.
