Tulsa Bone & Joint is saddened to share that Dr. David King of Tulsa Bone & Joint Bartlesville passed away on Sunday, Aug. 27, after a long year of battling bladder cancer. He died at his home in Bartlesville.
Tulsa Bone & Joint is highly grateful for the orthopedic care that Dr. King provided to the people of Bartlesville and the surrounding area.
David grew up in Dewey, Okla. and graduated from Bartlesville High School. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma and achieved his Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from Oklahoma State University/Tulsa Osteopathic School of Medicine.
David married Debbie a couple of weeks before he graduated from medical school. The couple moved to Staten Island, New York, where David began his internship training with the Public Health Service. He continued with the Public Health Service, training in his residency program for Orthopedic Surgery. He completed his Orthopedic Surgery Residency with the U.S. Army with the highest rank as Major. After serving in the U.S. Army at various stations, the Kings moved from Manhattan, Kan. to Chanute, Kan., where David was in private practice and worked at Neosho Memorial Hospital.
In 2007, David moved his family back home to Bartlesville, where he joined an orthopedic surgery group associated with Jane Phillips Hospital. He later joined Tulsa Bone and Joint Bartlesville, where he closed out his orthopedic surgery career with great love and dedication to his community and to his patients.
What David enjoyed most in life was taking care of the people around him, serving them, and loving them. He had a deep commitment to his faith in Jesus Christ.
David is survived by his 4 children, Matthew, Nathan, Jonathan, and Natalie, 7 grandchildren, and his wife, Debbie.
Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday, Sept. 2 at 2 p.m. at Hope Presbyterian Church, 900 South Dewey Avenue, Bartlesville, OK.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Bartlesville Community Foundation for the Dr. David King Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is intended for Bartlesville-area students aspiring to become physicians who have a heart to return to the Bartlesville community to practice medicine. Donations may be mailed to 208 E 4th St. Bartlesville, OK 74003 or online at https://bartlesvillecf.org/donate/ to the “Dr. David King Memorial” in the drop-down menu.
Tulsa Bone & Joint and Saint Francis Health System are announcing a new strategic partnership, one which will enhance services at both entities and offer orthopedic patients the latest technology and the best orthopedic services in the region.
“We believe Saint Francis Health System offers the best healthcare in the region, and Tulsa Bone & Joint is well-known for offering the highest-quality orthopedics care. This is a case of the best partnering with the best in a way that will only make both partners that much better,” said Dr. Cliff Robertson, president and CEO, Saint Francis Health System. “I’m grateful for the time and dedication from the Warren Clinic Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine physicians, health system leadership and the team at Tulsa Bone & Joint for their planning and collaboration as we worked to develop this plan to raise the bar for orthopedic care in the region.”
The partnership will allow Saint Francis and Tulsa Bone & Joint to benefit from each other’s expertise and resources:
- TBJ physicians now have privileges at Saint Francis, giving them access to state-of-the-art surgical suites, specialty services and support teams
- SFHS patients will have access to TBJ physicians
- There will be expanded access to after-hours and weekend urgent care services for SFHS patients
The partnership addresses needs from both entities: SFHS has a need for additional orthopedic specialists and more sites of care across the region, and TBJ needs more access to the facilities, technology and related provider specialties that SFHS offers.
Looking to the future, plans are in the works for additional expansion at the Saint Francis Hospital South campus that will offer orthopedic patients easier access, lower costs and newer technology.
“We are looking forward to working with the Saint Francis team to take this service line to the next level. The expansion at the South campus will be a game changer for orthopedic care in the region,” said Dr. Kevin Dukes of Tulsa Bone & Joint.
Tulsa Bone and Joint’s Union Pines Surgery Center Nurse Anesthetist Nahal Mir is also a yoga instructor here in Tulsa at Salt Yoga!
Finding time to relax is hard in our fast-paced lives and busy schedules. Maintaining excellent orthopedic health is crucial to our well-being. One exercise fully embraces healing, improves flexibility, and enhances mental wellness: yoga. Here are five benefits yoga can contribute to orthopedic health:
- Joint Mobility and Flexibility
One advantage to adding yoga to your orthopedic health routine is increased flexibility and joint mobility. Yoga uses gentle stretches and movements to strengthen muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This improves range of motion and reduces stiffness. The increased flexibility also prevents injury and aids in conditions such as arthritis and joint pain.
2. Strengthening Muscles and Bones
Yoga is known for the various poses and flows that encapsulate what yoga is. These famous poses engage various muscle groups, promoting muscle strenghtening and making them a better support system for the joints surrounding them, reducing the risk of strains. Because yoga is weight-bearing, yoga increases bone density, which is very beneficial, especially to those who are recovering from orthopedic surgery.
3. Improved Posture and Alignment
In this day and age, we are a part of lifestyles that lead to poor posture. Yoga uses practices that focus on body alignment, core engagement, and spine strengthening. All these factors contribute to correcting posture issues. Taking the time to focus on your body alignment can prevent future orthopedic problems and ease current discomfort.
4. Pain Management and Rehabilitation
For those recovering from orthopedic surgeries, yoga can help eliminate the initial pain and discomfort that comes during recovery. Through controlled movements, mindful breathing, and relaxation techniques, yoga helps reduce pain, alleviate muscle tension, and supports the body’s healing process.
5. Mental Health and Stress Reduction
Taking care of your mental health is crucial to keeping your mind and body at ease during the stress life brings. Yoga’s emphasis on mindfulness, deep breathing, and meditation cultivates a sense of inner calm and reduces stress levels. Regular yoga practice can decrease anxiety levels, promote better sleep, and enhance full-body well-being.
Tulsa Bone & Joint congratulates two of our amazing physical therapists, Libby Boone and Bethany Koss, on a decade of service!
A lot can happen in a decade of time.. In 2013 twerk was added to Webster’s Dictionary, ObamaCare was implemented into healthcare, the Harlem Shake was the trend of the year, taking selfies became a rage, and Beyonce reunited Destiny’s Child for the Super Bowl halftime performance. Here at Tulsa Bone & Joint in 2013, Physical Therapy was located in two awkward tiny wings of what was once the Platinum Gym and on the 3rd floor of the South building. In that time, Bethany and Libby have worked in three different buildings — physically moving the entire clinic twice (once in a thunderstorm).
A number of things haven’t changed … both Bethany and Libby have been vital to building the foundation of our department. Their dedication to the profession and the care they provide our patients are unmatched. They are dependable, they are consistent, and they never complain.
Bethany Koss’ Story
After high school, Bethany was unsure of a career path and ended up following her sister to beauty school, where she
became a licensed cosmetologist in 1998. After 4 years in the field, she decided she wanted to go into physical therapy. She began working part time and completed prerequisites at TCC. In 2008, she graduated from OUHSC-Tulsa with her Masters of Physical Therapy. Upon graduation, she began her career at Redbud PT and worked there for nearly 5 years before coming to Tulsa Bone & Joint.
During her decade at Tulsa Bone & Joint, Bethany has treated 3,430 patients, obtained certifications in ASTYM, dry needling, BFR and sportsmetrics. She is also one of the physical therapy providers for Tulsa Ballet.
Three things Bethany has enjoyed most at TBJ in the last 10 years are her co-workers, the types of patients she gets to work with and the relationships she has built with our physicians.
Bethany enjoys being an advocate for her patients and having some of their situations changed by being a voice for them. She loves her job and the ability it provides for her to help her patients get back to things they want to do.
In the next 10 years, she wants to be able to hone her skills for treating shoulders, specifically overhead athletes, and she wants to become the go-to therapist for individuals with these injuries.
Bethany is a friend to all, a quiet leader and an ideal employee that has helped lay the foundation of culture for our clinic.
Libby Boone’s Story
Libby graduated from OU with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy in 1996. She began her career with Patient Health Care Corporation, which was an independent local company. She worked in various settings while there, including outpatient PT, hospital based PT, and home health.
Libby then took a job with Professional PT, owned by our very own Helen Pratt (now Tulsa Bone & Joint Midtown PT). She worked there for the next 12 years. This is where she started to develop her knowledge and skills in working with spine patients. She attended several CE courses taught by people like Dr. Shirley Sahrmann and Dr. Stanley Paris and attended courses through IAOM-US. Libby also performed work screens, FCE tests, and did some company consulting.
While working at Helen’s clinic, Libby became mom to twins Max and Emma. She wanted more time at home with her young kids, and left Professional PT to pursue a job at Core Physical Therapy, which was owned by a group of physician and chiropractor friends. She worked here part time for 2 years, which allowed her the flexibility to both work and be present with her kids. This is where she first became interested in pursuing scoliosis training. She began self study of the Schroth method to improve her ability to treat these patients, developing the skills needed to treat varying types and stages of scoliosis.
After leaving Core PT, Libby found herself at Tulsa Bone and Joint, where she has spent the last 10 years. During her time here, she has seen 2,284 patients and treated a variety of orthopedic and sometimes non orthopedic problems. She has become Dr. Clark’s right hand woman when it comes to treating spine patients and is the scoliosis guru.
Libby has stuck with TBJ through 6 location changes over the years, changes in leadership, and through a global pandemic. She enjoys the patients she gets to treat and working alongside a group of clinicians that care more about the patient than the metrics. She enjoys the benefit of having access to the doctor’s notes and the ease of communication with them if needed.
Libby is a fantastic physical therapist, and we are so lucky to have her as a part of our team. If you want to see Libby, be prepared to wait at least 2 weeks to find an open spot on her schedule. She has patients that she has seen for years, even some that have followed her from other clinics. She provides excellent patient care and brings a wealth of knowledge to every patient she treats.
When not at work, you can find Libby on the soccer field cheering on her two favorite players, traveling the world thanks to her husband Mark’s work, volunteering with various organizations through her kids’ activities, or throwing the tennis ball with her favorite fur child, Cooper.
By Britney Else, DO
National Girls and Women in Sports Day was chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1986 to honor female athletic achievement and recognize the importance of sports and fitness participation for all girls and women.
Athletics, sports, and its community have had a profound impact on my life, career, health and future. At age of 4, I started t-ball and have continued to participate in athletics to this day. I was fortunate enough to be a collegiate athlete and varsity in two sports as a freshman. In the beginning, I found it hard, as my parents and uncle were my coaches, and I often wasn’t always a starter or got much play time. I later learned that they did not want to have a bias towards me. However, I have come to appreciate that restraint from my coaches as I learned about teamwork and belonging.
Sports has helped shape me into the mom, physician, and woman I am today. I learned about hard work on and off the court or field, which likely helped prepare me for medical school and the rigors of medical residency. I learned that my academic performance in high school and college could affect my ability to play, so I took school very seriously as well. I also learned a sense of accomplishment and pride when being chosen for scholarship, or all-state, or after winning a big game.
Athletics also steered my career into sports medicine, and it is a perfect fit for me to be able to treat athletes and return them to the sports they love. Most importantly, I feel sports and athletics has had the most profound impact on my health. I enjoy staying healthy through exercise and sports. I now enjoy coaching my young daughters in their early years of sports. I would like to share some benefits that sports can have for women of all ages.
8 Benefits for Girls and Women Who Participate in Sports:
- Increased mental and physical well-being
- Increased sense of belonging
- Increased academic performance
- Increased sense of self, accomplishment, and pride
- Increased work ethic, responsibility, and accountability
- Increased bone and muscle mass, in turn decreasing risk of osteoporosis
- Improved balance and coordination
- Decreased risk of chronic disease, cardiovascular disease and some cancers
National Girls and Women in Sports Day originally began as a day to remember Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman for her athletic achievements and her work to assure equality for women’s sports. Hyman died of Marfan’s Syndrome in 1986 while competing in a volleyball tournament in Japan. Since that time, the day has evolved into an acknowledgement of the past and recognition of current sports achievements, the positive influence of sports participation, and the continuing struggle for equality and access for women in sports.
