In 1981, former Board of Directors member and journal editorial board member Miriam J. Partridge became the first recipient of the Henry O. and Florence P. Kendall Practice Award.
The Henry O. Kendall and Florence P. Kendall Award for Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Practice originally was developed by APTA’s Maryland Chapter to recognize outstanding clinicians for excellence in clinical practice. The award celebrates the nationally recognized husband and wife clinician team who were prominent leaders in physical therapy. Through numerous publications, films, and workshops, they shared their expertise in muscle testing, posture, and physical fitness exercise regimes throughout their long careers, and provided an inspiring example of dedication to the profession.
The first recipient was Miriam J. Partridge of Houston, Texas. A veteran of the U.S. Army Women’s Medical Specialist Corps and in private practice at the time, Partridge was published widely in the areas of kinesiology, therapeutic exercise, and electromyography. Partridge handed over the $500 check as a gracious donation to the Foundation for Physical Therapy.