Dan McCoy: Bringing Paralympic Determination to the UPMC Adult Spina Bifida Clinic

This article is part of a larger series of articles on the UPMC Adult Spina Bifida Clinic. Visit the series main article for links to other article in the series.”

Dan McCoy, MS, ACE-CPT, is a certified personal trainer, adaptive fitness trainer, and Paralympic gold medalist in sled hockey. He won gold with Team USA at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, and also was on World Champion teams in 2012 and 2015. He now serves as director of player development and assistant coach within the Pittsburgh Mighty Penguins sled hockey program, while continuing to compete. He brings the high-performance mindset of an elite-level athlete to his work in the UPMC Adult Spina Bifida Clinic, where he focuses on strength, conditioning, and confidence building for adults living with spina bifida. In addition, McCoy is a member of the clinic’s Peer Mentorship Program. He also routinely takes part in the transition clinic for adolescents getting ready to move to adult care.

In the clinic, McCoy works alongside the multidisciplinary team to introduce patients to exercise and fitness options and regimens, and adaptive fitness principles that are tailored to their individual abilities, goals, and medical needs. McCoy’s work as a member of the UPMC Adult Spina Bifida Clinic is not limited to exercise instruction. He is also an approachable resource for conversations with patients about daily living, motivation, and overcoming the mental and logistical barriers that can accompany living and navigating the world with a complex condition like spina bifida.

McCoy also is a longtime patient of the clinic itself, which adds another dimension to his work with patients and the overall dynamic with the team. McCoy’s life and athletic experiences and abilities add a distinct perspective to the program and how it works with patients.

“When I meet a patient for the first time, or even for the 50th time, I want that person to leave the clinic with a good impression of what their bodies are capable of doing. Maybe I can open their eyes to things they did not think they could do,” McCoy says. “Maybe I can help our patients help themselves to be as healthy and resilient as they can be. That’s a meaningful accomplishment for everyone.”

From Patient to Paralympic Champion to the Clinic

McCoy’s path to being a clinical provider in in the UPMC Adult Spina Bifida Clinic is rooted in his own journey as a patient. He has undergone multiple surgeries, navigated long hospital stays, and learned to balance the demands of ongoing medical care with education and career development.

His pursuit of competitive sled hockey began as a personal challenge and evolved into an international career, culminating in a gold medal and world championships. This athletic experience changed his view of what was possible as someone living with spina bifida.

“I don’t look at it as just winning medals. I see it as learning how to set goals, work within a team, and push beyond what others might expect of you,” McCoy says. “The medals are cool, I won’t lie, but I see them as just a reminder about the work that went into it — the time, the effort. For our patients, it might not be a medal on a shelf but something just as meaningful when they accomplish something they didn’t think was possible.”

These lessons have direct parallels in the clinic, where he encourages patients to find their own definition of success, whether it involves competitive sports, employment, or independent living.

Building Confidence Through Physical Fitness

For many adults living with spina bifida, physical activity and its importance can be overshadowed by medical concerns, mobility limitations, or a lack of accessible resources. McCoy works to counter this by designing exercise strategies for patients that emphasize function, strength, and confidence. His approach often involves helping patients adapt activities they already enjoy or introduce them to new ones they may not have considered possible.

“Physical health and confidence are closely linked,” McCoy says. “When you feel capable in your body, it can change how you approach the rest of your life. I try to draw that out from people when I first meet them, see where they are in life, and work with them at the level and intensity that make sense for them.”

McCoy also understands that exercise can play a critical role in managing secondary complications of spina bifida that can crop up, such as weight gain, decreased endurance, or musculoskeletal strain and injuries. He integrates this clinical awareness into his fitness coaching to ensure that patients see physical activity not only as recreation but as an essential part of their long-term health plan.

Relating Through Lived Experience

As someone who has moved through the transition from pediatric to adult care within the UPMC Pediatric and Adult Spina Bifida Clinics, McCoy brings an authenticity to his work that resonates with patients. He understands the learning curve involved in managing appointments, communicating directly with providers, and advocating for accommodations in work or school. His presence in the transition clinic gives adolescents a chance to speak with someone who has faced similar challenges.

“Having someone who has gone through it helps normalize the process,” McCoy says. “It can be intimidating to take on all these responsibilities at once, but I think it can be easier to hear it from someone who has been there.”

His insights also extend to helping patients frame their own narratives around their health and innate abilities. Many people with spina bifida have been defined by their medical needs for most of their lives. In adulthood, reframing that identity is an important step toward autonomy.

“Sometimes the conversations don’t have anything to do with physical fitness or playing a sport or finding the right adaptive approach to a task or a conditioning exercise. My lived experience with spina bifida is a natural asset when talking with and trying to help our patients,” McCoy says.

Applying Elite Athletic Principles to Patient Care

McCoy meets patients where they are, from first-time exercisers to seasoned adaptive athletes, prescribing programs that range from faster daily wheelchair pushes to comprehensive strength and conditioning plans.

“I handle anything that is strength- and conditioning-related, be it musculoskeletal or cardiovascular strengthening,” McCoy says. “It is actually a good thing to challenge yourself and to be a little uncomfortable physically and mentally.”

Born with myelomeningocele at the lumbar 3–4 level, he has a personal understanding of the costs of inactivity.

“’If you do not use it, you lose it’ is very true with folks with disabilities. We see contractures, frozen joints, and stiff muscles if you are in one position too long,” McCoy says. “My parents would always tell me growing up, pay now or pay later in terms of one’s physical well-being.”

He uses his own biomechanics, walking with a modified Trendelenburg gait due to absent glute innervation and partial hamstring function, to teach joint protection and realistic progression when it comes to fitness routines, blending technical instruction with lived experience.

McCoy’s many years as a Paralympic-level sled hockey player also shape how he frames physical training. In sled hockey, which is essentially the same as traditional ice hockey, with all the same rules and regulations, including full contact, the need for strength, technique, and situational awareness mirrors the preparation and adaptability required in living daily with spina bifida. The sport’s risks, like collisions from the side or getting a high stick to the head, reinforce the value of conditioning, protective technique, and understanding one’s limits. McCoy’s work as a player, coach, and developer within the Mighty Penguins organization deepens his ability to translate high-performance athletic principles into patient care that focuses on discipline, teamwork, and resilience.

Promoting Independence and Self-Advocacy

A recurring theme in McCoy’s approach is helping patients set goals that reflect their current physical capacity rather than measuring themselves against others. He works with young adults to recognize and build on what their bodies can do today, using those capabilities as a foundation for gradual progress.

“I think it comes down to emphasizing realistic, incremental goals,” McCoy says.

In the transition clinic, he models self-advocacy by directing questions and conversation to the patient first, establishing that they are the primary decision-maker in their own care, not the parent or caregiver. He encourages families to hand off responsibilities earlier than they might expect or think they should, such as managing daily routines, caring for equipment, or coordinating school and sports commitments.

“Starting early and gradually with these kinds of things is a setup for success, so that by the time a patient reaches adulthood, self-management is already second nature,” McCoy says. “It’s my experience that all kids and adolescents, whether they are living with spina bifida or not, are generally more capable than the adults give them credit for.”

His commitment to fostering independence extends beyond the clinic. Through the Peer Navigation Program, he mentors others while also gaining insight from their experiences.

“We are all mentors and mentees, learning together,” McCoy says.

Coming from a high-intensity sports background, McCoy says he has learned to value exercise for overall health and daily function, finding motivation in the smaller but meaningful milestones his peers share during or outside of the clinic, things like completing household tasks, increasing endurance on a walk, or establishing a consistent routine. These exchanges with patients reinforce the belief that progress, at any scale, can have a lasting impact on quality of life.

Advocacy in Action

Whether maneuvering through streets and buildings or training for a marathon relay leg by handcycle, McCoy uses personal challenges as opportunities to demonstrate capability in public spaces. These moments serve as both personal goals and quiet advocacy, showing others what is possible with preparation and determination.

“Do not be afraid to get into a gym,” McCoy says. “You might feel silly, but so does everyone else. Try as many adaptive sports and fitness opportunities as you can until something clicks. Every bit helps, no matter what it is you focus on or find enjoyable. It might be uncomfortable at first but give it time to become a part of the routine.”