Physical Therapy Archives | �鶹ԭ�� News

�鶹ԭ�� Students Reimagine Clothing Through Adaptive Design

Paul Kelly — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 15:49:56 +0000

At the �鶹ԭ�� College of Health Professions and Sciences Rehabilitation Innovation Center, clothing becomes a tool for care. Students are combining health expertise and design to help people reclaim independence, confidence and comfort in daily living.

Through the Spring 2026 Health Tech Innovators Adaptive Clothing Hackathon, students across disciplines including physical therapy, health sciences, medicine, health services administration, and engineering worked together to redesign everyday garments around the needs of people facing medical, cognitive, and sensory challenges.

This year’s project immersed students in real world healthcare challenges, pairing interprofessional teams with patient volunteers in the community and their caregivers to identify barriers created by traditional clothing and create personalized solutions.

“It’s one thing to build something that works,” says Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs and Healthcare Innovation Bari Hoffman, who led the program. “It’s another thing to build something that’s usable, comfortable and actually fits into someone’s daily activities.”

Interprofessional student teams showcased their adaptive clothing designs in a final presentation in which patient volunteers modeled the garments. (Photo by Grayson Keglovic)

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For physical therapy doctoral student Ashley Peitz, the project revealed how something as ordinary as getting dressed can become physically exhausting when clothing isn’t designed with accessibility in mind.

“We’re working with a stroke survivor, and he wears a device on his left leg and has difficulty getting pants on and off without his [WalkAide device] getting in the way,” Peitz says. “It makes things like going to the bathroom take longer, or just getting dressed take a little longer, which is fatiguing for him.”

Students began the multi-month project by hearing from entrepreneurs in the adaptive clothing industry before interviewing and assessing their patient volunteers to better understand their daily routines, needs and personal preferences.

For Peitz’s team, those conversations revealed not only the physical challenges their volunteer faces, but also his desire to maintain a sense of normalcy and personal style.

“His main goal was finding an easier way to take his garments on and off while still looking like everyday attire,” Peitz says. “Everyone wants to fit in. Even something as simple as not having a shirt that fits correctly, or allows for your medical device to fit underneath, can make you feel outside the norm.”

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After developing a garment design plan, presenting it for peer feedback and securing materials, students quickly learned the project required more than creativity. It demanded adaptability, communication and collaboration across disciplines.

“I think a lot of times, engineers think of a really cool, innovative idea, but sometimes the comfort and practicality of a human actually using it isn’t the most ideal,” says mechanical engineering major Jannah Barakat. “You shift from more of a product standpoint to more of a human-centered approach.”

“I’m able to be a professional problem solver and learn how I can take something that is different for somebody else and really cater it to their needs.” — Sari Greenstein, �鶹ԭ�� student

Health sciences major Sari Greenstein and her team designed clothing for Marlie, a young girl with cerebral palsy who loves bright colors and Disney, especially Princess Tiana. They modified a sweatshirt and sweatpants with openings for a medical port and feeding tube and added zippered access points to the arms and the legs to make dressing and undressing easier for caregivers.

“It’s a process [with] a lot of iteration and a lot of cultivation,” Greenstein says. “I’m able to be a professional problem solver and learn how I can take something that is different for somebody else and really cater it to their needs.”

Students researched user needs, learned garment fabrication skills, and designed adaptive clothing solutions to improve comfort, accessibility, and independence for individuals with medical needs. (Photo by Grayson Keglovic)

Mission-Driven Work

During fabrication day, students assembled their garments with guidance from sewing professionals. Volunteers later returned to try on the finished outfits and provide feedback on the fit before final adjustments were made.

The project culminated in a final presentation during which student teams explained their designs and the patient volunteers modeled the clothing.

“We are not just changing clothing,” Hoffman says. “We’re actually changing how people move through their daily activities, how they feel about themselves and how independently they can live.”

The experience also reinforced the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in healthcare.

“My biggest takeaway from this project is how important it is to work with all the other professions, especially in healthcare,” Peitz says. “We all need to come together to make the patient’s health our first priority.”

The Health Tech Innovators program was developed in part through a grant from VentureWell to promote innovation in healthcare technology. ��徱�پ��ǲԲ��upport and materials were provided �ٳ��ǳܲ��funding from the Chesley G. Magruder Foundation.

The Next Elite Sports Physical Therapists

Robert Stephens — Wed, 06 May 2026 13:30:23 +0000

Alvaro Zapata and Tsianna Barnwell have never feared the highest level of competition. They crave it. Growing up, soccer, track and football lit internal fires that burn to this day, which helps explain how they made it into an exclusive cohort: the �鶹ԭ�� and Orlando Health sports physical therapy residency. With just two residents accepted each year, Zapata and Barnwell made the cut from a list of 30 high-performing applicants, meaning they’re as elite as the athletes they work with.

“The residency accelerates clinical reasoning by three to five years, making [residents] more competitive candidates for the best jobs.” — Meredith Chaput, research coordinator and liaison for the �鶹ԭ�� and Orlando Health sports physical therapy residency program

“We look for people who thrive on rigor,” says Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Meredith Chaput, the residency’s research coordinator and liaison. The payoff is priceless. “The residency accelerates clinical reasoning by three to five years, making them more competitive candidates for the best jobs.”

Chaput’s sport-specific expertise, along with that of four of her colleagues in the �鶹ԭ�� Division of Physical Therapy who serve as didactic and clinical mentors, is an instant draw to the program. So, too, are �鶹ԭ��’s research labs, partnerships and the opportunity to teach students in the �鶹ԭ�� doctor of physical therapy program.

The residents are equally drawn to the opportunity to advance their skills alongside a seasoned clinical team at Orlando Health. They take on a caseload of sports and orthopedic patients, providing specialized care ranging from post-surgical rehabilitation to elite-level performance optimization, tapping into advanced rehabilitation technology to improve athlete recovery. Nearly 2 million people every year suffer sports-related injuries and receive treatment in emergency departments, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

With all of this in place, professionals are being prepared, two at a time, through a specialized 12-month program, to join the select group of 169 board-certified sports clinical specialist physical therapists in Florida. It’s a coveted residency and one designed to develop healthcare providers to better aid athletes of all levels. Central Florida is a premier sports destination, featuring a mix of professional franchises, elite collegiate athletics, large high schools and massive amateur complexes.

“When we started this program in 2020, our mission initially aimed to strengthen the rehabilitation services provided to the local sports-based community within Central Florida by producing highly trained and skilled sports physical therapists,” says Philip Agostinelli, residency program coordinator and rehab clinical operations manager with Orlando Health Sports Medicine and Rehab Center. “Now, currently, in our sixth cohort of residents, that mission evolved to encompass the needs of athletes on a national scale, with multiple past graduates working in professional or semi-professional sports across the country.”

Since entering the �鶹ԭ�� and Orlando Health Sports Physical Therapy program, Alvaro Zapata has accessed the inner circles of Orlando’s two professional soccer teams.

The Tireless Protege: Alvaro Zapata

Long days do not faze Alvaro Zapata, even as they turn into 60-hour weeks. To him, they’re part of the allure of the residency program.

“I ask myself, ‘When would I have this kind of opportunity again?’ and the answer is never,” Zapata says. “The program opens doors that would otherwise not be open.”

“I’m gaining all the knowledge I could possibly need to eventually be at the top of my profession.” — Alvaro Zapata

Since entering the program last August, Zapata has stretched his aptitude alongside clinicians at Orlando Health and Jewett Orthopedic. He’s worked with athletes in high schools and at �鶹ԭ�� and accessed the inner circles of Orlando’s two professional soccer teams.

As Zapata puts it, “I’m gaining all the knowledge I could possibly need to eventually be at the top of my profession.”

Zapata was poised to climb the ladder with his Doctor of Physical Therapy from Boston University when he heard about Chaput heading up the residency program at �鶹ԭ��. He knew of her published research and presentations to global audiences.

“She’s a big reason I wanted this residency so badly,” Zapata says.

At the 2026 Isokinetic Conference, Alvaro Zapata presented progress on a rehab model he co-developed, examining how ACL surgery can disrupt instinctive movement and coordination.

Here, he has had the opportunity to collaborate with Chaput and progress research on the “visual-cognitive control-to-chaos continuum” in rehab, a model for which Chaput is one of the original creators. After ACL reconstruction surgery, patients often develop inhibitions within the brain that limit the coordination of knee movement. Instead of movement in competition being instinctive, athletes are often consciously aware of deficiencies that were once automatic.

“If you can’t trust your knee, then you can’t get back to the top of your game,” Zapata says. “Rehab is typically done in a controlled setting. The real sports environment is chaotic. We’re finding ways to challenge people the day after surgery, so inhibitions don’t set in.”

This means “visual-cognitive” challenges are added to rehab in the very early stages. For example, the physical therapists might have the patient look for colored lights on a screen. Red means squeeze the right leg. Blue means squeeze the left leg. Yellow means squeeze both.

The visual-cognitive control-to-chaos continuum calls for therapists to gradually make exercises more complex for the patient, from simple, controlled movements to more unpredictable, game-like situations. The goal is to better prepare patients to safely return to sports by training both the body and the brain.

“We want athletes to react instead of thinking first,” Zapata says. “It could be a game changer.”

Tsianna Barnwell is building her skill set through hands-on work with the Orlando Pride.

The Team Player: Tsianna Barnwell

At noon on a Monday, Tsianna Barnwell leaves Jewett Orthopedic Clinic, where she’s been broadening her skills since 7 a.m. She’ll now drive to a local high school to work with athletes across a range of sports. Barnwell thrives in the residency program because no two days are the same. She might work with the Orlando Pride or Orlando City, provide expertise for USA Track or binge on insights at Orlando Health.

Some people call the program challenging. Barnwell calls it “incredible.”

“I’m getting the best of all worlds,” she says. She even immerses herself in the world of Orlando Ballet, calling it “another unique experience to add to my toolbox.”

In the Cognition, Neuroplasticity and Sarcopenia Lab, Tsianna Barnwell (left), assisted by Alvaro Zapata (right), studies differences in hamstring muscles between men and women to inform rehabilitation, recovery and injury prevention.

Barnwell takes her toolbox into the Cognition, Neuroplasticity and Sarcopenia Lab, where she and Chaput are advancing research, which they recently presented in Athens, Greece, at the Isokinetic Conference. It started with a question Barnwell had from her days as a Division I soccer player: Why are female athletes two to six times more likely to suffer knee injuries than men? Through her sports residency, she’s discovered that females are more likely to be weaker in their hamstring muscles. Studying these anatomical and physiological differences can inform impactful changes in rehab, recovery and injury prevention, she notes.

“With this residency under my belt, my opportunities will be almost endless.” — Tsianna Barnwell

Barnwell knows firsthand what it’s like to suffer a torn ACL. She’s also known “the team” as her home away from home since leaving Qatar as an 18-year-old to study and play soccer at St. Bonaventure University. Ultimately, she wants to be part of a team again, perhaps as the director of rehabilitation for a professional women’s soccer team. That’s her preference, but when the residency ends, she’ll be prepared to work with any team — even a ballet company, Cirque du Soleil or the rehab team at Orlando Health.

“I’m fortunate to gain such a breadth of knowledge,” Barnwell says. “With this residency under my belt, my opportunities will be almost endless.”

Jeremy Wydra ’18 ’22DPT was among the presenters at the 2026 Isokinetic Conference in Athens, Greece.

The Empowered Graduate: Jeremy Wydra ’18 ’22DPT

Jeremy Wydra ’18 ’22DPT is where Zapata and Barnwell will soon be: residency complete, now pursuing a path to find more effective ways to help athletes and performers recover and raise the bar.

“That’s the great outcome for me: variety,” says Wydra, who finished the residency program in 2024 and is now practicing clinically, and working toward his doctorate in kinesiology at �鶹ԭ��, where he is collecting data on the recovery and return to performance after ACL reconstruction.

Wydra worked his way through �鶹ԭ��, first envisioning a career in mechanical engineering and ultimately earning a bachelor’s in health sciences. Along the way, he decided he wanted a people-facing profession and shadowed at a clinic, where he noticed physical therapists conversing with patients throughout treatment sessions, often for more than an hour. He saw it as personalized healthcare that he could optimize with physics and innovation.

Jeremy Wydra ’18 ’22DPT (right) works with a student-athlete in a training facility.

After finishing his doctorate in physical therapy at �鶹ԭ��, Wydra landed in a dream situation in Maryland, practicing as both a strength and conditioning coach and a physical therapist within sports performance centers. It begs the question: Why return for the residency?

“I wanted to work with mentors who would push me to be better,” says Wydra.

Unlike Zapata and Barnwell, Wydra had little soccer experience. Gaining it became part of the push he desired.

“… the value of the residency for me: having access to such diversified people and environments.” — Jeremy Wydra ’18 ’22DPT

“During my second week in the residency, I stepped into the Orlando City Academy training room to work with high-level athletes,” he says. “I also helped on the sidelines and talked with the medical staff about team-centered communication with coaches and players. That was the value of the residency for me: having access to such diversified people and environments.”

Wydra sees himself taking full advantage of the variety still in front of him, perhaps as a physical therapist and sports scientist, reforming best practices and helping others be their best.

“That’s what my mentors in the residency have done for me: made me a better person and professional,” he says. “I wouldn’t trade those 12 months for the world.”

�鶹ԭ�� Researchers Receive $600K Grant to Develop Intelligent Assistive Robotics

Marisa Ramiccio ’11 — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 15:01:28 +0000

For people with upper extremity disabilities — such as a stroke, multiple sclerosis or other conditions — assistive robotics can help restore their independence in performing everyday tasks like eating, grooming and grasping objects. But much like old dogs, these devices have a hard time learning new tricks.

“They need a lot of demos to learn new tasks, and people with disabilities aren’t able to provide these demos,” says Professor Aman Behal, an assistive robotics expert at �鶹ԭ��. “If they can, they might not be the best demos for the robot to learn from.”

Behal aims to address this challenge with his new research project, Mobile Robot Manipulators for Learning and Executing Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. The project is supported through a three-year, $600,000 grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research.

Currently, mobile assistive robotics can be mounted to the side of a wheelchair or can trail behind the individual, ready to assist when needed. These devices allow users to navigate their homes or travel to places like an office or local park, offering greater flexibility than stationary fixed-base robotics.

While the dexterity of these robots allows them to assist with complex tasks like brushing hair or cutting a piece of steak, they can be difficult for the user to control or teach. Assistive robots perform tasks better over time by mimicking the user, but in these situations, the user may not be able to complete the task correctly — or at all.

Behal and his team of researchers, including Clinical Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Morris Beato, and Professor of Statistics and Data Science Edgard Maboudou, will create intelligent and mobile robotic assistants that offer easier control and a better robot-human interface.

The project’s first year will focus on research and development, while the second and third years will incorporate testing and user feedback. Initial testing will be conducted with students, followed by studies involving adults with upper body paralysis.

“We will recruit adults between the ages of 18 and 65, bring them (into our lab) and essentially get the robots to do several tasks,” Behal says. “At the end of it, we’ll see how easy it was to interact with the robot.”

The researchers will survey the participants to find out how many times they had to tell the robot to perform a task, how long it took for the robot to complete the action, how many mistakes were made and how satisfied they were with the robot’s assistance.

The end goal is to develop smart robots that can give the user a greater degree of independence, leading to increased self-esteem and enhanced quality of life.

To complete the work, Behal is recruiting both students and adults for future studies. Undergraduate or graduate students who are interested in robotics and assistive technology can contact Behal for job opportunities. Adults in the Central Florida area who use a wheelchair and have upper extremity disabilities may email aman.behal@ucf.edu if they are interested in testing the assistive robots.

Record Number of Doctor of Physical Therapy Students Accepted to Residencies

Heather Lovett — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 15:20:11 +0000

Of the 38 students who will graduate from program this spring, one in four — an impressive 26% — will immediately go on to develop further specialization in their defined areas of practice at a post professional physical therapy residency. This year is a record high for the DPT program, which typically sees only about 10% of graduates accepted to residency programs.

Across the U.S., less than 12% of DPT students apply to residency programs following graduation.

The increase comes as no surprise to program leaders in the College of Health Professions and Sciences who, over the last three years, have increased the number of education sessions delivered to students to help make them more aware of residency opportunities and how they can further expertise and ultimately improve patient care.

Physical therapy residency programs provide advanced training and prepare students with the knowledge and skills needed to pass a certification examination for a specialized area of practice.

“Residency training for physical therapists is the crucible where theory meets practice, forging expertise through immersive learning and mentorship,” says Associate Professor and Division of Physical Therapy Chair William Hanney. “It’s the transformative journey that hones skills, instills confidence, and shapes compassionate caregivers, ensuring excellence in every step towards healing.”

The 10 students graduating from �鶹ԭ�� this year and entering residencies will receive structured mentoring, further didactic learning and guided clinical experiences. They’ll develop skills in specialty areas that include sports, neurology, orthopedics and cardiopulmonary.

Riley Hogge will serve her orthopedic physical therapy residency at The Ohio State University and says she’s eager to receive one on one mentoring from experts in her chosen specialty area and looks forward to the chance to teach.

“I hope to develop my clinical reasoning and further build on the education that I received from �鶹ԭ�� DPT through the high level and structured mentoring that residency education provides,” Hogge says. “This will help prepare me for my career goals of becoming an orthopedic expert for my patients and an educator within the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.”

According to the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education, there are 7,896 physical therapists who are residency program graduates from 426 accredited residency programs.

The DPT program this year also . Since its first doctoral cohort in 2010, the DPT program has consistently exceeded state and national averages in National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) pass rates, attaining an overall pass rate of 100% in 2022-2023.

The graduating students going to post professional physical therapy residency programs include:

Dimitri Shurik, attending the University of Miami-Jackson Rehabilitation Hospital Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy Residency;
Scott Stockunas ’21, attending the AdventHealth Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency;
Gabriella Orlando, attending the AdventHealth Sports Physical Therapy Residency;
Emma Scammon, attending the �鶹ԭ�� and Orlando Health Neurologic Residency;
Riley Hogge, attending The Ohio State University Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency;
Juan Rodriguez, attending the University of Miami Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Residency;
Breven Dalsemer, attending the Nationwide Children’s Sports Residency;
Reid Whiting, attending the AdventHealth Neurological Physical Therapy Residency;
Kylie McCarty ’19, attending the University of North Carolina Neurologic Physical Therapy Residency; and
Marc Luzadder ’20, attending the Brooks Orthopaedic Residency.

�鶹ԭ�� Physical Therapy Faculty Inducted as Distinguished Fellows of the National Academies of Practice

Stella Canfield — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 14:49:05 +0000

Clinical associate professors and have been elected as DistinguishedFellows of the National Academies of Practice (NAP) in physical therapy. Fellowship is an honor extended to those who have excelled in their profession and are dedicated to further interprofessional practice, scholarship and policy in support of interprofessional care. Neely and Tucker were inducted at a ceremony in Jacksonville, Florida, on March 16.

Neely, a board-certified neurological physical therapist with over 10 years of clinical experience in the acute care setting, has been involved with interprofessional education and collaborative practice since 2007. As the associate program director and the director of clinical education for the Division of Physical Therapy, she has helped pioneer the development of interprofessional education curriculum for the College of Health Professions and Sciences. With a grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, Neely has been collaborating across disciplines at �鶹ԭ�� to promote health and wellness among healthcare professionals and students to decrease the risk of burnout.

Neely has taught graduate students at �鶹ԭ�� since 2018 and is the recipient of multiple recognitions for excellence in research and teaching, including the Katherine Harris Educator Award from the American Physical Therapy Association’s Academy of Acute Care Physical Therapy in 2022, an honor that recognizes an outstanding physical therapy educator whose professional involvement and contribution has significantly impacted acute care physical therapy education.

Neely has a multitude of peer-reviewed publications, coupled with numerous state and national conference presentations on interprofessional and clinical education. She is also a member of the Florida Physical Therapy Association, the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy and the American Physical Therapy Association.

Neely holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Mississippi and a doctorate in physical therapy from Old Dominion University. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in educational leadership at �鶹ԭ��.

“It is an honor to be part of an organization that values and promotes interprofessional education and practice,” Neely says. “When we work together, our patients receive better care and have better outcomes. Interprofessional education is my passion and I look forward to working with others who also share this passion to advance healthcare education.”

Tucker, a board-certified pediatric physical therapist with over 28 years of experience, has been involved in advancing interprofessional education and practice through decades of teaching, service and research.

Tucker’s clinical practice includes a focus on those with complex needs who receive integrated care from interprofessional teams. As the director of �鶹ԭ�� Go Baby Go!, a program dedicated to interdisciplinary research, community outreach and advocacy for children and adults with motor impairments, and — director of the Early Mobility and Play (EMAP) Lab, a lab designed to address access, mobility, participation and play among special populations, Tucker has been instrumental in expanding the college’s interprofessional education and embedding its practice. Tucker and Assistant Professor Julie Feuerstein also co-direct Mighty Knights, a collaborative program between the Division of Physical Therapy and the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders that provides unique, community-based enriched play experiences for infants and toddlers with complex medical conditions like cerebral palsy and Down syndrome.

Tucker has received various awards acknowledging her contributions to the field, including the Societal Impact Award in 2022 for her community service initiatives and the for her innovative delivery of educational content and learning opportunities for students. She also volunteers on interprofessional clinical teams to provide care to children and adults in Central Florida.

Tucker’s research focuses on community-embedded interventions to promote play and participation in children with and without disabilities. Tucker has an extensive record of peer-reviewed publications and has presented nationally and internationally on novel opportunities for mobility and play, interprofessional education and community partnerships. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Tucker holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Alabama, a master’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Indianapolis, a doctorate in physical therapy from the University of South Alabama, and a Ph.D. in exceptional education from �鶹ԭ��.

“I am honored to be recognized by the National Academies of Practice,” Tucker says. “I am excited to be a part of an organization that shares similar values of the power of interprofessional education and practice. I look forward to engaging with other members to explore best practices for educating students and providing care for our patients. Working together with other healthcare professions keeps our focused centered on improving improving the lives of the patients we serve.”

Other interdisciplinary academies within the NAP include allopathic and osteopathic medicine, athletic training, audiology, dentistry, nursing, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, podiatric medicine, psychology, respiratory care, social work and veterinary medicine.

Neely and Tucker become the third and fourth members of the College of Health Professions and Sciences to be inducted into the NAP. In 2023, and .

�鶹ԭ��’s Physical Therapy Clinic Offers Service to Community, Opportunities for Students

Drexler B. James ’13 — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 17:31:43 +0000

Less than a year into opening on �鶹ԭ��’s main campus, the �鶹ԭ�� Physical Therapy Clinic has already seen great success.

The clinic, which was started by faculty from �鶹ԭ��’s and is located inside the �鶹ԭ�� Student Health Center, provides progressive, evidence-informed physical therapy services to �鶹ԭ�� and the local community.

“The �鶹ԭ�� Physical Therapy Clinic was created as an academic health practice that blends high quality patient care and contemporary education,” says Patrick Pabian, director of the physical therapy program. “Our clinical faculty are providing highly-specialized care in sports medicine and orthopedic physical therapy, while enhancing the learning experience for students who do clinical rotations in this unique clinical environment.”

Sheila Klausner and Randi Richardson are both clinical faculty who serve as board-certified clinical specialists at the clinic. They provide advanced care to patients and mentorship of doctoral students.

“Helping to set up a new clinic was an awesome opportunity because I get to treat patients on-campus, help serve the �鶹ԭ�� community, and also teach the �鶹ԭ�� PT students and help them develop their skills,” says Richardson.

The clinic offers rehabilitation care for injuries and those recovering from surgery, in addition to evaluation services for pain, and prevention services to support health and wellness.

“The PT clinic is an extension of the program and allows the students to participate and see the transition between what they learn in the classroom and how it applies practically in the real world,” Klausner says.

Marielle Garvey, a senior psychology major at �鶹ԭ��, has been a patient at the clinic since August 2020. She was referred to the clinic by her doctor for lingering pain from a back injury sustained from a car accident in 2015.

Garvey says that she appreciates the personalized care that she receives from the clinic. Following an assessment with the clinicians, they worked together to develop a home and clinic treatment plan.

“I got the chance to develop a really close connection with my physical therapists,” Garvey says. “The clinic feels so intimate and personal, and they take really good care of you.”

“The opening of the PT clinic complements the array of clinical services offered by the College of Health Professions and Sciences through our clinical enterprise,” said Bari Hoffman, associate dean of clinical affairs. “We look forward to continuing and growing our portfolio of care to the local community.”

More information about the clinic and its services is .

�鶹ԭ�� Student Wins National Award for Research on Walking Speed of Elderly

Drexler B. James — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 15:28:29 +0000

Ashleigh Trapuzzano devotes herself to research to benefit elderly adults and her work has not gone unnoticed.

The Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy on Thursday presented Trapuzzano, a third-year physical therapy doctoral student, with the 2019 Student Award for Research at the academy’s national convention in Washington.

The award recognizes outstanding research by entry-level physical therapy students. Trapuzzano will also receive a $100 prize.

Assistant Professor Nicole Dawson, with whom Trapuzzano worked as a graduate research assistant in the Innovative Mobility Initiative Lab, wrote a recommendation letter on her behalf.

“Trapuzzano impresses me with her exceptional achievements inside and outside the classroom through academic excellence, commitment to research and dedication to leadership,” Dawson said in her letter.

Trapuzzano served as the principal student investigator on her capstone project, “What Makes Us Walk: Predictors of Gait Speed in Community Dwelling Older Adults.” She and her team found that lower extremity strength, balance and executive function were unique predictors of comfortable gait speed. Meanwhile, lower extremity strength, balance and processing speed were indicators of fast gait speed. Trapuzzano will present her research Saturday at the conference.

She also serves as the co-investigator on an ongoing funded grant project entitled “Investigating the Unique Predictors of Comfortable and Fast Gait Speed in Community Dwelling Older Adults” and serving as the project manager for a funded trial in the IMOVE lab.

Trapuzzano previously presented four national peer-reviewed presentations during the past two years and published one professional article, with two more currently under review.

“Through these avenues, Ms. Trapuzzano has demonstrated outstanding research skills and dedication to broadening the body of knowledge benefitting older adults,” Dawson said.

Trapuzzano will graduate this spring and credits her experience, success and recognition to the faculty in the physical therapy program at �鶹ԭ��.

“The PT program at �鶹ԭ�� is definitely a special program because the faculty challenge us as students to be evidence-based clinicians through our assignments and projects,” she said. “They also add a little bit of their personal expertise and really make this program feel a little more family oriented.”

Don’t be Such a Slouch. Your Neck and Back Will Thank You Later

Camille Dolan ’98 — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 12:00:54 +0000

The American Chronic Pain Association dubs September as Pain Awareness Month. While habits like slouching, knuckle-cracking and constant phone usage might not affect students’ bodies today, College of Health Professions and Sciences associate professor William Hanney says over time, these habits may have an effect on your body.

Hanney provides some suggestions for taking care of your back, neck and joints.

Weighty Issues

“When you’re 20 years old, you can do whatever you want, all day long,” Hanney says. “It’s not until you get to be about 45 that things start to catch up with you.”

Cole Preble is a civil engineering student and on this particular day, he was carrying a stuffed backpack and a second bag.

The backpack, which Preble estimated weighed at least 25 pounds, had four notebooks, three folders, graph paper, a huge book, umbrella, various writing implements, calculator and a reusable water bottle. His tote bag carried a change of clothes so that he could go straight to work after class.

“For now, the best thing for [students] to do is stay active, get enough sleep, and don’t ignore what your body is trying to tell you through pain.”

“There is no alternative,” Preble says, when asked why he carried such a heavy backpack. But, so far, the 19-year-old has not experienced any neck or back pain.

“A heavy backpack isn’t necessarily bad,” Hanney says. “What’s bad is if you keep it on the same shoulder for weeks or months. Our bodies are designed to adapt to external forces.”

Hanney recommends alternating your backpack from shoulder to shoulder, and to use both straps occasionally.

“And of course, if you have pain at any time when you’re carrying your backpack, that is a clear sign that you need to take a break.”

Pain is nature’s way of telling us we shouldn’t do something, Hanney adds.

Taylor Turberville, a mechanical engineering student, and Andrea Tomancik, an information technology student, had similar items in their backpacks, which they usually carry on their backs, using two straps.

On this day, Tomancik is shouldering a laptop, calculator, notebook and pens. “It could be a lot heavier,” she says, laughing.

Turberville says she hasn’t experienced any neck or back pain; Tomancik said she gets back pain occasionally from the way she sits. “I’m usually hunched over, writing,” she said.

Text Neck

There has been some literature about a phenomenon colloquially called “text neck,” Hanney says. As the name suggests, text neck occurs when our necks are craned — unnaturally — in a 45-degree angle over our smart phones.

“The head is meant to stay in an upright position,” Hanney says. “If you feel the muscles and tendons in your neck, they are supple when your head is upright. As you bend and twist your neck — while looking at your cellphone or any other activity — those muscles become rigid. The more rigid they are, the harder it will be to move your neck.”

It remains to be seen what neck and back problems, if any, this generation will have later in life because of their phone usage, Hanney says.

“Look up from your phone every once in a while to keep your neck healthy.”

Bottom line? “Look up from your phone every once in a while to keep your neck healthy.”

Hanney also suggest that students use a book stand when they are seated. Instead of having a book flat on the table, the stand elevates the book so that the reader can more easily read without craning the neck.

Belly Dancing for Pain

Hanney became interested in neck and back pain when he first became a physical therapist. Some of his colleagues did not like treating clients with those specific issues because it can be difficult to see improvement, and the origin of the pain can be difficult to pinpoint, making the therapy difficult to prescribe.

Hanney is a strong advocate of exercise-based interventions for pain. Exercise in general is a good prescription for everybody, no matter what your age.

“Our bodies were meant to move,” he says.

But, he adds, just because exercise is prescribed, it does not mean that the client will be compliant.

So, a few years ago, as Hanney was in search of options to make exercise more appealing and spoke with one of his students, Tabitha Castrillón, who was a belly dancer at Epcot.

Hanney and Castrillón found that belly dancers utilize some of the same trunk and pelvis muscles that have been found to alleviate chronic low back pain (cLBP). The results suggested that a belly dance program may positively influence pain and function in women with cLBP.

“Belly dancing was no better than the other exercises we tried,” Hanney says, “But it might get people to exercise and improve their perception of pain.”

Talk Back to Pain

In a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study in 2015, data showed that as many as 66 percent of the population over the age of 30 have common degenerative spine conditions, yet are asymptomatic.

Clients who have been experiencing back and neck pain, and have had a recent diagnosis of a bulging disc, often fret over having a pain-free life again, Hanney says. But when he suggests that they may have always had a bulging disc, it helps change their perception of treating their pain.

The School of Kinesiology and Physical Therapy is developing a new course on pain science, according to Carey Rothschild, a physical therapist and associate lecturer.

There are lots of different factors associated with pain. Imagine, Rothschild said, “You’re crossing the highway and sprain your ankle, and experience immediate intense pain. But that pain is momentarily forgotten as you see a bus bearing down on you, and you sprint to safety, with the pain momentarily forgotten.”

The reason that pain may be forgotten in the moment, Rothschild said, is attributed to the fact that the brain perceives the bus as a greater threat than an ankle injury.

Hanney suggests that students keep their back and neck healthy by being active.

“People who are fit are less likely to become injured,” Hanney says. “Pay attention to your body. A lot of people ignore symptoms, and then become more resistant to treatment.”

“I’m really not too worried about our students having neck and back pain now,” Hanney says. “That might change as they get older, but for now, the best thing for them to do is stay active, get enough sleep, and don’t ignore what your body is trying to tell you through pain.”

Interprofessional Education in Health Care Benefits Students and Patients

Wed, 23 May 2018 16:53:02 +0000

It is becoming a more familiar scene in health care. Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, and social workers are working as a team to care for patients in a free clinic. But this team is comprised of students from �鶹ԭ�� – and it’s just one of many innovative interprofessional learning opportunities being offered to prepare students for the future of health care.

“The earlier interprofessional education is introduced in nursing education, the better off the students will do in all settings – from the classroom to the hospital and the community,” said Heather Peralta, an adjunct instructor at the College of Nursing who established the student-led interprofessional clinic for farmworkers in the Apopka community.

Preparing a “collaborative practice-ready” health care workforce is necessary, according to the World Health Organization. WHO, along with the landmark Institute of Medicine “Future of Nursing” report, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the National League for Nursing, have acknowledged interprofessional collaboration – from education to delivery – is key to health care’s future. It provides safer, quality care that is more efficient and cost effective, improving patient outcomes and ultimately the health of the community.

Multiple collaborative learning programs

Through interprofessional education, students learn interdisciplinary communication skills, an understanding of the roles and scopes of practice of each discipline, and develop mutual trust and respect.

Opportunities for interprofessional education are available for undergraduate and graduate students, and include hands-on clinical experiences, collaborative patient care and clinical scenarios followed by interactive discussion, and simulated learning.

For example, graduate students in the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program collaborate with students from the Athletic Training program annually in a one-day event to learn to assess, diagnose and manage sports-related acute conditions such as concussions and spinal injuries.

“Students have learned a tremendous amount from the experience,” said Christopher W. Blackwell, associate professor and director of the adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner program. “It is essential because all nurses, whether practicing at the bedside or in an advanced practice role, have to work with professionals in other disciplines to provide patient care.”

Nursing instructor Nancy Duckworth organizes three interprofessional education events annually where undergraduate nursing students from the Orlando and Cocoa campuses collaborate with students from the College of Medicine, the School of Social Work, the Physical Therapy program and the University of Florida College of Pharmacy in Orlando. In a recent training, students worked together leveraging their unique skill sets and knowledge to create a comprehensive wellness care plan for geriatric patients. “Working as a team allows everyone a chance to feel valued and participate as an active member of patient care to ultimately improve outcomes,” said Duckworth.

Through these learning experiences, students also gain confidence in their skills and abilities. Nursing student Barbara King of Merritt Island, Florida, participated in three interprofessional education events, including one at the College of Medicine focused on global health care. The event included three simulated workshops – improvised medicine, mass triage and prisoner’s health care. “This is a great way for other professions to see what nurses are experts in and vice versa,” said King, who graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing earlier this month. “For example, I was able to teach my group the proper way to measure someone for an NG tube and check placement afterward, while I was able to learn from others the proper way to apply assistive devices such as tourniquets and splints.”

When multiple disciplines come together to care for patients, the community also benefits. In the future, communities will reap the rewards of these “collaborative practice-ready” professionals – like the one in Central Florida is already. Since July 2016, more than 80 students have provided free health care to more than 450 patients in an underserved community of Apopka. The interprofessional education program has received national recognition from the U.S. Public Health Service and Interprofessional Education Collaborative.

Forging a bright future together

These efforts are just the beginning. As one of the nation’s largest universities, �鶹ԭ�� is leveraging its strengths in health care to create an Academic Health Sciences Center at Lake Nona Medical City in Orlando.

This unique interdisciplinary center will bring together the College of Medicine, College of Nursing, and a new College of Health Professions and Sciences on the 50-acre, state-of-the-art �鶹ԭ�� Health Sciences campus at the global destination for medical innovation in Lake Nona.

Through the Academic Health Sciences Center, �鶹ԭ�� will continue to be at the forefront of health care education. “The eventual move to Lake Nona will provide our students even greater opportunity to work more closely as a team with other health care disciplines,” said Duckworth.

“Being a part of the new Academic Health Sciences Campus is so important as we will be able to do more interprofessional education, working together for the betterment of all communities in Florida and beyond,” adds Peralta.

�鶹ԭ�� Go Baby Go! Receives President’s Award from National Down Syndrome Congress

Thu, 28 Jul 2016 10:00:32 +0000

Jennifer Tucker spent much of her time at last week’s National Down Syndrome Congress Annual Convention in Orlando showcasing and leading efforts to enhance mobility in children with disabilities.

But the physical therapy lecturer took a break Saturday night to accept a President’s Award from the NDSC for her work on �鶹ԭ�� Go Baby Go!, a mobility initiative she founded last year in the College of Health and Public Affairs.

Tucker received the award from NDSC President Marilyn Tolbert in recognition of �鶹ԭ�� Go Baby Go!’s efforts to improve “the lives of individuals with Down syndrome through research and community outreach.”

For more than a year Tucker has partnered with Professor Cole Galloway, the nationally recognized founder of Go Baby Go! at the University of Delaware, to establish a Go Baby Go! program at �鶹ԭ��. She’s worked tirelessly with �鶹ԭ�� colleagues to hold Go Baby Go! workshops where physical therapy students and staff members join families and community members to retrofit motorized toy cars for children in need of enhanced mobility. Earlier this year she helped launch Knights on the Go Café at �鶹ԭ�� as the first site in Florida to demonstrate the Go Baby Go! harness system for adults recovering from a traumatic brain injury.

At the NDSC convention Tucker and Galloway presented a workshop on the influence of mobility in the development of infants and young children. They also demonstrated a Go Baby Go! motorized toy car and the harness system. The next day Tucker led a team of physical therapy students and an engineering student from �鶹ԭ�� as they conducted a workshop for siblings of children with Down syndrome.

“The team managed about 40 siblings who helped retrofit three toy cars that were auctioned off that evening,” said Patrick Pabian, director of �鶹ԭ��’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program and a workshop participant. “It was a great way to educate the siblings about the need for mobility.”

Both Tucker and Pabian said there was a great deal of interest in Go Baby Go! among convention goers, which numbered in the thousands. They’ve also seen great interest among local community members.

Tucker said she was honored and humbled to accept �鶹ԭ�� Go Baby Go!’s President’s Award from the NDSC, which consists of the “families and children we serve.” She also said she’s thankful to the university, college and program’s leadership and administration for their continued support and encouragement.

“Together we can continue to create opportunities for fun and mobility for children with mobility impairments,” she said.

Among the other 2016 NDSC award recipients is Florida Sen. Andy Gardiner, who received the Exceptional Meritorious Service Award for his efforts to improve “the lives of individuals with disabilities in Florida.”