As a physical therapist, I specialize in caring for athletes with musculoskeletal injuries. My focus is on those who have sustained acute or overuse injuries to their upper and lower extremities, especially ACL injuries.
At a young age I was exposed to the field of physical therapy and athletic training. This experience convinced me to pursue a career in healthcare. I’ve found that working with young patients and helping them regain their function is incredibly rewarding. It’s what motivates me each day as a clinician and as a scientist.
My practice is rooted in evidence-based care, and my philosophy of care is based on listening carefully to my patients. I believe that every patient has a story to tell about their injury, their condition and their goals for healing. Understanding their story is key to applying the right treatment at the right time for each patient.
My research focuses on improving outcomes after ACL injuries in young athletes. We first worked to identify the incidence and mechanism of a second ACL injury after ACL reconstruction. We are now building on our earlier work to create new criteria for releasing an athlete to resume activity after ACL reconstruction. We are also developing new models of care that can help with safe and effective transitions back to playing sports.
I was honored to receive the 2019 Ron Peyton Award and Lectureship from the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy. Our research was recognized with the 2018 STOP Sports Injuries Award from the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. And we also received the National Collegiate Athletic Association Research Award in 2010.
When I’m not helping patients or focusing on research, I enjoy spending time with my family.
PT, MS: Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY, 1994.
EMBA: Troy State University, Troy AL, 2002.
PhD: Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, Provo, UT.
Certifications: Sports Certified Specialist (SCS) 2001; NATA certified Athletic Trainer, 1998.
Sports medicine; ACL injuries in female athletes and balance and proprioception.
Sports Medicine, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy
Sports Medicine
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The Association of Physical Competence With Psychological Response Among Young Athletes at Time of Return to Sport After ACL Reconstruction. American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2023; 51:2908-2917.
Predictions of total work based on measures of muscle strength and hop performance in individuals after ACL reconstruction. Physical Therapy in Sport. 2023; 59:130-135.
Cadence in youth long-distance runners is predicted by leg length and running speed. Gait and Posture. 2022; 98:266-270.
Few young athletes meet newly derived age- and activity-relevant functional recovery targets after ACL reconstruction. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy. 2022; 30:3268-3276.
Return-to-Sport Criteria After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Fail to Identify the Risk of Second Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury. Journal of Athletic Training. 2022; 57:937-945.
Identification and Predictors of Age-Relevant and Activity-Relevant Hop Test Targets in Young Athletes After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. Journal of Athletic Training. 2022; 57:946-954.
Clinical phenotype and musculoskeletal characteristics of patients with aggrecan deficiency. American Journal of Medical Genetics, Part A. 2022; 188:1193-1203.
The influence of maturation and sex on pelvis and hip kinematics in youth distance runners. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2022; 25:272-278.
Performance on a Motor Control Test in an Asymptomatic Adolescent Population. International journal of sports physical therapy. 2022; 17:156-163.
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