Mizzou Physical Therapy showcases research at Combined Sections Meeting 2020

In February, the faculty and students from the Department of Physical Therapy traveled to Denver, Colorado, to attend the American Physical Therapy Association’s largest national conference, the Combined Sections Meeting. With a record 19 research presentations, Mizzou PT was well-represented.

Specifically, Dr. Carmen Abbott, PT, PhD and co-authors presented a two-hour session titled, “TUG & Beyond! The Geriatric Balance & Fall SIG Outcome Measures Toolkit.” This presentation was the culmination of over two years of work from a nation-wide task force by the Geriatrics Section of the American Physical Therapy Association to critically appraise current fall risk and balance outcomes measures for older adults.

To enhance clinical decision-making regarding fall risk and balance assessments for older adults across various settings or with different diagnoses, Dr. Abbott and her team developed the Balance & Falls Outcome Measure Toolkit for Geriatric Fall/Balance Assessment. The Balance & Falls Outcome Measure Toolkit for Geriatric Fall/Balance Assessment is an open-access resource available for health care providers with national and international implications to promote best-practice. Special recognition to Dr. Abbott in her leadership role as Co-Chair for the final phases of the toolkit’s development.

The Balance & Falls Outcome Measure Toolkit for Geriatric Fall/Balance Assessment is now available here.

Additionally, the Global Health Special Interest Group recognized two Mizzou projects in the Area of Social Responsibility for their work aimed at positively impacting the community.

This included Mizzou physical therapy students Alyssa Leonard, Morgan Scardino, and Audrey Kamper for their project titled, “Establishing Adapted Gymnastics as a Service Learning Activity in a DPT Program,” as well as Christina Evers, Mariah Cairer and Hailey Treat for their project titled, “Adapted Sports as an Adjunct to Therapy – A Case Study.” Congratulations to all presenters and co-authors on these specially recognized projects as well as to their faculty mentor, Jeff Krug, PT, DPT.

Mizzou PT students Christina Evers, Mariah Cairer and Hailey Treat (left to right)

Jeff Krug, PT, DPT with Mizzou PT students Audrey Kamper, Morgan Scardino and Audrey Kamper (left to right).

Similarly, Cal Lawanson’s (2^nd Year Physical Therapy student) project titled, “Identifying Differences in Lateral Step-down Test Sagittal Plane Mechanics Following ACL-Reconstruction: Utilizing the Kinect V2” was nominated for the best poster award by the Orthopaedic Section. Well done Cal and co-authors for this nationally recognized project.

Mizzou PT student Cal Lawanson

Congratulations are also in order to faculty member Dr. Becky Bliss, PT, DPT, DHSc. She and co-authors were given the Education Innovator Award for an outstanding platform presentation regarding their project titled, “Can DPT Student Self-Reflection Improve? Exploring the Implementation of a Guided Self-Reflective Intervention”. Well done Dr. Bliss and colleagues in your efforts to optimize student learning and share educational innovations on the national stage.

Mizzou PT faculty member Dr. Becky Bliss, PT, DPT, DHSc

Finally, as efforts to continually enhance the scholarship of teaching and learning within physical therapy education increase, Mizzou PT faculty had 8 presentations within the Education Section at the Combined Sections Meeting. This included projects such as a collaborative interdisciplinary initiative between the Department of Physical Therapy and MU Health Care titled, “Communication and Psychomotor Skill Confidence in First Year Physical Therapy Students Following Acute Care Interprofessional Education”. This project, led by Dana Martin PT, DSc, Kelly Stephens PT, MPT, Rachel Mathes PT, DPT and Eric Lybeck-Brown, PT, DPT leveraged the clinical expertise and interdisciplinary collaborative partnership with MU Health Care to optimize student learning and teamwork.

(left to right) Rachel Mathes, Eric Lybeck-Brown, Kelly Stephens and Dana Martin

Congratulations to all presenters and co-authors for their nationally-recognized.

For a complete list of Mizzou DPT presentations at CSM 2020, see below:

Title: TUG & Beyond! The Geriatric Balance & Fall SIG Outcome Measures Toolkit
Author: Wang E, Moyer, H Nasser H, Abbott C
Format: Two-hour Presentation

Title: Perception of Walking Pole Use Among Individuals with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Qualitative Study
Author(s): Stephens K, Hall J, Willis BW, Abbott C, Eastman S, Mittler E, Powell G, Dannecker E, Prost E.
Format: Poster

Title: Identifying Differences in Lateral Step-down Test Sagittal Plane Mechanics Following ACL-Reconstruction: Utilizing the Kinect V2
Author(s): Lawanson, Willis, Echelmeyer, Gray, Sherman, Guess
Format: Poster

Title: Inter-Limb Asymmetries of Concentric Mean Force during Countermovement Jump: Sex Differences in Collegiate Tennis Players.
Author(s): Machado, Heberlie, Ericksen, Willis, Gray, Guess, Echelmeyer, Sherman, Mann
Format: Poster

Title: Can DPT Student Self-Reflection Improve? Exploring the Implementation of a Guided Self-Reflective Intervention
Author(s):  Bliss, Scholtes, Gillette, Shultz, Jensen
Format: Platform Presentation

Title: Establishing Adapted Gymnastics as a Service Learning Activity in a DPT Program
Author(s):  Leonard, Scardino, Kamper, Krug, Diermann
Format: Poster

Title: Resource Use by DPT Students During Terminal Clinical Rotations: A Survey Study
Author: Hall
Format: Poster

Title: Communication and Psychomotor Skill Confidence in First Year Physical Therapy Students Following Acute Care IPE
Author(s): Martin, Stephens, Mathes, Lybeck-Brown
Format: Poster

Title: Changes in Clinical Reflection and Reasoning Among Physical Therapy Students: A Three-Year Longitudinal Study
Author: Willis, Campbell, Zhang
Format: Poster

Title: Student Perception of Integrating the Systematic Clinical Reasoning in Physical Therapy Tool within Problem-Based Learning
Author(s): Echelmeyer D, Willis BW, Campbell AS, Gibson K.
Format: Poster

Title: A Cadaver Based Anatomy Review Improves Self-Efficacy in Health Care Professionals
Author(s):  Schuppin, Gravelle, McAlpin, Bliss
Format: Poster

Title: Reflection in Clinical Education: Exploring Continued Student Ability Following Didactic Reflective Intervention
Author(s): Bliss & Lambert
Format: Poster

Title: Critical Thinking Patterns: Strengths and Weakness Upon Admission into a Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program.
Author(s): Campbell, Willis
Format: Poster

Title: Climate of Health Literacy Practices Amongst Physical Therapy Clinical Instructors.
Authors: Briedwell, Stephens, Martin, Mack
Format: Poster

Title: Adapted Sports as an Adjunct to Therapy- A Case Study
Authors: Diermann, Scardino, Kamper, Leonard, Cairer, Treat, Evers, Friesen, Ludwig, Krug
Format: Poster

Title: Utilizing the KinectV2 to Identify Sex Differences in Jump-Landing Strategies Among Adolescent Basketball Players
Authors: Page M, Redmon C, Willis B, Sherman S, Gulbrandsen T, Miller S, Siesener N, Guess T, Huo Z, Skubic M, Gray A
Format: Poster

Title: Utilization of the Head Shaking SOT to Identify Residual Postural Control Deficits Following Concussion
Author(s):  Bliss, Wall, Collins and Denton
Format: Poster

Title: Test-Retest Reliability of the King Devick Test in the Young Adult Population
Author(s):  Bliss, LePine, Yacuzzo, Seiler, Paluzzi-Tate
Format: Poster

Title: Prism Lens Influence on Postural Control Rehabilitation Post Concussion: A Case Study
Author(s): Habegger & Bliss
Format: Poster

Outstanding work by all presenters! Please see below for additional pictures from CSM 2020.

Mizzou PT faculty members Kelly Stephens, PT, MPT and Carmen Abbott, PT, PhD

Mizzou PT adjunct faculty member Dave Echelmeyer, PT, MPT.

Mizzou PT faculty members Dana Martin, Kelly Stephens, Teresa Briedwell, and MU PT student Kirsten Mack.

Mizzou PT faculty member Dr. Becky Bliss, PT, DPT, DHSc with Dr. Alex Habegger, PT, DPT.

Mizzou PT students Mallory Page and Connor Redmon

Mizzou PT students Ben Ericksen, Marco Machado, and Courtney Heberlie

Mizzou PT faculty member Jamie Hall, PT, DPT, PhD.