Research Groups
Research within the Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic training is crucial for advancing the field and improving patient care. It allows professionals to develop and refine evidence-based treatments, enhancing the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs and injury prevention strategies. Through rigorous studies, researchers can identify best practices, evaluate new techniques, and assess the outcomes of various interventions.
Aging Muscle and Rehabilitation Lab
Aging is a process of physiological and functional decline accelerated by a physically inactive lifestyle. Physically inactive older adults are at risk for developing metabolic disease (insulin resistance, glucose intolerance) and loss of muscle mass resulting in a poor quality of life and loss of physical independence.
Contact: Micah J. Drummond, PhD
BeatPain Utah
BeatPain is a pragmatic research study that provides telehealth physical therapy services to individuals with chronic back pain, who live in underserved communities throughout the state of Utah. The project seeks to provide non-pharmacological treatment and referral options to those who seek care at Federally Qualified Health Centers in Utah. We are working to understand how to best implement telehealth solutions in these communities and the effectiveness of these interventions among disadvantaged populations.
Contact: Julie Fritz, PI-PhD
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Christensen Lab
The mission of our lab is to advance the scientific knowledge of movement, performance and behavioral mechanisms of functional recovery in mobility-impaired adults. We study innovative behavioral, exercise and motor retraining interventions to improve deficits in movement, muscle, metabolic and performance characteristics in adults during physical recovery. The clinical research conducted in our lab using state-of-the-art measurement techniques including marker-based motion analysis, instrumented force plates, muscle performance, metabolic function and performance-based outcomes.
Contact: Jesse C. Christensen, DPT, PhD
Motion Analysis Core Facility
The Motion Capture Core (MoCap) is a research facility focused on the study of the coordination of movement and postural control in health, aging, and disease. Research is conducted using state of the art measurement techniques including kinetics, kinematics, electromyography, and dynamic stereoradiography. While the facility is under the auspices of the Department of Physical Therapy, the equipment in this facility is the product of a collaboration between the Departments of Physical Therapy and Orthopaedics.
Contact: Bo Foreman, PhD
TRAIL Lab
Our mission is to safely and effectively guide individuals back to their desired levels of activity following orthopedic injury. We will achieve this by:
- Advancing the scientific knowledge of skeletal muscle function following injury
- Translating our findings into clinical practice for patients, physicians, and rehabilitation specialists
Contact: Stephan Bodkin, PhD, ATC
Educational Research Group
Our mission is to assess and disseminate our understanding of the utility and impact of innovative teaching strategies and delivery models within doctorate-level Physical Therapy, Athletic Training and Rehabilitation Science education. Our research is guided by the aims of developing our students into outstanding professionals along with continuously seeking teaching excellence from our educators. We seek collaborations with programs outside the University of Utah and with other Health Science Education programs with a focus on academic performance, academic experience, clinical experience, and personal/professional development.
Acute Research Consortium (ARC)
Our mission is to examine the rehabilitation practices in acute and critical care settings in effort to drive quality care and innovation.
Contact: Haley Bento, PT, DPT
Physical Therapy and Addiction Medicine
Our mission is to examine the rehabilitation practices in acute and critical care settings in effort to drive quality care and innovation.
Contact: Jake Magel, PT, PhD, DSc, FAAOMPT