Research & Scholarly Activity
Carmen Abbott, PT, PhD
Dr. Abbott is an active grant funded member of the MU Center for Eldercare and Rehabilitation Technology multidisciplinary group whose focus is to develop an integrated sensor network for detecting early signs of illness and functional decline. She contributes to the selection and integration of gait and fall risk functional measures in at least four to six projects underway at any one time. Her scholarly activity centers on fall prevention and findings from the Eldercare Technology projects. Please refer to the curriculum vitae for a listing of scholarly works in these areas.
Connie Blow, PT, MS
Professor Blow’s research interests include early identification of motor impairments in high risk infants, the impact of treadmill training on gait in children with motor impairments and the clinical use of motion analysis to assess functional changes in movement in the pediatric population. She also enjoys impacting student learning by using video analysis and/or student-run pro-bono clinics.
Jeff Bridges, PT, DPT, OCS, ATC
Dr. Bridges continues to be actively engaged in outpatient orthopedic clinical practice and his research interests primarily relate to this area. Areas of special interest include injuries common in endurance athletes, patellofemoral dysfunction and manual therapy for the treatment of spinal disorders.
Teresa Briedwell, PT, DPT, OCS
Dr. Briedwell continues an active clinical practice primarily in orthopedics. Additionally, she is in interested in the value of various forms of faculty scholarly activity, and the possible expansion of the scholarship of practice. Other interests include prevention of injuries in youth athletes. Her passions lie in patient care and teaching!
Marybeth Brown, PT, PhD, FAPTA, FACSM
Dr. Brown's research is focused on 1: sex hormone effects on musculoskeletal function, in particular muscle and bone strength, 2) the route of estrogen action in skeletal muscle and if there are estrogo-genic compounds that have the positive effects of estrogen on muscle and bone without negative side-effects, and 3) which protein synthesis pathway(s) is/are activated or not in the presence and absence of estrogen.
Erin Dannecker, PhD, ATC
Dr. Dannecker's primary interests are biopsychosocial factors that influence musculoskeletal pain and disability, pain measurement, sequelae of deep tissue pain, algesic and analgesic properties of physical activity, and determinants of physical activity.
Kyle Gibson, PT, PhD, OCS
Dr. Gibson’s scholarly interest focuses on exercise in an older adult population, especially those individuals with knee osteoarthritis. Specific research questions address 1) the effect of exercise on pain and function in knee OA, 2) predicting responders and non-responders based on physical characteristics such as knee alignment, strength, proprioception, etc., and 3) the effect of high speed power training on muscle performance and function.
Jeff Krug, PT, MS
Professor Krug's research interests include: 1) measuring functional changes and quality of life following surgery to remove brain tumors and 2) use of service activities as an adjunct to classroom education. He coordinates the PT student service activities including Adapted Gymnastics for 10 sessions each semester and Fall Prevention/ Balance Assessment screenings at several locations throughout each year. Jeff also is interested in management of abnormal muscle tone and spasticity following central nervous system dysfunction.
Dana Martin, PT, MPT
Professor Martin's primary interests include clinical education, clinical practice and manual therapy. Dana continues to be active in clinical practice mainly in outpatient orthopedics.
Marian Minor, PT, PhD
Dr. Minor's research interests include physical activity in rheumatic disease and worksite health promotion.
Evan Prost, PT, DPT, GCS
Within a problem based learning paradigm, Dr. Prost is interested in developing web based processes and learning objects that provide students with options for developing a greater depth of understanding of evidence based clinical decision making in physical therapy. A related research interest is examining the efficacy of studio produced audio files and podcasts as a boost to student learning. As coordinator of the Geriatrics and Orthopedics course for the department, he enjoys conducting guest laboratories with community dwelling elderly, and participants from a nearby adult day care center.
Steve Sayers, PhD
Dr. Sayers’ research has focused on the effects of exercise on aging, specifically how skeletal muscle aging affects impairments, functional limitations and physical disability and how exercise and physical interventions may attenuate the age-related declines in these processes.
Karen Wingert, PT, DPT, MA, RN
Dr. Wingert is certified in Complex Physical Therapy/Manual Lymph Drainage and Adult Neuro-Developmental Treatment society. Her current clinical practice focuses on Women’s Health.