Physical Therapy Commons^™

Average Performance And Performance Variability On A Brief Functional Fine Motor Test Reflect Distinct Behavioral Constructs In Aging, Chung-Fu Sun, Kyle B. Tomlin, Jennapher Lingo Vangilder, Andrew Hooyman, Alexandra M. Reed, Jessica L. Trevino, Sydney Y. Schaefer

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Prior work in older adults has developed a brief functional fine motor test, which involves repeated timed trials of an upper-limb task. Performance has been associated with global and domain-specific neuropsychological tests as well as putative markers of Alzheimer’s disease when scored using variability in trial time; however, the extent to which task performance depends on motor ability has not been established nor quantified. This retrospective study examined whether mean trial time and trial time variability (measured as intrasubject standard deviation in trial time) were differentially associated with standard assessments of motor and cognitive function. Forty-eight older adults with no …

Sedentary Behavior Modifies The Effect Of Balance Rehabilitation On Balance Discordance In Parkinson’S Disease, Franziska Albrecht, Sarah J. Conklin, Andrew Hooyman, Daniel S. Peterson, Jason K. Longhurst, Erika Franzén

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) often experience a misalignment between their perceived and actual balance ability, known as balance discordance, which has been associated with falls. We examined whether high-intensity balance and gait training (HiBalance) alters balance discordance in individuals with PD, and whether baseline sedentary behavior influences these changes. A secondary analysis examining pre- to post-intervention discordance changes of two HiBalance clinical trials (N = 97) using linear regression with interactions between sedentary behavior and pre-intervention discordance. The sample included two cohorts: one clinical and one research based. The model including sedentary behavior and its interaction with pre-intervention …

Using Diffusion Mri To Relate Hippocampal Subfield Microstructure To Delayed Verbal Memory In Cognitively Intact Individuals At Genetic Risk For Developing Alzheimer's Disease, Jennapher Lingo Vangilder, Andrew Hooyman, Sasha Hakhu, Kurt G. Schilling, Leland S. Hu, Yuxiang Zhou, Richard J. Caselli, Leslie C. Baxter, Scott C. Beeman

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Intervention to delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an important treatment strategy but detecting at-risk individuals before significant disease progression remains challenging. This study evaluates the relationship between hippocampal microstructure and verbal cognition in cognitively intact older adults, focusing on the differences between APOΕ ε4 allele carriers and noncarriers. Participants (n = 41 noncarriers, 33 carriers) over 60 years old (mean ± SD: carriers 71 ± 6.6; noncarriers 71 ± 6.4 years) underwent diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) and volumetric assessments. We assessed hippocampal structure, including microstructure, using Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI), diffusion tensor …

Discordance Between Actual And Perceived Balance Ability Relates To Quality Of Life And Global Cognition In A Clinical Sample Of Parkinson Patients, Daniel S. Peterson, Jason K. Longhurst, Franziska Albrecht, Joanna Weller, Jennifer Vasquez, Myassar Zarif, Mark Gudesblatt, Andrew Hooyman

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Objective

Methods

Evaluating The Effect Of Ethnicity And Amyloid On Gait Speed In The Healthy Aging Brain Study-Health Disparities Study, Alexandra M. Reed, Andrew Hooyman, Edward Ofori, Sydney Y. Schaefer

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Many novel Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers have been studied in non-Hispanic White populations, despite Hispanic/Latino adults being 1.5 times more likely to develop AD and receiving a later diagnosis. Equitable, accessible assessments are needed to identify individuals at risk earlier. While cognitive screening monitors early AD signs, neuropsychological tests are often inequitable across ethnicity, race, and other social determinants of health. However, we have shown that performance-based motor assessments may be less susceptible to demographic factors than memory tests, and may be more equitable for screening older adults. Gait speed has been linked to elevated amyloid in non-Hispanic White …

Manual Therapy In Conjunction With Other Multimodal Interventions In A Patient With Chronic Pain And Hypertension: A Case Report, Craig P. Hensley, Renzo Mendoza, Jennifer Ryan, Emmanuel Yung

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Chronic pain and hypertension (HTN) are worldwide epidemics that are difficult to manage and frequently encountered as comorbid conditions in patient care. There is a paucity of information regarding the effect that manual therapy has on blood pressure (BP), particularly in those with chronic pain and HTN. This case report describes the management of a patient with chronic pain and HTN. The patient was a 41-year-old female with chronic multisite pain and multiple comorbidities, including HTN. Her BP at the initial evaluation was 147/78 with an oscillated device and 142/82 with a sphygmomanometer in the right arm and 144/80 in …

Information About Task Duration Influences Energetic Cost During Split-Belt Adaptation And Retention Of Walking Patterns Post-Adaptation, Samantha N. Jeffcoat, Adrian Aragon, Andrian Kuch, Shawn Farrokhi, Andrew Hooyman, Russell Johnson, Natalia Sanchez

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Studies of locomotor adaptation have shown that adaptation can occur in short bouts and can continue for long bouts or across days. Information about task duration might influence the adaptation of gait features, given that task duration influences the time available to explore and adapt the aspects of gait that reduce energy cost. We hypothesized that information about task duration and frequency of updates influences adaptation to split-belt walking based on two competing mechanisms: individuals anticipating a prolonged adaptation period may either (1) extend exploration of energetically suboptimal gait patterns, or (2) adapt toward a more energy-efficient pattern earlier to …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Clinical Practice Guideline Adherence For Patellofemoral Pain (Knee-Capp): Protocol For A Multisite, Parallel-Arm Randomized Clinical Trial In The Military Health System, Emma H. Beisheim-Ryan, Timothy C. Mauntel, Daniel I. Rhon, Charity G. Patterson, Nathan Parsons, Scott Paradise, Megan H. Roach, Marisa Pontillo, Sara R. Gorczynski, Ariana Emory, Shawn Farrokhi

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Importance

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) frequently affects military personnel, caused by the physical demands of duty-related training. Clinical practice guidelines (CPG) can guide PFP management, yet physical therapist practice patterns vary and often exclude CPG-recommended, evidence-based interventions. Objective

The Evaluating the Effectiveness of Clinical practice guideline Adherence for Patellofemoral Pain (knEE-CAPP) trial assesses whether a CPG-adherent physical therapy approach more significantly reduces pain, disability, health care utilization, and analgesic medication prescription in Service members with PFP as compared to usual physical therapist care. Design

This is a multisite, parallel arm randomized controlled trial. Setting

The study will be conducted at 4 …

The Association Of Acute Stress And Lower Quarter Emg During A Single Leg Balance Dexterity Task, Ted W. Gehrig Iii, Robert I. Dudley, Jo Armour Smith, Lida Gharibvand, Lee S. Berk, Everett B. Lohman Iii

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Research Question

Methods

The Impact Of Non-Athletic, Flat-Soled Sneakers On Gait Kinematics: A Comparative Analysis With Socks, Aaron Aguilar, Kharen Bautista, Juan Claros, Raquel Dimaano, Ciara Franke, Mason Huber, Evan Kurishige, Anton Lam, Kevin Le, Alohi Sheung, Raj Kumar Chauhan, Sivakumar Rajagopal, Seong Hyun Moon, Michael Shiraishi, Rahul Soangra

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

This study investigates the kinematic effects of non-athletic, flat-soled sneakers on lower extremity joints during walking. Ten healthy gym-goers (24.4 ± 1.7 years) underwent treadmill gait analysis under two conditions: wearing non-athletic sneakers and walking with only socks. Gait was captured using the Gait Real-time Analysis and Interactive Lab (GRAIL). Dependent variables included cadence, support times, and stride length. Walking with socks significantly increased cadence (p <  .0001) and single support time (p = .0103), and decreased initial (p = .018), terminal (p = .0056), and total double support times (p = .0092). No significant difference in stride length was observed. These …

Gait Adaptations Under Cognitive And Motor Dual-Task Conditions, Gabriel Coutinho Gazio, Denise Litonjua, Alex Omaszta, Lindsey Perry, Sophia Tsotras, Mason Salazar, Julie Woo, Alicia Qiu, Julian Palmer, Emma Rogers, Christopher Sagahon, Ethan Parker, Ray Kasama, Joonsuk Choi, Raj Kumar Chauhan, Sivakumar Rajagopal, Seong Hyun Moon, Michael Shiraishi, Rahul Soangra

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Modern walking often involves secondary tasks that may increase fall risk, especially in older adults. About one-third of adults aged 65+ fall annually, with dual-tasking further elevating this risk. This study examines how cognitive and motor dual-tasks affect gait variability. Ten healthy young adults completed baseline and three dual-task conditions: (1) walking with a Stroop test, (2) walking while carrying a tray with water, and (3) both tasks combined. Gait parameters—including step length, step width, stride length, and double support time—were analyzed. Significant alterations were observed with P-values of 0.0019 (right step length), 0.004 (step width), 0.0007 (stride length), and …

Multitasking While Walking: How Green Noise And Texting Alter Gait, Kirstin Merrill, Kyle Navarro, Raymond Ngu, Nathan Nguyen, Alex Owyang, Anthony Prajin, Karli Slater, Uyen Truong, Ryan Ye, Eileen Zhu, Sebastian Herrera Vargas, Raj Kumar Chauhan, Sivakumar Rajagopal, Seong Hyun Moon, Michael Shiraishi, Rahul Soangra

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

This study examines the combined effects of green noise and texting on gait to understand how multitasking and auditory stimuli affect walking stability. Green noise, associated with relaxation, was the environmental stimulus; texting the cognitive distractor. We hypothesized texting would reduce cadence and stride length, with green noise either stabilizing or disrupting gait. Ten participants walked on a treadmill under five conditions: normal walking (NW), no texting/sound (WNTNS), sound only (WNTS), texting only (WTNS), and texting with sound (WTS). Gait parameters—step length, step width, single support time, and terminal double support time—were analyzed. Step length decreased in WNTS (p …

Variance In Heart Rate Variability Between Healthy And Concussed Individuals, Sebastian Herrera Vargas, Joonsuk Choi

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Heart-Rate Variability (HRV) is the interval between each individual heartbeat, from p-wave to p-wave on an electrocardiogram (ECG). In general, a high HRV indicates that a person has a healthy heart with effective stress management skills. This value means that one branch of the nervous system is not overpowering the other, sympathetic vs parasympathetic–for example. Generally, HRV is related to vagal tone, the ability for your body to activate the parasympathetic system and relax when imminent danger is not present. However, when someone is concussed, the entirety of their autonomic regulation can be affected such that their HRV is altered. …

Development And Feasibility Of An Immersive Feedback Protocol To Reduce Knee Moments And Pain With Potential Application To People With Knee Osteoarthritis, Evan Shrier, Shawn Farrokhi, P. Pallante, Natalia Sanchez Aldana

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common cause of disability in the US, affecting 1 in 5 people. Of that, 45% will experience OA in at least one knee. To alleviate pain and prevent knee OA disease progression, walking modification techniques have been proposed. While studies and meta-analyses exist suggesting reductions knee moments due to these modifications (Bechard 2012, Bowd 2019, Fregly 2012), little conclusive evidence exists quantifying their effectiveness. Objective: This research aims to assess the feasibility of an immersive bio-feedback system that provides real-time information about how to effectivedly perform walking modifications that reduce knee moments …

Quantifying The Functional Impact Of Chronic Patellofemoral Pain And Its Relationship To Perceived Duty-Related Medical Readiness Among Active Duty Service Members, Emma H. Beisheim-Ryan, Sara R. Gorczynski, Ryan W. Smith, Shawn Farrokhi

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction

Chronic patellofemoral pain (PFP) is a heterogeneous pain condition that may significantly burden active duty service members, whose rigorous physical training demands include activities such as running and heavy load carriage. While chronic PFP is often defined by its pathoanatomical characteristics, evidence from other pain conditions (e.g., chronic low back pain) suggests classifying pain by its functional impact on work, social, and self-care activities may better inform personalized treatment approaches. As this approach has not been previously undertaken in chronic PFP or younger populations with chronic pain, this study aimed to characterize the global impact of PFP on day-to-day …

Gray Matter Morphology And Pain-Related Disability In Young Adults With Low Back Pain, Jo Armour Smith, Rongwen Tain, Isaac Chrisman, Kelli G. Sharp, Laura M. Glynn, Linda R. Van Dillen, Jesse V. Jacobs, Steven C. Cramer

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Structural neuroplasticity in the brain may contribute to the persistence of low back pain (LBP) symptoms and the disability associated with them. It is not known if structural adaptations are evident early in the lifespan in young adults with LBP. This study compared gray matter in cortical sensorimotor regions in young adults with and without persistent LBP and identified gray matter and clinical predictors of pain-related disability. Eighty-two individuals with and without a history of LBP participated. Peak and average gray matter density in cortical sensorimotor regions of interest was quantified using voxel-based morphometry. Pain-related disability, pain intensity, pain duration, …

Technical Note: What Exercises Are Appropriate For Managing Back Pain In Persons With Lower Limb Amputation?, M. Jason Highsmith, Shawn Farrokhi, John M. Mayer

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Individuals with lower extremity amputation (LLA) have high rates of low back pain (LBP) and related disability. The purpose of this technical note is to discuss considerations and provide initial recommendations about what exercises may be appropriate for management of LBP in persons with LLA. Five commonly prescribed motor control and strengthening exercises (cat-camel, curl-up, bird dog, side bridge, and Roman chair extensor exercise) were examined for use in the LLA population. Each exercise seemed to be safe and appropriate for use in persons with LLA yet required additional considerations for use in this population. For example, some of the …

Two-Year Follow-Up Of Gait And Postural Control Following Initiation Of Recombinant Human Tripeptidyl Intracerebroventricular Enzyme Replacement Therapy In Two Atypical Cln2 Patients, Rahul Soangra, Marybeth Grant-Beuttler, Harriet Chang, Raymond Y. Wang

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disorder leading to premature mortality. Ambulatory CLN2 patients typically receive standard of care treatment through biweekly intracerebroventricular (ICV) enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) involving recombinant human tripeptidyl peptidase 1, known as cerliponase alfa (Brineura^®, Biomarin Pharmaceuticals). This study longitudinally assessed the impact of ICV cerliponase alfa ERT on gait, and postural control across a two-year span in two siblings diagnosed with atypical CLN2 disease. Both participants, ID01 (18 years and 8 months old at enrollment) and ID02 (13 years and 3 months old at enrollment), exhibited symptomatic characteristics …

Effects Of Simultaneous Smartphone Texting And Auditory Stimulation On Gait, Sebastian Herrera Vargas

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

More often than not, pedestrians around busy college campuses, business parks, and shopping malls are seen walking while using their phones and listening to music or having earphones in. Activities on pedestrians’ phones that captivate them more and require higher cognitive processing demonstrated a higher detriment to their gait kinematics than less cognitively complicated activities (Brennan and Preloff, 2021). This study aims to establish whether or not gait parameters are affected by walking while engaging in cognitively demanding activities such as texting and listening to green noise. Green noise is a deviation from white noise, which amplifies the mid-range frequencies …

The Dual Timescales Of Gait Adaptation: Initial Stability Adjustments Followed By Subsequent Energetic Cost Adjustments, Sasha A. Brinkerhoff, Natalia Sánchez, Meral N. Culver, William M. Murrah, Austin T. Robinson, J. Danielle Mccullough, Matthew W. Miller, Jaimie A. Roper

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Gait adaptation during bipedal walking allows people to adjust their walking patterns to maintain balance, avoid obstacles and avoid injury. Adaptation involves complex processes that function to maintain stability and reduce energy expenditure. However, the processes that influence walking patterns during different points in the adaptation period remain to be investigated. We assessed split-belt adaptation in 17 young adults aged 19–35. We also assessed individual aerobic capacity to understand how aerobic capacity influences adaptation. We analyzed step lengths, step length asymmetry (SLA), mediolateral margins of stability, positive, negative and net mechanical work rates, as well as metabolic rate during adaptation. …

Discordance Between Balance Ability And Perception Is Associated With Falls In Parkinson’S Disease: A Coordinated Analysis, Jason K. Longhurst, Andrew Hooyman, Merrill R. Landers, Martina Mancini, Erika Franzén, Breiffni Leavy, Hanna Johansson, Daniel Peterson

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: The congruence or discordance between actual and perceived balance ability has been proposed to be linked to functional outcomes such as falls. However, gaps remain in our ability to quantify discordance, and its relationship to relevant outcomes.

Objective: To investigate a novel quantification of concordance/discordance between balance performance and perception and determine the relationship to falls among people with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD).

Methods: Data from 244 PwPD were aggregated from 5 previously conducted studies. Variables extracted included age, sex, Activities-Specific Balance Confidence scale (ABC; perceived balance), Timed Up and Go (TUG; balance performance), Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson Disease …

Toward Facilitating The Collection And Utilization Of Patient-Reported Outcomes In The Military Health System: Lessons Learned From A Pragmatic Clinical Trial On Physical Therapy Management For Low Back Pain, Emma H. Beisheim-Ryan, Brad D. Hendershot, Timothy C. Mauntel, Sara R. Gorczynski, Ryan W. Smith, Andrea Crunkhorn, Shawn Farrokhi, Christopher L. Dearth

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

"In pursuit of delivering 'the right care to the right patient at the right time,' the Military Health System (MHS) advocates for collecting and using patient-reported outcomes (PROs) to help demonstrate value-based care.1 PROs identify patients’ perceptions of their health, function, and well-being, which can enhance patient-centered communication and guide data-driven healthcare. 2 The MHS recognizes the value of incorporating PRO data into clinical decision-making and has established a number of platforms for PRO collection across health conditions (eg, behavioral health, traumatic brain injury, musculoskeletal injuries). The Military Orthopedics Tracking Injuries and Outcomes Network (MOTION)3 was started as a research …

Duration, Cost, And Escalation Of Care Events For Physical Therapy Management Of Low Back Pain In Service Members With Limb Loss, Brittney M. Gunterstockman, Brad D. Hendershot, Joseph Kakyomya, Charity G. Patterson, Christopher L. Dearth, Shawn Farrokhi

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction Physical therapy (PT) is recommended as a primary treatment for low back pain (LBP), a common and impactful musculoskeletal condition after limb loss. The purpose of this brief report is to report the duration and cost of PT care, and subsequent escalation of care events, for LBP in service members with and without limb loss. Materials and Methods This was a retrospective cohort, descriptive study. Service members with and without limb loss (matched) who received PT for LBP at a military treatment facility from 2015 to 2017 were included. Duration of PT care, number of PT visits, and escalation …

The Influence Of Active, Passive, And Manual Therapy Interventions On Escalation Of Health Care Events After Physical Therapist Care In Veterans With Low Back Pain, John M. Mayer, M. Jason Highsmith, Jason Maikos, Charity G. Patterson, Joseph Kakyomya, Bridget Smith, Nigel Shenoy, Christopher L. Dearth, Shawn Farrokhi

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Objective The objective of this study was to examine the associations between active, passive, and manual therapy interventions with the escalation-of-care events following physical therapist care for veterans with low back pain (LBP). Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted in 3618 veterans who received physical therapist care for LBP between January 1, 2015 and January 1, 2018. The VA Corporate Data Warehouse was utilized to identify LBP-related physical therapist visits and procedures, as well as opioid prescription and non-physical therapy clinic encounters. The association between physical therapist interventions with 1-year escalation-of-care events were assessed using adjusted odds ratios from …

Evaluating Visual Dependence In Postural Stability Using Smartphone And Stroboscopic Glasses, Brent A. Harper, Michael Shiraishi, Rahul Soangra

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

This study explores the efficacy of integrating stroboscopic glasses with smartphone-based applications to evaluate postural control, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional forceplate technology. Athletes, particularly those with visual and visuo-oculomotor enhancements due to sports, often suffer from injuries that necessitate reliance on visual inputs for balance—conditions that can be simulated and studied using visual perturbation methods such as stroboscopic glasses. These glasses intermittently occlude vision, mimicking visual impairments that are crucial in assessing dependency on visual information for postural stability. Participants performed these tasks under three visual conditions: full vision, partial vision occlusion via stroboscopic glasses, and no vision …

Examining The Diagnostic Accuracy Of A Novel Performance-Based Test For Alzheimer's Disease Screening, A. M. Reed, K. Duff, L. E. Dibble, S. S. Paul, Andrew Hooyman, S. Y. Schaefer

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Affordable, rapid methods for identifying mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are needed. A simple, brief performance-based test involving the learning of functional upper-extremity movements has been developed and is associated with AD pathology and functional decline. However, its specificity to AD relative to other neurodegenerative diseases that present with motor impairment is unknown. This study examined whether this novel test could distinguish between 34 participants diagnosed with mild AD (Clinical Dementia Rating Scale = 0.5-1) from 23 participants with mild-to-moderate Parkinson’s disease (PD) (Hoehn & Yahr = 2-3) using Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis of secondary data from two separate clinical trials. …

Short-Term Benefits From Manual Therapy As An Adjunct Treatment For Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness Symptoms: A Preliminary Prospective Case Series, Brent A. Harper, Larry Steinbeck

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Persistent dizziness and balance deficits are common, often with unknown etiology. Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (3PD) is a relatively new diagnosis with symptoms that may include dizziness, unsteadiness, or non-vertiginous dizziness and be persistent the majority of time over a minimum of 90 days. The purpose of this case series was to investigate short-term outcomes of reducing dizziness symptoms using a manual therapy intervention focused on restoring mobility in the fascia using a pragmatically applied biomechanical approach, the Fascial Manipulation^® method (FM^®), in patients with 3PD. The preliminary prospective case series consisted of twelve (n = 12) patients …

Postural Control In Young Adults With And Without Recurrent Back Pain: Influence Of Symptom Characteristics, Rachel Berns

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Many individuals with low back pain (LBP) experience episodic symptoms. During symptomatic episodes, individuals with LBP have delayed trunk muscle activation during anticipated postural perturbations, though it's unclear if these postural control changes persist between symptomatic episodes. This study examined anticipatory postural muscle activation in adults with and without recurrent LBP to determine the influence of muscle fatigue and typical symptom characteristics on trunk muscle activation. 55 young adults with a greater than one-year history of recurrent LBP and 30 young adults with no history of LBP were recruited. Electromyography electrodes were placed on their thoracic and lumbar paraspinals, external …

Augmenting Hand And Arm Function For Persons With Hemiparesis, Brooke Stein, Susan Duff, Alison Mckenzie, Bailey Advincula, Isaac An, Annie Jeon, Casey Mcwilliam, Will Potter, Virginia Ruano, Paulina Vokulich, Audrey Howell, Rahul Soangra

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Background. Hand and arm dysfunction due to neural disorders significantly influences quality of life. Activity-based training has been found to improve function. These improvements could be augmented with transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) due to the modulatory effect it has on spinal and supraspinal networks. Objective. The primary aim is to determine if a 4-week training program will improve hand and arm function. The secondary aim is to determine if the addition of tSCS to a second 4-week training session will further improve function. Design. This is a pre-posttest, controlled trial for persons 10-75 years of age, >6 months post …

Structural Sensorimotor Adaptations In Young Adults With Low Back Pain, Isaac Chrisman, Jo Armour Smith, Rongwen Tain, Kelli G. Sharp, Laura M. Glynn, Linda R. Van Dillen, Jesse V. Jacobs, Steven C. Cramer

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is the largest cause of disability worldwide. There is evidence for regional structural brain adaptation in CLBP. Most studies have investigated middle-aged adults and show decreased grey matter density in pain processing regions. It is not clear if these adaptations are evident early in the lifespan of individuals with CLBP. The purpose of the study was to compare sensorimotor gray matter density in young adults with a history of CLBP with back-healthy controls. 53 young adults with a greater than 1-year history of CLBP and 29 young adults with no history of LBP participated. Clinical …