Other Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Care Without Barriers: Dei And Cultural Competency In Athletic Training Education Programs, Sydney Hotz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

In the field of athletic training, cultural competency is a topic that is highly under-researched. Athletic trainers (ATs) are healthcare professionals who provide care in a variety of settings, including secondary schools, where their patient population often includes student-athletes experiencing adverse social determinants of health and barriers to healthcare access. Only since 2022 has the governing body of athletic training education mandated that programs include cultural competency and DEI education in their programs, and to this day does not require programs to report adherence and methods of implementation. A quantitative, cross-sectional analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between cultural …

Variation In Prevalence Of Participation Limitation, Injury Location, And Training Habits Between Young And Master Runners: A Cross-Sectional Study, Rachel Berns, Jo Armour Smith, Natalia Sánchez, Samantha N. Jeffcoat, Susan Sigward, Andrew Hooyman, Shawn Farrokhi

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background/Objectives

Running is a popular form of physical activity, but its growing participation has been accompanied by high rates of injury that may limit ongoing engagement, particularly in older runners. This study explored differences in running participation limitation, injury location, and training characteristics between young (18–34 years) and master (>35 years) runners.

Methods

A total of 207 runners (105 young, 102 master) completed an online survey assessing demographics, training habits, and injury-related participation limitations using the updated Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Overuse Injury Questionnaire.

Results

Master runners reported higher rates of injury-related participation limitation than young runners (51% …

Adhesion Of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria To Thermoplastic Materials Used In Fabricating Medical Devices: Patient Consequences, Dev V. Mehta

Poster Presentations

Burn injury patients wear supportive orthoses made by heat-forming sheets of thermoplastic material (Figs. 1 & 2). Bacteria cause severe soft tissue infections in patients wearing contaminated orthoses. Thermoplastic medical devices can develop biofilms that include antibiotic-resistant (AR) bacteria, which significantly reduces the number of available treatment options. A biofilm is a community of microorganisms that share resources allowing them to exist in a nutrient-limited environment. Biofilm microbes secrete extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) that attaches them firmly to a substrate surface while protecting them from harmful substances, including antibiotics. Bacteria living within biofilms on inanimate surfaces can survive for extended …

Modeling Structural Support To Facilitate Novel Treatments Of Degenerative Disc Disease, Jose Luis Calderon

Poster Presentations

Over 600 million people worldwide suffered from low back pain in 2020, with projections for 2050 being over 800 million [1]. Annual costs associated with low back pain total over 450 billion dollars in the US alone [2]. This research serves as a proof-of-concept for the use of structural supports to facilitate intervertebral disc healing. This treatment would involve the implementation of these supports along with existing injection treatments to promote regeneration. In both models, along with the combined model, the ability for these supports to alleviate intervertebral disc height loss is shown. This indicates that these supports would serve …

Success In Motion: A Comparative Thematic Analysis Of Patient Success In Inpatient And Outpatient Physical Therapy, William T. Gish

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Physical therapy is practiced across a wide range of clinical settings that differ substantially in patient populations, goals, and care timelines. While standardized outcome measures are commonly used to evaluate treatment effectiveness, little research has examined how physical therapists themselves define successful outcomes  or whether those definitions vary across inpatient and outpatient contexts. This study employed a qualitative mixed-methods design to explore how physical therapists conceptualize success in clinical practice. Ten licensed physical therapists participated in semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Supplementary quantitative data were collected via an online background survey. Five primary themes emerged: goal-oriented, patient-centered …

A Comparative Analysis Of Two Play-Based Upper Extremity Training Programs In Improving Arm Motor Function In Children With Hemiplegia, Kara Borkowski

Honors Scholar Theses

Cerebral Palsy is one of the most common causes of childhood motor disability. Children with cerebral palsy often experience impaired movement, posture, and balance (Vitrikas et al., 2020). A key factor in the success of upper extremity training for children with cerebral palsy is the frequency and intensity of therapy sessions (Jackman et al., 2020). However, these sessions can be expensive, time consuming, and often difficult to fit into home routines. These limitations have led to an increasing exploration of the effects of caregiver-led programs, bridging many of the gaps these barriers create. The efficacy of a play-based training program …

Play To Win: A Randomized Controlled Trial To Assess The Effects Of Play-Based Training On Upper Extremity Function In Children With Hemiplegia, Vivian London

Honors Scholar Theses

Hemiplegia, or paralysis of one side of the body, is the primary symptom of unilateral cerebral palsy, a subtype of cerebral palsy, the most common movement disorder in children. Standard of care is regular physical and occupational therapy to improve performance in bimanual activities, but conventional therapy can be expensive and draining for caregivers and children, so a need exists for a novel intervention that can take place at home and that is economical for families while being engaging for children. This thesis reports data from a subset of ten children seen as part of a randomized controlled clinical trial …

Severe Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Presenting With Paraplegic Symptoms: A Rehabilitation Case Report, Cecilia Hammond, Elizabeth Campione

Oncology Rehabilitation in Practice

Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is characterized by sensory and/or motor symptoms in distal extremities starting within 24 hours of receiving chemotherapy and can potentially last for years. Management of CIPN may include medication (i.e. Duloxetine) and physical therapy (PT). The purpose of this case report is to describe the rehabilitation process and adjustments to the plan of care for a patient with severe CIPN. This case underscores the importance of a proper diagnosis and the need for research to develop evidence-based guidelines for PT interventions for non-ambulatory patients with severe CIPN.

Case description: The patient was a 53-year-old female …

Marching Health From Music To Injury: The Implications Of Marching Band Athletic Training Accessibility, Madelyn Liebhardt

Honors Projects

The following study explores the importance and need of athletic trainers (ATs) in marching band settings. Athletic Training is an essential backbone to many sports programs worldwide. Athletic Trainers are commonly seen as active staff members for many high school, collegiate, professional teams as well as in clinical office sites. Athletic Trainers are also staffed in non-traditional settings such as corporate settings, performing arts, military branches. Marching bands are categorized under non-traditional sports settings and ATs are becoming more highly preferred in this area. This study follows the Bowling Green State University (BGSU) Falcon Marching Band (FMB) during the 2025 …

Non-Pharmacological Pain Management Educational Capstone, Alexander J. Birdsall, Cassandra Nelson

Spring 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

Upper extremity (UE) pain affects approximately 30.7% of adults in the United States and is associated with decreased function and participation. Despite evidence supporting non-pharmacological approaches, pharmacological interventions remain commonly used. This capstone project implemented and evaluated an occupation-based educational program to promote non-pharmacological pain management among adults receiving outpatient occupational therapy for UE conditions. This 14-week project included 10 participants and utilized a mixed-methods design with pre-, mid-, and post-surveys. The program consisted of an introduction and three modules addressing therapeutic movement, physical agent modalities, and sensory regulation. Outcome measures included pain, activity engagement, medication use, confidence, and program …

Equine-Assisted Interventions For Pediatric Clients With Cerebral Palsy: A Handbook For Occupational Therapists, Draydin Ferguson, Lesley Khan-Farooqi, Phd, Otd, Otr

Spring 2026 OTD Capstone Symposium

This poster outlines the development of an evidence-informed instructional handbook intended to guide Occupational Therapists in implementing equine-assisted interventions with pediatric clients diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.

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 …

An Education Project To Address Pain Management Solutions For Adult Clients With Ue Involvement To Reduce Dependence On Pharmacological Options To Increase Comfort And Performance With Life Activities, Alexander J. Birdsall

Student Capstone Papers

Upper extremity (UE) pain affects approximately 30.7% of adults in the United States and is associated with decreased function and participation. Despite evidence supporting non-pharmacological approaches, pharmacological interventions remain commonly used. This capstone project implemented and evaluated an occupation-based educational program to promote non-pharmacological pain management among adults receiving outpatient occupational therapy for UE conditions. This 14-week project included 10 participants and utilized a mixed-methods design with pre-, mid-, and post-surveys. The program consisted of an introduction and three modules addressing therapeutic movement, physical agent modalities, and sensory regulation. Outcome measures included pain, activity engagement, medication use, confidence, and program …

Standardizing Cardiac Rehabilitation Referrals In A Rural Primary Care Clinic, Carlie H. Sanders

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Abstract

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a cost-effective, evidence-based approach for patients with cardiac conditions to improve quality of life and health outcomes. Despite the benefits, it remains a nationally underutilized service, and extensive research has been conducted to identify interventions that most effectively increase referrals and participation in CR programs. Two of the more successful interventions include strengthening provider recommendations and using a standardized referral system (Ades et al., 2022). This quality improvement project aimed to strengthen provider recommendations and increase the frequency of referrals to the existing CR program at a rural primary care clinic by 50%. To do …

Through The Gills: Translating Neurorehabilitation Principles Into An Adaptive Aquatic Game And Caregiver Toolkit For Children And Adolescents With Acquired Brain Injuries, Elizabeth J. Blincoe

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Background: An acquired brain injury (ABI) can result in motor, cognitive, and emotional impairments that limit participation and quality of life in children and adolescents (Pappadis et al., 2023). Caregivers often report difficulty supporting recovery and promoting functional carryover following discharge (Pappadis et al., 2023). Aquatic therapy is an evidence-based intervention shown to improve mobility, balance, and activities of daily living following brain injury (Curcio et al., 2020). Access to pediatric aquatic occupational therapy remains limited in communities.

Purpose: This doctoral capstone project was completed in a community-based wellness setting. The purpose was to develop and implement a caregiver-guided adaptive …

Variation In Rehabilitation Related Durable Medical Equipment Use And Cost Among Stroke Survivors: A Retrospective Analysis Of Medicare Beneficiaries, Madison Gersper

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Title: Variation in Rehabilitation-Related Durable Medical Equipment Use and Cost Among Stroke Survivors: A Retrospective Analysis of Medicare Beneficiaries.

Purpose: In the US, stroke is a leading cause of disability (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). Stroke survivorship is expected to rise significantly in the coming years (Feigin et al., 2024; Martin et al., 2025), resulting in a large number of people with disabilities who rely on Rehabilitation-Related Durable Medical Equipment (RR-DME) for daily living. However, there is limited published research on equipment access and costs.

The overall objective of this study was to identify predictors of access to …

A Systemic Review Of Functional Outcomes And Patient Satisfaction Across Lower-Limb Prosthetic Types In Military Personnel And Veterans, Emma Ho Harris, Amir Ghafarian, Sen Gao, Khaled Saleh, Jason Pasley

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background: Military personnel and veterans are at increased risk of lower-limb amputation, often due to combat-related trauma such as improvised explosive devices (IEDs), as well as secondary factors including tobacco use, peripheral artery disease, and diabetes. This study systematically reviews and compares lower-limb prosthetic technologies in military personnel and veterans, focusing on functional outcomes, mobility, and patient satisfaction.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed MeSH terms to identify studies examining lower-limb prosthetic use and outcomes among military personnel and veterans. The final MeSH-based search yielded 27 results.

Results: The review included 27 studies on lower-limb prosthetic use …

Evaluating Forearm Strength Variability In Collegiate Tennis Players Over The Course Of A Competitive Season, Jeffrey Williams, Payton Jensen, Kevin Laudner

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

The muscles of the forearm undergo routine, forceful, and repetitive contractions while playing tennis and may experience adaptive changes that can precede injury. An understanding of forearm strength profiles of tennis players following a competitive season would assist clinicians’ evidence-based management of the forearm’s readiness for training, competition, and return-to-sport participation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the effects of a competitive tennis season on forearm strength among collegiate tennis athletes. A prospective, case-series design was used to examine a convenience sample of 15 asymptomatic NCAA Division I tennis players (males = 10, height = 182.88 [SD …

Quality Of Athletic Training Services For Lower Extremity Injuries, Katie Sniffen, Michael Rozier, Katherine Stamatakis, Paula Buchanan, Janet E. Simon, Leslie Hinyard

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

The use of patient-reported outcomes in athletic training is inconsistent, limiting the ability to communicate service quality and value to key stakeholders. The objective of this study is to calculate meaningful quality outcome measures for athletic training services for lower extremity injuries in high school student-athletes. Data were collected from a subset of the National Athletic Treatment, Injury and Outcomes Network Surveillance Program and a convenience sample of high school student-athletes with patient-reported outcome measures for lower extremity time-loss injuries. Failure-toprogress proportions (FTPPs) were calculated using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) for knee/thigh injuries and the Foot …

Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections In An Elite Level Diver: A Disablement Model Case Study, Matt O'Sullivan, Dominique M. Stevens, Lindsey E. Eberman

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

This article presents a case of complicated and recurrent pyelonephritis, an infection of 1 or both kidneys, in an elitelevel diver. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common outpatient infections in the United States; most are uncomplicated and resolve without significant mortality or morbidity. However, UTIs have the potential to present significant clinical challenges if the UTI becomes complicated or recurrent. Additionally, recurrent UTIs can carry a significant burden to both the individual patients and the larger healthcare system. The current paper reviews the epidemiological literature surrounding UTIs, the significant impact they have on a patient’s health-related quality …