News and Events
 The ECU Department of Physical Therapy would like to welcome Keith Sales, DPT, Clinical Instructor. Sales received a Doctor of Physical Therapy from ECU in 2011. His clinical interests encompass vestibular rehabilitation and interventions to improve balance and gait. He will be working in the physical therapy clinic at the ECU Neurosurgery & Spine Center.
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Four DPT student research projects were recognized by the university during Research and Creative Activity Week in April 2013.
Graduate Human Health Poster Presentation Awards
Undergraduate Human Health Poster Presentation Award
Angela Korleski, Elizabeth Kitchens, Courtney Ross, Zack Long Morgan Haskins
Third year students in the Health Promotion for Physical Therapists course participated in community projects promoting health and wellness during the fall of 2012. These projects included:
Falls risk screening in Washington, NC – Patrick Dameron, Kristen Lattimore (Dr. Leslie Allison, mentor)
Prepare an educational video on transfers for volunteers helping with ECU's Adaptive Sports and Wellness Day – Melissa DeCarlo, Brittany Dickens, Paul Kline (Dr. Sue Leach, mentor)
Screening for female soccer players as a method of injury prevention – Hannah Bendahmane, Eric Bourgeois, Brian Lawton, Zach Long (Dr. Alex Durland, Kevin Youngs, mentors)
Clinic for the ECU Housekeeping Staff and Facilities Staff focusing on ergonomics, lifting mechanics and back injury prevention – Erin Ackland, Bethany Foster, Polly Martin, Lora Smith, Michelle Spencer (Dr. Sarah Johnson, Dr. Jacob Thorp, mentors)
Participate in organization of Alzheimer's NC - Washington-Beaufort County Walk and in the event's Educational Fair providing information regarding non-pharmaceutical approaches, such as exercise, to combat cognitive decline associated with AD – Brittany Cutts, Hannah Fisher, Amanda Roberts (Dr. Sonja Bareiss, mentor)
Organization of a free clinic for low-income populations – Kathryn Bales, Jessica Thompson, Kathryn Vick, Emily Williams (Dr. Alex Durland, mentor)
Screening for high school baseball players as a method of injury prevention – Renae Estes, Jessica Foster, Michael Gore, Thomas Thornton (Kevin Youngs, mentor)
Set up indoor walking courses and stretching stations on ECU's Health Sciences Building – Jennifer Edwards, Brittany Fowler, Kelsey Romoser, Janelle Warner (Dr. Amy Gross-McMillan, mentor)
 DPT students participate in poster presentation at Fall meeting Nineteen of the 3rd year ECU DPT students attended the North Carolina Physical Therapy Association meeting in Greensboro, NC October 11-13, 2012. Of the 17 student research posters presented at the meeting, nine were presented by ECU DPT students! One of those posters, presented by Kathryn Vick, (pictured at left with Dr. Leslie Allison) received 2nd place in student poster competition. See list of posters (with DPT students in bold, faculty mentors in italics) below. Congratulations to Ms. Vick, as well as to our winning Quiz Bowl team (Erin Ackland, Brittany Cutts, Hannah Fisher, Lora Smith, and Emily Williams)! THE EFFECTS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE ON SKELETAL MUSCLE AND ITS RESPONSE TO EXERCISE - Kristen Lattimore, Jessica Foster, Shelley Burgess, Alison Sloan, Sonja K. Bareiss, Terry E. Jones SKELETAL MUSCLE MITOCHONDRIA WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: A FIRST LOOK - Polly Martin, Shelley Burgess, Alison Sloan, Sonja K. Bareiss, Terry E. Jones THE ASSOCIATION OF KNEE EXTENSION POWER WITH CHAIR RISE PERFORMANCE AT VARIED KNEE ANGLES - Kathryn Vick, Leslie Allison, John Willson, Brittany Greenwell, Ali Omahen THE PREDICTIVE VALIDITY OF THE SWAY SLED® AS A MEASURE OF FALL RISK IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER FEMALES - Brittany Dickens, Brittany Fowler, Leslie Allison, Noelle Jones, Courtney Ross GENDER DIFFERENCES IN FRONTAL PLANE EXCURSION AT THE KNEE DURING A SINGLE LEG LANDING – Hannah Bendahmane, Kelsey Waggoner, Eric Bourgeois, Jessie Thompson, DS Williams, WL Jenkins COMPARISON OF PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS REFERRED FOR DIFFERENT TREATMENTS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC PAIN - Hannah Fisher, Lora Smith, Jacob Thorp, C Ervin Davis, Brandon Kyle, Qiang Wu A NOVEL THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION FOR THE TREATMENT OF SPINAL CORD INJURY PAIN - Renae Estes, Angela Korleski, Kori L. Brewer., Sonja K. Bareiss INTRATHECAL DELIVERY OF A NOVEL THERAPEUTIC FOR THE TREATMENT OF SPINAL CORD INJURY PAIN - Emily Williams, Shelley Burgess, Kori L. Brewer, Sonja K. Bareiss MAGNETIC RESONANCE ANALYSIS OF INTRINSIC FOOT MUSCULATURE DURING RUNNING IN SHOD AND BAREFOOT CONDITIONS – Paul Kline, Brian Wurzinger, Richard Segal, C Steinbaker, Olivia Ratcliff, DS Blaise Williams |
 Congratulations to third-year Doctor of Physical Therapy students Erin Ackland, Brittany Cutts, Hannah Fisher, Emily Williams and Lora Smith! They won the annual physical therapy student "Quiz Bowl" at the North Carolina Physical Therapy Association's annual Fall Conference and Chapter Meeting this past weekend. The ECU team competed against teams from UNC-CH, Duke, WSSU, Western Carolina, and Elon. The Quiz Bowl is held annually at the Fall Conference as a fund-raiser for the NCPTA Scholarship and Loan Fund to help support PT students. October 2012 |
East Carolina University physical therapy student, Kelsey Romoser, worked with a patient at a rural health post during her assignment with 500-bed Chitwan Medical College Teaching Hospital in Bharatpur, Nepal.
Read the article here:
SOLVING PROBLEMS
ECU physical therapy student gains unique perspective in Nepal
August 2012
 John Willson, PT, PhD, Associate Professor, has joined the faculty of East Carolina University in the Department of Physical Therapy. John received a BS in biology from University of Minnesota, a master's degree in physical therapy from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and a PhD in biomechanics and movement science from the University of Delaware. His research is focused on identifying factors that contribute to both acute and overuse knee injuries associated with running and other physical activities. In his new position he will serve as director of the Human Movement Analysis Laboratory. He and his wife Kate are the proud parents of a 1 year-old boy, Jacob. August 2012 |
2011-2012 Faculty News and Activities
Faculty News
As part of the Health Promotions course taught by Dr. Terry Jones, students in the Department of Physical Therapy performed community service activities during the fall semester 2011. These projects included:
Tiffany Fletcher and Leah Hollar (Dr. Sue Leach) shared information on "Again with a Disability" at the ECU Adaptive Recreation and Wellness Day on October 15th.
Martha Gwaltney, Brooke Lampron, Molly Pleasants and Melissa Wood (Dr. Sonja Bareiss) developed a brochure and discussed the use of exercise as a non-pharmaceutical treatment approach to combat age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease at Washington/Beaufort County Alzheimer's NC Walk and Education Fair held on October 15, 2011.
Brooke Rice, Elisha Yost, and Ryan Shoaf (Dr. Sarah Johnson) provided free Physical Therapy screenings to prevent low back pain and work related back injuries to ECU Housekeeping Staff during the fall 2011.
Courtney Stearn, Brittany Matthews and Jessica Tripp (Dr. Leslie Allison) performed a Fall Risk Screening event on Oct. 28th in Washington, NC in association with Beaufort Hospital/Lifestyles Fitness/Wellness Center.
Students in the Department of Physical Therapy presented posters at the North Carolina Physical Therapy Association's Fall Meeting in Greensboro, NC on October 22.
Martha Gwaltney SPT, Kori Brewer Ph.D., Sonja K. Bareiss PT, Ph.D., Sensory sprouting after spinal cord injury: a role GSK-3βP in spinal cord injury pain.
Brooke Lampron SPT, Elizabeth Dugan Ph.D., Kori L. Brewer Ph.D2, Sonja K. Bareiss PT, Ph.D1 Changes in GSK-3βP and nociceptive expression following spinal cord injury and implications for sensory dysesthesias.
Brittany Matthews (Dr. Terry Jones), Skeletal muscle vitamin D receptor expression with aging and exercise
Molly Pleasants SPT, Kori L. Brewer, Ph.D., Shelley Burgess, Sonja K. Bareiss PT, Ph.D. 1, Spinal cord injury pain is associated with changes in nociceptive expression and altered glycogen synthase kinace-3β activity in the spinal cord.
Ryan Shoaf and Melissa van der Linde (Dr. Leslie Allison),"The reliability and validity of the Sway Sled; a new clinical measure of stability limits." (1st place)
Courtney Stearn (Dr. Terry Jones), Effects of a high-fat diet and muscle contraction on the expression of the glucose transporter in skeletal muscle (3rd place tie)
Melissa Wood – The effects of chronic pain on skeletal muscle and its response to exercise (3rd place tie)
Jeanne Graf (Dr. Walter Jenkins), Effect of Isolated hip abductor fatigue and foot orthotic devices on frontal plane knee motion during a single leg landing
Photos From the NCPTA Research Award Ceremony 2011
ECU Neuroscience Symposium at the ECU Heart Center, November 1, 2011
Martha Gwaltney SPT1, Kori L. Brewer Ph.D.2, Sonja K. Bareiss PT, Ph.D.1A Role for GSK-3 in the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury Pain. 1Departments of Physical Therapy and 2Emergency Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
Brooke Lampron SPT1, Elizabeth Dugan Ph.D.2, Kori L. Brewer Ph.D2, Sonja K. Bareiss PT, Ph.D1Alteration in GSK-3P and Nociceptive Expression Following Excitotoxic Spinal Cord Injury. 1Departments of Physical Therapy and 2Emergency Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
Molly Pleasants SPT1, Kori L. Brewer, Ph.D.2, Shelley Burgess1, Sonja K. Bareiss PT, Ph.D.1, Altered Expression of Glycogen Synthase Kinase3β In The Dorsal Column Of The Spinal Cord Is Associated With Dysesthesias and Neuropathic Pain Following Excitotoxic Spinal Cord Injury 1Department of Physical Therapy and 2Emergency Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
Faculty Presentations
Dr. Walter L. Jenkins, "Foot Orthotic Device: An Update" to the Iccus Society on July 5, 2011 in San Diego, CA.
Lawrance SE, Killian CB, Rundquist PJ, Jenkins WL, Development and reliability of a knee symmetry evaluation instrument. Indiana Physical Therapy Association fall meeting, October 8, 2011
Dr. Blaise Williams, Lower Quarter Dysfunction Case Study, , APTA Sports Physical Therapy Section, Team Concept Conference, Las Vegas, NV, December 2, 2011
Scapular Assessment and Treatment, APTA Sports Physical Therapy Section, Team Concept Conference, Las Vegas, NV, December 2, 2011
Dr. Sue Leach, "Divided-attention responses in older vs. younger adults following training with multi-directional stepping or endurance and leg strengthening", at the International Council of Active Aging Conference, Orlando, FL, December 2, 2011
Dr. Blaise Williams and Dr. Walter L. Jenkins, Clinical Assessment of Running, APTA Sports Physical Therapy Section, Team Concept Conference, Las Vegas, NV, December 3, 2011
Dr. Blaise Williams, Post-Operative Management of Ankle Instability, APTA Sports Physical Therapy Section, Team Concept Conference, Las Vegas, NV, December 3, 2011
S.K. Bareiss1, K. Hernandez1, T. Lee1, B. Whitfield2, and K.L. Brewer2 Primary afferent sprouting after spinal cord injury correlates with sensory abnormalities and changes in glycogen synthase kinase-3 activity. Departments of Physical Therapy and Emergency Medicine, College of Allied Health Sciences2and Brody School of Medicine2, November 14, 2011
Dr. Walter L. Jenkins, Clinical Evaluation of Ankle Instability. APTA Sports Physical Therapy Section, Team Concept Conference, Las Vegas, NV, December 3, 2011
PT Pirates Span Four Decades
From the class of 1977 to the class of 2006, four decades of ECU alumni work together at the Carolinas Medical Center, a 1,000+ bed level one trauma center and teaching hospital in Charlotte. Pictured left to right, the Pirate physical therapists, in the back row, are Emily Murray, class of 2000; Leslie Glenn, '98; Cassandra McLeod, '87; Sherry Troutmam, '77; and, in front, Latasha Ruffin, '06.
PT students held their annual Research Day in April 2011.
ECU Research and Creative Achievement Week
The Department of Physical Therapy had the following student presentations at the ECU Research and Creative Achievement Week in April 2011:
Dr. Sonja Bareiss
Tiffany Lee: "Peripheral Nociceptive Sprouting After Spinal Cord Injury Correlates With Pain Behaviors" (undergraduate student – poster presentation)
Andrew McGowan: "Sensory dysfunction following spinal cord injury is associated with changes in glycogen synthase kinase-3b activity" (undergraduate student - oral presentation)
Dr. Walter Jenkins
Jeannie Graf: "The between gender effect of foot orthotic devices on lower extremity coupling when landing from a jump" (graduate student – poster presentation)
Dr. Terry Jones
Brittany Rice: "Transcriptional regulation of skeletal muscle GLUT4 by elevated long chain fatty acids" (graduate student – poster presentation) *Category Winner for the Research and Creative Activity Week
Dr. Sue Leach
Trudy Bundy: "Effect of a Divided-Attention Timed Stepping Accuracy Task on balance in healthy young and healthy old adults" (graduate student – poster presentation)
Samantha Moore: "Divided-attention responses in older vs. younger adults following training with multi-directional stepping or endurance & leg strengthening" (graduate student – poster presentation)
Katie Schendt: "Strength vs. endurance changes in healthy older adults versus healthy younger adults after six weeks using different training programs "(graduate student – poster presentation)
Dr. Blaise Williams
FJ Goodwin: "Changes in running velocity result in changes in negative and positive lower extremity joint work" (graduate student – poster presentation)
Lee Welch: "Effects of six-week static and dynamic stretching programs on hamstring flexibility and lower extremity biomechanics" (graduate student – poster presentation)
Olivia Ratcliff: "The effects of velocity change on lower extremity work during the stance phase of running" (undergraduate student – poster presentation)
