Meet the faculty in the Movement Science, PhD program and research
Program Director: Ryan D. Zarzycki, PT, PhD, Assistant Professor
Musculoskeletal
- Skeletal muscle morphology using diagnostic ultrasound and other imaging;
- Muscle performance in chronic conditions.
- Lower extremity overuse injuries in runners;
- Pain mechanisms and quantitative sensory measures related to pain.
- Bone health and mechanisms associated with lower extremity overuse injuries in running and cycling.
- Mechanisms related to hip dysfunction and rehabilitation with emphasis on femoroacetabular impingement (FAI);
- Lower extremity biomechanics.
- Hip fracture rehabilitation and outcomes in older adults;
- Exercise interventions in older adults.
- Shoulder biomechanics related to rotator cuff problems;
- Classification of non-operative shoulder conditions and functional performance measures of shoulder function.
- Shoulder biomechanics related to rotator cuff problems;
- Diagnostic ultrasound to explore mechanisms associated with dysfunction and rehabilitation;
- Diabetes-related musculoskeletal complications.
- Neurophysiological mechanisms underlying muscle dysfunction following ACL and related injury;
- Development of novel interventions to improve muscle function and movement after traumatic knee injuries (e.g. non-invasive brain stimulation and virtual reality paradigms);
- Injuries related to sports specialization.
Neurorehabilitation
- Electric stimulation after stroke and after spinal cord injury.
- Effects of rehabilitation in people with chronic neurologic disorders with an emphasis on multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.
- Mechanisms and trajectories of recovery from neurologic injuries; interventions to promote recovery in the sensorimotor and/or cognitive domains.
Pediatrics
- Physical fitness in children with impairments related to neurological, neuromuscular or genetic diseases;
- Enhancing community participation and physical activity to improve quality of life.
Medically Complex Conditions
- Impact of aging and chronic disease on skeletal muscle quantity and quality.
- Hip fracture rehabilitation and outcomes in older adults;
- Exercise interventions in older adults.
- Factors contributing to hospital readmission rates in patients with heart failure;
- Optimizing functional outcomes for patients who are acutely ill.
