Dr. Brian Eckenrode ’97 ’99M, associate professor of Physical Therapy, was awarded the 2020 Traveling Fellowship Award from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)’s Academy of Physical Therapy Research. The award, which grants $3,500 per fellow, aims to bring together fellows of different seniority levels to conduct research and expand their knowledge together at their lab of choice. Dr. Eckenrode plans to conduct research with Dr. Brian Noehren, director of the Human Performance and Biomotion Laboratories at the University of Kentucky’s College of Health Sciences. 

At Dr. Noehren’s lab, Dr. Eckenrode will investigate the usage of quantitative sensory measurement tools in physical therapy treatment for lower extremity overuse, as well as develop a research project around a lower extremity functional clinical test and its psychometric properties. This project will branch from Dr. Eckenrode’s current research on how one processes pain resulting from overuse of orthopaedic structures.

In 2016, Dr. Eckenrode was elected to a three-year term in APTA’s Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Nominating Committee, starting at the end of 2017. The purpose of the Nominating Committee is to select candidates for APTA’s Orthopaedic Section and Board of Directors. Recently, Dr. Eckenrode was selected to serve on APTA’S Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy Education Committee, where he will assist in providing professional development opportunities for physical therapists.

“Ideally, I was hoping to travel to Dr. Noehren’s lab this summer,” said Dr. Eckenrode, who postponed his plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “But I plan on doing data collection on campus to continue my research.”

At Arcadia, Dr. Eckenrode serves as chair of the Academic Technology Services (ATS) Advisory Committee. The ATS Advisory Committee works to facilitate technological advancement and innovation within the University’s classrooms. In 2018, Dr. Eckenrode and Dr. Ryan Zarzycki received an Instructional Technology Committee (ITC) grant for their research project, “Blood Flow Restriction training in physical therapy and rehabilitation,” which allowed them to purchase two machines that assist in strength training at the physical therapy laboratories.