Accomplishments: Department of Physical Therapy
Graduate student Cyanea Davies has published her thesis: Lower extremity muscle activity during walking with blood flow restriction and body weight support. The publication appears in the latest issue of Biomechanics 2025, 5, 72 and includes co-authors Alina Swafford (Sports Innovation Institute), Keoni Kins (Physical Therapy…
Jessica Immonen (Dental) and Jason Ciccotelli (Physical Therapy) mentored fourth-year dental students Nathan Kent, David Patterson, Alyssa Luu and Samantha Pipkin in the production of a research article titled "Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis and Systemic Inflammation: A Cadaveric Study for Dental Insights." The student first author, Nathan…
Dr. Kai-Yu Ho and Dr. Lisa Taylor (Physical Therapy), along with UNLVPT alumna Dr. Katherine Joines, published the article, “Physical Therapy Management for Delayed Diagnosis of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip: A Case Report," in Case Reports in Pediatrics.
The publication highlights the challenges of early detection of developmental dysplasia…
Kara Radzak (Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences) provided an oral presented on "Cadets’ perspectives on cultural and programmatic changes to facilitate musculoskeletal injury help-seeking and reduce injury concealment in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps" at the 2025 Military Health System Research Symposium. Co-authors included Joshua…
Hiraku Nagahori (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences) and Kai-Yu Ho (Physical Therapy) published their article, "Patellar cartilage thickness relates to knee external rotation during squatting in individuals with and without patellofemoral pain—a pilot study" in Frontiers.
This is the first study to explore how the thickness of kneecap…
UNLV's Department of Physical Therapy, housed within the School of Integrated Health Sciences, was ranked 46th in the country as part of the U.S. News & World Report's most recent rankings. The Department of Physical Therapy's 46th ranking, out of 264 programs, puts it among the top 18% of all physical therapy programs in the nation.
A recent study conducted by faculty members Dr. Kai-Yu Ho and Dr. Jing Nong Liang (both Physical Therapy), along with Doctor of Physical Therapy students Michael Carpio, John Donohue, and Jacob Kissman, investigates the link between knee pain and hip muscle activation.
Patellofemoral pain (PFP) — a common knee condition — has traditionally been…
Kai-Yu Ho and Jing Nong Liang (both Physical Therapy), along with the DPT Class of 2024 students Connan Wallace, Jeno Aquino, Bryce Broadway, and Makenzie Whimple, published the article, "Exploring the use of bimodal transcranial direct current stimulation to enhance movement in individuals with patellofemoral pain—A sham-controlled double blinded…
Faculty from the Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences and Physical Therapy departments published "The Psychometric Performance of State Mindfulness Scales Around Sitting and Walking on Desert Trails: A Pilot Study". Authors include: Dustin W. Davis (Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences), Elias M. Malek (IHS student), Rob Salatto, Marcus M.…
Merrill Landers (Physical Therapy), chair of the department, was presented with the SPAHP Alumni Merit Award from Creighton University's Department of Physical Therapy. Landers, who graduated from the program in 1997, was recognized for his exceptional leadership in the profession and his service to his Las Vegas community, exemplifying the Jesuit…
Jennifer Nash (Physical Therapy), Janet S. Dufek (Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences) and colleagues published a manuscript titled, "The Influence of Sport-Related Concussion on Cognition and Landing Biomechanics in Collegiate Athletes," in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. This interdisciplinary investigation examined…
Dr. Jessica Immonen (Dental) and Jason Ciccotelli (Physical Therapy) worked with a team of healthcare professionals with expertise in human anatomy to publish an article on anatomy education as a community outreach opportunity. The article titled "Anatomical Outreach is Within Reach: Contemporary and Diverse Approaches" followed a panel discussion…