Emily Slaven and Nathanial Eckert awarded research grant

Emily Slaven, associate professor of physical therapy, and Nathanial Eckert, assistant professor of kinesiology, were recently awarded a grant from the American Association of Manual Physical Therapy (AAOMPT) for a study titled “The impact of a thrust manipulation to the hip joint; A biomechanical or neurophysiological response, or both?”

Thrust manipulation is a manual therapy technique that can be used for managing pain and increasing motion of a joint. At the hip joint, the technique produces rapid improvement in both level of pain and mobility. The cause of that improvement is currently unknown and is what Slaven and Eckert hope to better understand through this study.

Slaven, who is an orthopedic clinical specialist and an AAOMPT Fellow, will serve as lead investigator of the study. Eckert, who specializes in human performance and chronic pain, will assist with study design, data collection, data analysis, and dissemination of the results. The study will be funded through an AAOMPT OTPT Grant, which Slaven accepted at the AAOMPT annual meeting in Reno, Nevada earlier this month.