The goal of our work is to understand how the musculoskeletal and nervous systems interact to contribute to the development of musculoskeletal conditions across the lifespan. We also are interested in how other biological, psychological, and social/environmental factors impact these interactions.
Musculoskeletal conditions are among the most disabling and costly conditions experienced by Americans and are the leading cause of physical disability in the United States. Treatments that prevent or lessen the longterm impact of these conditions are needed. Our major funded studies have focused on low back pain (LBP) conditions. These studies have included testing the reliability and validity of a classification system for nonspecific LBP as well as understanding the relationships between posture and movement characteristics and variables such as symptoms, sex, activity demands, and neural and musculoskeletal factors. We also have examined the efficacy of different non-pharmacologic treatments for people with chronic LBP and explored the role of adherence on short- and long-term outcomes. Our current work is focused on understanding the role of movement-related impairments found to be important in chronic LBP conditions, to the course of acute LBP conditions.
Faculty Investigator
Linda Van Dillen, PT, PhD, FAPTA [Profile 
]
Vanessa Lanier, PT, DPT, OCS [Profile]
Joe Klaesner, PhD
Staff
Chris Peterson, PT, DPT, OCS
McKenna Chapman, BS
Billie Jacobsen, BS
Jacqueline Patterson, PT, DPT, MHA
Ellie Rather, BS
Maura Fazlic, PT, DPT, NCS
Pam Wendl, MSPT
PhD Trainees
Kayla Krueger, PT, DPT
Other Trainees
Mo Moeslein, SPT
Lauren Marshall, SPT
Current Funding and Collabortions
- NIH/NICHD RO1 HD108240: Significance of Spinal Movement Impairments in Acute Low Back Pain
Current Research Studies
Significance of Spinal Movement Impairments in Acute Low Back Pain
The course of recovery from acute LBP is variable and many people have incomplete recovery. We are examining people who are in an acute LBP episode and are without a recent history of chronic LBP. We are measuring standardized movements and postures to determine their relationship to recovery, and examining if they are similar to the movements and postures we previously have identified as relevant to the course of recovery in people with chronic LBP. We are following participants for 12 months to determine if person-specific movements and postures might be a clinical biomarker for recovery from acute LBP. We also will be testing if these movements and postures can be a potential treatment target, particularly during performance of LBP-limited functional activities, for those who are at risk of incomplete recovery. The overall goal of this work is to inform ways to improve the long-term course of LBP conditions.