8:49 a.m., Nov. 5, 2010----Clinical and research collaborations between the University of Delaware Department of Physical Therapy and members of the Christiana Care Department of Orthopaedics were highlighted at the third annual Delaware Orthopaedic Symposium on Saturday, Oct. 23.

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The symposium brought together researchers and practitioners from all of the Delaware Health Sciences Alliance (DHSA) partners -- the University of Delaware, Christiana Care Health Systems (CCHS), Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) and Nemours/A.I. duPont Hospital for Children -- as well as several other regional orthopaedic care providers.

Held at Christiana Care's John H. Ammon Medical Education Center, the symposium featured educational tracks on orthopaedic surgery, orthopaedic medicine, and physical therapy and rehabilitation.

According to course director Brian Galinat, M.D., chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at CCHS and assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at TJU, the symposium had a strong focus on evidence-based care and outcomes and on multidisciplinary management of musculoskeletal conditions.

Four UD presenters from the Department of Physical Therapy gave session talks highlighting ongoing research and clinical teaching collaborations within the DHSA.

Tara Manal, director of UD's Physical Therapy Clinics and associate professor, taught the CCHS primary care sports medicine residents, sharing a talk entitled “Clinical Decision-Making for Management of Lower Back Pain” with those in the orthopaedic medicine track.

Lynn Snyder-Mackler, Alumni Distinguished Professor, and Gregory Hicks, assistant professor, presented their community collaborative research findings in “Critical Decision-Making after ACL Injuries and Lower Back Pain in Active Older Adults.”

Joseph Zeni, assistant professor, and Steve Rombach, director of Christiana Care Physical Therapy PLUS, gave a talk entitled “Community Application of Delaware Osteoarthritis Profile” and presented preliminary outcomes of their collaboration with total knee replacement surgeons in CCHS's Comprehensive Joint Replacement Center.

"We were pleased to showcase Delaware's world-class orthopedic rehabilitation research and practice in our own backyard,” Snyder-Mackler said.

The event was sponsored by the Medical Society of Delaware jointly with the Delaware Society of Orthopedic Surgeons and the Christina Care Department of Orthopedic surgery. Additional sponsors included Pro Physical Therapy, Christiana Care Physical Therapy PLUS, and DePuy Orthopedics.

Attendees included orthopaedic surgeons, primary care physicians, orthopaedic physician assistants, nurses, physical therapists and other health care professionals.

Posters

In addition to the session talks, UD researchers presented nine research posters on topics including lower back pain, running injuries, knee replacement, and shoulder pain:

Using Current Evidence to Treat a Figure Skater Limited by Low Back Pain Prior to a National Competition (Jennifer Flug, Karla Bell, and Tara Manal)

Impairment-Based Treatment of a Recreational Runner with Idiopathic Peroneal Neuropathy (Angela Hutchinson and Tara Manal)

Reducing Chronic Shoulder Pain in a Throwing Athlete: The Role of the Thoracic Spine (Jennifer Flug, Karla Bell, Megan Sions and Tara Manal)

Screening Complicated Patients Waiting for a Total Knee Arthroplasty May Provide Insight Into Worsening Condition? (Kelly Danks, Laura Schmitt, Angela Hutchinson, Airelle Hunter-Giordano and Tara Manal)

Fear Avoidance Beliefs are Associated with Disability and Physical Health in Older Adults with Low Back Pain (Megan Sions and Gregory Hicks)

Lumbar Stiffness is Associated with Physical Health and Low Back Pain-Related Disability in Community-Dwelling Older Adults (Megan Sions and Gregory Hicks)

The Impact of Differential Diagnosis and Four Physical Therapy Treatments on Unrelenting Posterior Knee Pain After an Aborted Arthroscopic Debridement in a Collegiate Field Hockey Player (Anthony Carroll and Airelle Hunter-Giordano)

Reproduction and Treatment of Quadratus Lumborum Trigger Points in a Collegiate Pitcher Using Motor Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation (Teonette Velasco, Megan Sions and Tara Manal)

Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation as an Adjunct to a Trunk Muscle Training Program for an Older Adult with Low Back Pain (Teonette Velasco, Megan Sions and Gregory Hicks)

Article by Diane Kukich