Below are theses and dissertations completed by graduates of the University of Nevada Las Vegas Physical Therapy Department.
For the entire collection of UNLV theses and dissertations, visit UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Theses/Dissertations from 2022
Perceived Value of Acute Care Physical Therapy, Juliana Amenta, Andrew Falcinelli, Erin Heenan, and Hannah Kendall
Increasing Utilization of Otago Fall Prevention Program by Nevada Physical Therapists: A Service-Learning Project, Jared Apostol, Erica Mooy Brown, and Danielle Uptain
The Effects of a Telehealth Exercise Intervention on Balance in Adults with Down Syndrome, Mark Barton, Kristina Guerrero, Andrew Martinez, and Alexandria Umagat
Efficacy and Benefits of Providing a Screening Clinic for Performing Arts Students, Shaun Bean, Joanna Centeno, and Elizabeth Williams
Direction of Attentional Focus in Prosthetic Training: Current Practice and Potential for Improving Motor Learning in Individuals with Lower Limb Loss, Alexander Bonczyk, Maria Katrina Tillada Dimapilis, Sarah Partridge, and Samantha Ruiz
Essential Tools For Sustainability of a Student-led, Pro-Bono Back School, Cory Brown, Rosalie Gutierrez, Jennifer Montes, and Rondale Scruggs
Factors Predicting Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior in Parkinsonisms, Kameron Eckard, Franjo Vukojevic, and Ryan Hammar
Walking With Poles Improves Step Length of Simulated Prosthetic Gait, Marissa Elquist, Daniel Perez, Jonathan Garcia, and Brady Owens
Effects of a 12-Week Telehealth Exercise Intervention on Gait Speed and Gait Deviations in Adults with Down Syndrome, Robert Lum, Taylor Souza, Christopher Roys, and Daniel Stopka
Brain and Spinal Cord Adaptations Associated with Patellofemoral Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Kara Meske, Savanna Budge Huerta, Austin Madriaga, and Derrick Nguyenton
Effects of a Remote Exercise Intervention on Aerobic Endurance in Individuals with Down Syndrome, Andrew Murata, Elena Wolf, Jonathan Crimm, and Benjamin Lee
Physical Therapy Alumni Rural Employment Assessment, Karen Aleyda Santos and Nikkita Jacob Crozier
Diagnostic Ultrasound as a Reliable Tool to Measure Multifidus Thickness, Katherine Shigemoto, Valeria Garcia Arteaga, Jessie Peterson, and Nathan Gentry
Theses/Dissertations from 2021
Description, Reliability and Validation of a Novel Ground-Reaction-Force-Triggered Protocol for Simulation of Tripping Perturbations During Gait, James Anderson, Samuel Hadley, Denise Ng, and Catrina Fabian
Quality Assurance of Service Learning Back School, Eric Bashaw, Vu Pham, Tyler Parvin, and Ryan Pauly
Recruitment and Advocacy for Clinician Involvement in Pro Bono Physical Therapy Service-Learning Program, Gilberto Carrillo, Gavin Brady, Felicia Doblado, and Alyssa Woo Hatch
Is Decreased Trunk Flexion Angle a Contributing Factor to Patellofemoral Joint Loading in Runners with Patellofemoral Pain?, Christine DuVall, Zachary Clark, Tavin Fox, and Caitlin Howden
Stepping On Fall Prevention Project, James P. Gaddi, Jordan T. Bowers, and Lea M. K. Fung
Effects of Bimodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Modulation of Spinal Circuitry in People with Chronic Post-Stroke Hemiparesis, John Patrick Gan, Rafael Cabrera, Lana Laudermilch, and Benjamin Wolkenhauer
A Vicious Cycle of Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior in Parkinson’s Disease: A Path Analysis, Kameron Jacobson, Nicole Matsunami, Hannah McCarl, and Michelle Regis
Development of a Novel Cognitive-Motor Dual Task Assessment Battery in Neurodegenerative Disease, Jason Longhurst
Dancer Screening Clinic, Kristen Manaloto, John Lencioni, and Laura Nguyen
Patient Engagement in Cosmetic Designing of Prostheses: Current Practice and Potential Outcome Benefits, Kenneth Repayo, Cailin Mitchell, Matthew Tillitt, and Collin Weber
Effects of Altered Somatosensory Input on Lower Limb Mechanics via Different Shoes and Barefoot Walking in Individuals with Chronic Post-Stroke Hemiparesis, Aaron Abraham Simon, Jynelle Marie Guerrero Arches, Megan Leigh Keohane, and Wee Jin Jed Lee
Inter and Intra-Rater Reliability of Dance Screening Tool, Kathleen Stone and Braden Waters
AM-PAC Basic Mobility Inpatient Short Form (Low Function) Psychometrics/Clinimetrics, Meghan Wonderling, David Miller, and Selena Soria
Theses/Dissertations from 2020
Dosage, Mode, and Timing of Acute Care Physical Therapy: A Scoping Review, Brendan Acosta and Bradley Goins
Patient and Facility Perceptions on the Feasibility of a Student-Run Pro-Bono Back-School for Uninsured Patients with Low Back Pain, Javier Ascanio-Pellon, Sofia Cruz, Lauren Liebert, and Trevor Pacuk
Brain Volumes and Dual-Task Performance Correlates Among Individuals with Cognitive Impairment: A Retrospective Analysis, Jon Basterrechea, Daniel Krist, Caitlin Moreland, and Morgan Wise
Partnering with the Nevada Physical Therapy Association to Improve PT/PTA Engagement, Rachel Cooklin, Joshua Cooper, and Madison Luna
Physical Therapy after Amputation in Community Dwelling Older Adults: A Quantitative and Qualitative Interview Study, Amanda Ferraro, Jennifer Gorton, Lindsey Horn, and Michaela Kubo
Reliability of the Lateral Reach Test in People with Unilateral Transfemoral Amputations, Stephen Hill, Samantha Leonard, and Elizabeth Vianey Trujillo
The Effects of Somatosensory Input on Gait in Individuals Post-Stroke, Victor Hung, Amanda Reilly, Rachel Wood, and Nikita Yuskov
Comparisons of Patellar Bone Mineral Density Between Individuals with and without Patellofemoral Pain, Chris Khuu, Allina Cummins, and Steven Shepherd
Fall Prevention Service-Learning Project, Alexis Mansoor, Kendra Morrison, Jeremy Nordfelt, and Cheng Yang Tu
Association Between Patient Ability in Activities of Daily Living at Hospital Admission and Key Indicators, Stephanie Rosen and Amber Steele
Patient, Student, and Faculty Perceptions of a Student Led Pro-Bono Education and Treatment Based Back School for Uninsured Nevadans, James Tingey, Daniel Tiano, Rebecca Templeton, and Meagan Duncan
Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Gait and Balance Post-Stroke, Leonard Ubalde, Jordon Jacklin, Peyton Hobson, and Sara Wright-Avila
The Effectiveness of Implementing a Collegiate Dance Clinic at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Quinn Williams, Kristin Allman, Matthew McArthur, and Ryan Yim
Theses/Dissertations from 2019
Neurodynamics under Different Walking Speeds in Individuals with Chronic Post-Stroke Hemiparesis, Corey Ackley, Kiley Aki, Joshua Arias, and Jassie Trinh
The Effect of Physical Therapy on Patient Self-Reported Outcomes and Perceptions of Mobility After Lower Extremity Amputations, Gregory Amaya, Rosman Gante, Zachary Meinzer, and Abbas Sadrossadat
Lumbopelvic Muscle Performance and Morphology Differences: Implications for Low Back Pain in Individuals with Unilateral Above-The-Knee Amputation, Melissa Damele, Rachel Gross, and Ronauldo Robina
Modulation of Corticospinal Excitability Using Cathodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation to Improve Walking in Individuals with Chronic Post Stroke Hemiparesis, Neil Drobitch, Kylie Henry, Sage Lyons, and James Schomig
Rural Or Underserved Practice Interest Among Doctor Of Physical Therapy Students. Do Clinical Education Experiences Change Opinions?, Brandon Godin, Trenton Poulson, Mac Neil Moresca, and Tyler Satoshige
Physiotherapy is Associated with Improvements in Gait and Balance in Individuals with Cognitive Impairment: A Retrospective Analysis, Steven Jackson, Elbert Chen, and Jason Phan
The Moderation Effect of BDNF Genotype and Self-Reported Lifetime Physical Activity Habits on Postural Instability in Parkinson’s Disease, Samantha Johnson and Tyler Ormsby
Patellar Tendon Morphology in Trans-Tibial Amputees Utilizing a Prosthesis with a Patellar-Tendon-Bearing Feature, Jessica Kellogg, Kelly Teter, and Michelle Evers
Intra- and Inter-rater Reliability of a Ballet-Based Dance Technique Screening Instrument, Jessie Lesar, Zachary Shaver, and Ivetta Lassey
Impact of Clinician Experience and Positive Language on Subject Expectation of Cervical Spine Manipulation Effects, Joshua Wood, Jonah Mawae, and Stephen Elmer
Theses/Dissertations from 2018
Neuromuscular Adaptations Following Slope Walking in Individuals Post-Stroke, Eric Akoopie, Brooke Conway Kleven, and Trisha Koch
Immediate Effects of Cervical Spine Thrust Joint Manipulation on Gait Parameters in Individuals with Neck Pain, Marc Anthony D. Albano, Emily Blok, Beau Gronert, and Ryan Masuda
The Effect of Standardized Photodocumentation on Coding of Pressure Injuries, Brandon Bales, Alex Preciado, and Angela Sandoval
Reliability and Validity of using a Mobile Application to Asses Knee Valgus in Healthy and Post-Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Participants, Brenda Benson Deaver and Tyrel Nelson
The Influence of Socioeconomic Factors on Fear of Falling and Mobility Outcomes after Lower Limb Loss: a Preliminary Study, Tyler Chin, Heather Fox, and Juan Gutierrez Jr.
Individuals with Recurrent Low Back Pain Exhibit Significant Changes of Paraspinal Muscle Performance after Lumbar Multifidus Intramuscular Fine Wire Electrode Insertion, Anthony Duong, Vincent Dinglasan, and Russell Totten
Patellofemoral Joint Stress During Uphill and Downhill Running in Healthy, Theresa French, Brooks Klein, and Young Lee
Investigation of the Cardiovascular Endurance of Dance Majors, Arnold Huang, Ali Ross, Kelsey Taelour, and Geneva Winters
The Moderation Effect of BDNF Genotype and Self-Reported Habitual Physical Activity Levels on Age of Onset, Disease Progression, and Postural Instability in Parkinson's, Kyle Johnson, Danielle Salgo, and Jessica Zorn
Successful Patient Participation in Acute Hospital Physical Therapy, Jesse Kim, Joseph Fertitta, and Patrick Williams
Theses/Dissertations from 2017
The Impact of Visual Impairments on Mobility Performance in Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Lauren Andrew, Talia Davis, and Christian Johnson
The Effects of Fatigue on Balance in Individuals with Parkinson's Disease: Influence of Medication and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Genotype, Michael Baer, Bradley Klemetson, and Diana Scott
Predictors of Physical Therapy Non-Treatment Among Patients Scheduled for Treatment Two Times a Day in the Acute Hospital, Sara Bookout and Kyle Ozaki
Gait and Balance in Alzheimer's Disease: A Retrospective Analysis Across Varying Levels of Cognitive Impairment, Diana Contreras, Jessica Heim, and Jun Nelson
Disposition and Success of Patients Following Discharge in the Acute Setting, Ciera Cortney, Kathryn Lutjens, and Kristopher Raines
Fine-Wire Intramuscular Insertion to the Lumbar Paraspinal Muscles does not Affect Muscle Activation and Performance During High Exertion Spinal Extension Muscle Contractions, James DiMascio, Rebeka Hicks, Matthew Kimber, and Kelsey Synder
The Reliability of the Thoracic Percussion Test, Casey Donaldson, Rey Veloz, and Kaylee Waters
Can Simple Postural Instructions Modify Running Forms in Recreational Runners, Casey Gray, Matthew Poggemiller, and Ian Tracy
Pressure Injury Assesment Comparison: Bedside Nurse vs. Experts, Ali'itasi Kelemete, Brandi Hillock, and Casey Snell
Measurement of Anterior Translation of the Mandibular Condyle Using Ultrasonography, Brooke Laskowski, Danielle Hahn, and Christensen J. Hardy
Use of Active Video Gaming in Children with Neromotor Dysfunction: A Systematic Review, Robert Manzanares and Lisa Popescu
Acute Effects of Walking on The Deformation of Femoral Articular Cartilage, Jayson McClaren and Skyler Sudweeks
Theses/Dissertations from 2016
Effects of Simple Postural Instructions on Running Form Modification in Recreational Runners – Preliminary Findings, Elizabeth Billington, Scott Devries, and Kenshin Scoggin
Influences of Body Composition, Multimorbidity and Polypharmacy on Physical Mobility of Older Adults, Chieh Chen, Linna Sestini, and Rachel Wilde
Use of a Mobile Application to Increase Patient Compliance to a Prescribed Home Exercise Program and Improve Outcomes, Ellie Cobb, Jed Hurst, and Ethan Konshuk
The Effect of Dry Needling to the Multifidus Muscle on Resting and Contracted Thickness of Transversus Abdominis in Subjects with Low Back Pain, Shane Collins, Abbay Dow, and Daniel Rincon
Preventing Non-Contact ACL Injuries in Female Athletes: What Can We Learn from the Dancers?, Sarah Crow, Thomas Crowther, and Trenton Saupan
The Effects of Patellofemoral Taping on Patellofemoral Joint Alignment and Contact Area, Ryan Epstein, Ron Garcia, and Nicole Riley
Heel-Raised Foot Posture and Weightlifting Shoes Do Not Affect Trunk and LowerExtremity Biomechanics during a Barbell Back Squat, Javier Ibarra, Derek Oldroyd, and Ryan Zane
Balance Confidence and Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior Are Most Predictive of Falling in Older Adults: A Prospective Analysis, Sarrie Oscar, Jessica Sasaoka, and Kyle Vaughn
Thrust Joint Manipulation Utilization by Us Physical Therapists, Sean Reilly, Rebecca Slaughter, and Erwin Ventura
The Effects of Locomotion-Induced Shock Loading on Tibiofemoral Bone Stress Response, Alexa Standerfer, Suzenna Ngo, and Karen Daun
Theses/Dissertations from 2015
Four Weeks of Minimalist Style Running Training Reduced Lumbar Paraspinal Muscle Activation during Shod Running, Stephanie Barton, David Brown, and Talia Joyce
Prevalence and Risk Factors for Neck and Shoulder Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Users of Touch-Screen Tablet Computers, Betina Blair, Mariana Gama, and Marissa Toberman
Patient No-show for Outpatient Physical Therapy: A National Survey, James Bokinskie, Payton Johnson, and Trevor Mahoney
The Immediate Effects of Cervicothoracic Manipulation versus Stretching on Upper Trapezius Pressure Pain Thresholds and Range of Motion in Individuals without Neck Pain, Kevin Carr, Morgan King, Erin Oelklaus, and Brendan Parry
Immediate Effects of Cervical Spine Manipulation on Gait Parameters in Individuals with and without Mechanical Neck Pain, Jordan Isom, Shaylyn Kennedy, Justin May, and Samuel Moore
The Effects of Instruction on Landing Strategies in Female College-Aged Dancers and Non-Dancers: A Pilot Study, Brittany Keating, Jason Pyfer, and Kimberly Vialpando
Comparing Usability and Variance of Low- and High Technology Approaches to Gait Analysis in Health Adults, John McConnell and Brian Silverman
The Effects of Enhanced and Decreased Expectations on Balance Performance in Those with and without Parkinson’s Disease, Joshua Ostrander, Granuaile Parrish, and Jacob Blood
Comparing Functional Motor Control and Gait Parameters in Children with Autism to those of Age-Matched Peers who are Typically Developing, Patricia Stevenson, Samantha Novotny, Jillian May, and Christopher Ancell
Theses/Dissertations from 2014
Development of a Tool to Assess Children’s Perceptions of Their Own Balance (The Pediatric Balance Perception Battery): A Pilot Study, Jillian L. Beckett and Ashlee A. Harmon
Evidence for the Validity of a Tool for Improved Pressure Ulcer Staging by the Non-Expert in the Live Patient, Janelle Borg, Carrie Johnston, Megan Lucke, and Jordan Sinclair
Blended Pedagogy Pathophysiology Course: Effectiveness and Student Satisfaction, Betsy Botsford, Samantha Corn, and Alanna Keenan
The Effect of Trigger Point Dry Needling to the Multifidus Muscle on Resting and Contracted Thickness of Transversus Abdominis in Healthy Subjects, Sarah Buckingham, Crystal Montoya, and Daniella Morton
The Effects of a Progressive Exercise Program on Functional Activity and Quality of Life for Older Overweight Women with Knee Osteoarthritis, Ty Carlson, Devin Edvalson, Tyler Peck, and Brad Robison
Ability of Ages and Stages Questionaire 3rd Edition to Identify Children in Need of Comprehensive Motor Evaluation, Courtney Michele Carmichael, Elizabeth Ann Willison, and Qing Zhang
Conceptual Framework of a Novel Intervention to Improve Mobility in Children with Cerebral Palsy: The Successes and Challenges of Implementing a Large Amplitude Movement Protocol, Tania Goodwill, Erin Jarrett, Beren Shah, and Alanna Stockford
Characteristics of Subjects Who Avoid Activities and Participation due to a Fear of Falling in Parkinson’s Disease, Morgan Lopker and Molly Newman
Theses/Dissertations from 2013
Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion on Neck Range of Motion, Pain and Function: A Prospective Analysis, Kate Addis, Jason Longhurst, and Bree-lyn vom Steeg
Land-Based Exercise and Its Effect on Quality of Life Outcomes in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review, Cody R. Buckner, Lindsay C. Martin, and Michael L. Soukup