Physical Therapists in the Rehabilitation Medicine Department at the NIH Clinical Center participate in numerous active NIH protocols and collaborate with investigators from among the 27 NIH institutes and Centers, including interdisciplinary researchers within the NIH Clinical Research Center.
Physical Therapy research participation involves working with patients having a wide range of rare diagnoses. Physical Therapy assessments may include muscle strength, range of motion, cardiopulmonary function, gait, pain, posture, foot and ankle alignment, edema, and pediatric developmental patterns. Physical therapists participate in protocol development, data management and analysis, presentation, and manuscript preparation and publication. Therapists participate as associate investigators in many clinical research protocols. Contact the Rehabilitation Medicine Department, Physical Therapy Section for additional information.
Examples of studies and research protocols in which NIH Clinical Center Physical Therapists are involved:
- Assessment of muscle strength in patients with dermatomyositis receiving a variety of treatments.
- Assessment of impairments and disabilities in patients with Muscular Dystrophies.
- Evaluation of impairments and disabilities in patients with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1).
- Exercise intervention in Post-Covid Syndrome.
- Evaluation of motor function after gene therapy in children with giant axonal neuropathy (GAN).