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Our faculty & students at the American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting

Our faculty & students at the American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting

Anaheim, California

Will you be attending the American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting 2026? 

This year, our faculty and several of our students will be presenting at the conference. We look forward to connecting with you there. Below is a list of presentations from our faculty.  

Wednesday, February 11, 2026 

Pre-conference education session

Ready, Set, GO! Implementing the APTA Geriatrics’ Annual PCML Mobility Screen
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: Platinum 7-8 (Lobby Level, Marriott Anaheim)
Co-speaker: 

  • Associate Professor Patricia Matsuda, PT, DPT, PhD

Thursday, February 12, 2016

Geriatrics Platform

Patient Functional Outcomes in Skilled Nursing Facilities: The Mediating Role of Declining Therapy
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Location: Grand Ballroom Salons HJK (Lobby Level, Marriott Anaheim)
Speaker:

  • Assistant Professor Rachel Ann Prusynski, PT, DPT, PhD

Poster session

Location: Exhibit Hall C (Level One, Anaheim Convention Center, Main Building)
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Are We Doing Enough? A Qualitative Analysis of Diabetes Care in Orthopedic Physical Therapy
Presenter: 

  • Duke Quach, Doctor of Physical Therapy student
  • Associate Professor Heather A. Feldner, PT, MPT, PhD
  • Assistant Teaching Professor Kathleen Cummer, PT, DPT, PhD

Harness or Wheels? Caregiver Perceptions of Mobility Aids for Pre-Ambulatory Children with Down Syndrome
Presenter: 

  • Aislinn Knight, Doctor of Physical Therapy student
  • Associate Professor Heather A. Feldner, PT, MPT, PhD

Efficacy of the START-Play Program for Infants with Neuromotor Disorders: Social Emotional Behavior Outcome
Presenters:

  • Dora Varsa, Doctor of Physical Therapy student
  • Assistant Professor Lin-Ya Hsu, PhD, PT
  • Assistant Professor Andrew Humbert, PhD

Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation Plus Arm Cycling for Autonomic Recovery after Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
Presenter: 

  • Benjamin Aguila, Doctor of Physical Therapy student
  • Assistant Professor Soshi Samejima, DPT, PhD

Establishing Clinician Consensus on Desired Features of Sensor-Enhanced Powered Mobility for Children: A Delphi Study
Presenters: 

  • Alexander Johansson, Doctor of Physical Therapy student
  • Associate Professor Heather A. Feldner, PT, MPT, PhD

Bladder and Sexual Functions Improve Following Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation with Exercise after Incomplete SCI
Presenters: 

  • Samantha McHugh-McGlothin, Doctor of Physical Therapy student
  • Professor Chet Moritz, PhD
  • Assistant Professor Soshi Samejima, DPT, PhD

Effects of Cervical Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation on the Lumbosacral Spinal Cord
Presenters: 

  • John Williams, Doctor of Physical Therapy student
  • Professor Chet Moritz, PhD
  • Assistant Professor Soshi Samejima, DPT, PhD

Measures of Muscle Activity in Infants and Toddlers with Spinal Muscular Atrophy: A Systematic Review
Presenter: 

  • Natalie Thompson, Doctor of Physical Therapy student
  • Assistant Professor Soshi Samejima, DPT, PhD
  • Assistant Professor Lin-Ya Hsu, PhD, PT

Feasibility of Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation for Autonomic Recovery Following Subacute Spinal Cord Injury
Presenters: 

  • Emilee Putsche-Young, Doctor of Physical Therapy student
  • Professor Stephen Burns, MD
  • Assistant Professor Deborah A. Crane, MD, MPH
  • Professor Chet Moritz, PhD
  • Assistant Professor Soshi Samejima, DPT, PhD

Influence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus on Physical Function Recovery after Total Knee Arthroplasty 
DPT Presenter(s): 

  • Kathleen Helen Cummer, PT, DPT, PhD

Friday, February 13, 2026

Platform

Outcomes after Total Joint Arthroplasty in Individuals with and without Diabetes: A Trinetx Database Analysis
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Location: 213 ABC (Level Two, Anaheim Convention Center, Main Building)
Speaker:

  • Assistant Teaching Professor Kathleen Cummer, PT, DPT, PhD

Education Session

RE-24614 - Behind the Red Ink: Demystifying Peer Review and Empowering Emerging Scholars
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: 163 (ACC North 100 Level, ACC North)
Co-speaker: 

  • Assistant Professor Rachel Prusynski, DPT, PhD, NCS

Poster session

Time: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location: Exhibit Hall C (Level One, Anaheim Convention Center, Main Building)

Priorities and Preferences of Older Adults with Chronic Back Pain and Multiple Chronic Conditions
Presenters: 

  • Associate Professor Sean D. Rundell, PT, DPT, PhD
  • Professor Janna L. Friedly, MD, MPH
  • Professor Dawn M. Ehde, PhD

Platform

Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Grand Ballroom Salons HJK (Lobby Level, Marriott Anaheim)

Identification of a Ceiling Effect for Prescribing Aerobic Exercise Using 6MWT in Interstitial Lung Disease
Speaker: 

  • Acting Assistant Professor Claire E. Child, DPT, MPH, PhD
  • Associate Professor Mary Beth Brown, PT, PhD
  • Rachel Enyeart, PT, DPT

The Feasibility and Safety of “Lamfit,” a Fully Remote Digital Fitness Program for Lymphangioleiomyomatosis
Speaker: 

  • Acting Assistant Professor Claire E. Child, DPT, MPH, PhD
  • Farzana Mohamedali, DPT student
  • Rachel Enyeart, PT, DPT
  • Associate Professor Mary Beth Brown, PT, PhD

Reception

Time: 4:00 p.m. –6:00 p.m.
Location: Arena Lobby (Level One, ACC Main)

Residency and Fellowship Education Career Development Reception
Representative: 

  • Teaching Associate Anne Moore, PT, DPT, GCS

Saturday, February 14, 2026

Platform

Right on Time! Considerations for Prescription of Adaptive Equipment in Young Children with Developmental Delay
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: 205 AB (Level Two, ACC Main)
Speaker: 

  • Associate Professor Heather A. Feldner, PT, MPT, PhD

Bridging the Gap: Communication Strategies in Physical Therapy for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Patients
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: 262 ABC (ACC North 200 Level, Anaheim Convention Center, North Building)
Speaker:

  • Robert Stratton, Doctor of Physical Therapy student

Poster session

Location: Exhibit Hall C (Level One, Anaheim Convention Center, Main Building)
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Gait Impairments in Parkinson Disease and Health Controls during Navigation of a Virtual Reality Doorway
Presenters: 

  • Zoe Chang, Doctor of Physical Therapy student
  • Assistant Teaching Professor Kathleen Cummer, PT, DPT, PhD
  • Associate Professor Sujata Pradhan, PT, PhD
  • Associate Professor Valerie E. Kelly, PT, PhD

Effect of Virtual Reality Simulated Environmental Constraints on Turning Performance in Individuals with Parkinson Disease
Presenters:

  • Miles Tibbits, Doctor of Physical Therapy student
  • Zoe Chang, Doctor of Physical Therapy student
  • Associate Professor Sujata Pradhan, PT, PhD
  • Associate Professor Valerie E. Kelly, PT, PhD

The Effect of Personalized Virtual Cueing on Gait Impairments in People with Parkinson’s Disease
Presenters:

  • Jiayi Shen, Doctor of Physical Therapy Student, MS
  • Miles Tibbits, Doctor of Physical Therapy student
  • Zoe Chang, Doctor of Physical Therapy student
  • Associate Professor Sujata Pradhan, PT, PhD
  • Associate Professor Valerie E. Kelly, PT, PhD

Trauma and Repetitive Stress Are Not Meaningfully Associated with Exam Findings in Suspected Cervical Instability
Presenters: 

  • Matthew Sorlie, Doctor of Physical Therapy student
  • Teaching Associate Sarah Kaiser, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT
  • Associate Professor Sean D. Rundell, PT, DPT, PhD

Exploring the Link between Cervical Hypermobility and Segmental Pain in Neck Pain Patients
Presenters:

  • Teaching Associate Sarah Kaiser, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT
  • Associate Professor Sean D. Rundell, PT, DPT, PhD

Curriculum Development for an AI‑Integrated Future: Surveying Student Use of LLM Tools in Rehabilitation Education
Presenters: 

  • Associate Teaching Professor Laura Marie Johnstone, PT, MPT, PhD
  • Assistant Teaching Professor Keri DeGroot, OTD, OTR/L
  • Assistant Teaching Professor Lauren Butler, MOT, OTR/L
  • Assistant Professor Cody McDonald, PhD, MPH, L/CPO

Perceived Strengths and Challenges in Teaching, Advising, and Student Support Among DPT Faculty
Presenters: 

  • Teaching Associate Sarah Kaiser, PT, DPT
  • Associate Teaching Professor Laura Marie Johnstone, PT, MPT, PhD

Occupational Injury Prevention in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: A Physical Therapy Perspective
Presenters: 

  • Xiaoyuan Hu, DPT, ATC (Alumni Co 2025)
  • Teaching Associate Sarah Kaiser, PT, DPT

Analysis of Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters during Clinical Tests in People with Bilateral Lower Extremity Amputation
Presenters: 

  • Molly C Gries, PT, DPT, PhD student in rehabilitation science
  • Associate Professor Murray Ernest Maitland, PT, PhD, FAPTA

We look forward to seeing you at the American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting 2026. 

Topics:
Conferences, Physical Therapy
Division:
Physical Therapy