With the funding and support from the University of Kentucky (UK) Center for Clinical and Translational Science and the National Institutes of Health, Brian Noehren, PT, PhD, FACSM, is studying how muscle and physical function are affected by knee injuries and how best to intervene and treat such injuries. According to a news report from Medical Xpress, Noehren’s research uses MRIs and assays of muscle biopsies to examine how muscles have been altered by injury and then identify therapeutic targets. The research is conducted with the assistance of a number of students.

The Medical Xpress news report notes that by examining the mechanisms of the altered muscle and gait function, Noehren can develop, test, and assess new physical therapy interventions. Noehren states, “I wanted to come up with better strategies to address injuries that are so vexing and challenging to treat.”

By conducting his research with students, Noehren aims to instill knowledge about physical therapy and research and is committed to helping students develop keen critical thinking skills, as indicated on the Medical Xpress news report. Noehren declares, “We devote a lot of time and resources to them – they’re in essence the heart of the lab. I’ve been so impressed with the undergrads working in our lab – they go from having a limited sense of what we do, to rapidly becoming content experts.”

Noehren also offers a specialty running clinic along with fellow UK colleagues. The collaborative running clinic has also helped to stimulate research ideas, and beginning this summer, the clinic will be held in the new, state-of-the-art research lab, according to the Medical Xpress news report. Noehren says, “This will also give people the chance to see research in action.”

Community engagement is also a vital part of Noehren’s research, which recognizes the importance of sharing his research findings with the home communities of his research participants. Noehren says, “It’s critically important to me that the community knows who we are, that we do good work, and that we are good stewards – that we’re not doing this just to publish in academic journals, but to help the Commonwealth.”

[Photo Appears Courtesy of Medical Xpress]

[Source: Medical Xpress]