Research Spotlight


 

 

February 16, 2023

Healthy Volunteers are Invited to Test the New Gait System

You are invited to participate in a research study about the New Gait, a wearable orthotic device, and its effect on gait patterns in healthy adults. We are looking for healthy adults who are 18 years and older to participate in a single-visit study. This study will take place in the Physical Therapy department at VCU’s College of Health Professions.

The aim of this study is to investigate how these sets of slings and resistive bands will affect gait parameters, such as joint angles, and compare these results with walking trials without the New Gait system. The principal investigator for this study is Dr. James Thomas Ph.D., Department of Physical Therapy within the College of Health Professions. Please see the Participate tab for signup information.

July 20, 2021

Virtual Reality Movement Class - a PAL Event

On July 29, 2021, the team at the Motor Control Lab will be joining Power Over Parkinson's at the Hunting Hawk Pavilion in Glen Allen, VA for the Virtual Reality Movement Class, featuring the moVR Suite. If you would like to join, please register at www.poweroverpd.org.

 POP VR Event Flyer

Virtual Reality Movement Class - a PAL event

Thursday, July 29, 2021

10AM - 12:30PM

Hunting Hawk Pavilion

15201 Ashland Road, Glen Allen, VA 23059

 

DETAILS

The Parkinsons's Activity League (PAL) is back at it! Come check out the exciting suite of Virtual Reality experiences geared towards people with Parkinson's. Our friends at the VCU Motor Control Lab would love for you to trial their VR games and share your feedback using their standalone headset devices.

Participants are welcome with their care partners and we'll have cornhole and boxed lunches to follow!

This event will be held at the Hunting Hawk Golf Course outdoor pavilion. As with prior PAL events, we will also plan to have lunch afterwards. 

 

REGISTRATION

This event is free to PD participants and their care partners but registration is required. Please register by visiting our website: www.poweroverpd.org.

As with other PAL events, we'll safely provide food and socialization so plan on enjoying the company of our wonderful community!


August 24, 2020

Dr. Thomas featured on ABC Podcast

Dr. James Thomas recently joined Dr. Norman Swan of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Health Report Podcast to discuss the RELIEF Study and the details surrounding the methods used.

Listen to the Podcast here!

Description of Dr. Thomas' ABC podcast appearance

Spinal manipulation and chronic low back pain

On Health Report with Dr. Norman Swan

 

The vast majority of us will experience a bout of low back pain at least once during our lives and some of us will go on to having long term pain.

Two of the treatments available from physiotherapists, osteopaths, and chiropractors are spinal manipulation and spinal mobilisation.

There's little evidence that with acute back pain they might give short term relief but no difference in the long term.

The open question is whether they help people with chronic low back painand that was the focus of a recent clinical trial led by Professor James Thomas, who's in the Department of Physical Therapy at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.

 

Guests:

Dr. James Thomas

Department of Physical Therapy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond

 

Host:

Dr. Norman Swan

 

Producer:

James Bullen


August 10, 2020

RELIEF Study on JAMA

On August 5th, Dr. James Thomas and his colleagues had their RELIEF study published in the popular JAMA Network. The goal of the RELEF study is to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of spinal manipulation and spinal mobilization at reducing pain and disability compared with a placebo control group (sham cold laser) in a cohort of young adults with chronic LBP. Since the study has been published, the paper has accrued plenty of worldwide viewership, reaching 15,000 views on the JAMA website.

Read about the RELIEF study

Shot of RELIEF Study

 JAMA Network Open

New This Week

 

ORIGINAL INVESTIGATION

Effect of Spinal Manipulative and Mobilization Therapies in Young Adults With Mild to Moderate Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial

James S. Thomas, PhD; Brian C. Clark, PhD; David W. Russ, PhD; et al.

 

Association of Childhood Maltreatment With Suicide Behaviors Among Young People: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Ioannis Angelakis, PhD; Jennifer L. Austin, PhD; Patricia Gooding, PhD

 

Invited Commentary: Childhood Maltreatment and Suicidality: One Link in a Tangled Chain Toward Risk Reduction ; Brett Burstein, MDCM, PhD, MPH; Brian Greenfield, MD