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.
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.
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.
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