Karen McCulloch, PT, PhD, NCS

Research Background & Interests

Balance and cognitive interactions in older adults and following traumatic brain injury

Effects of military blast exposure on balance and cognitive function including dual-task performance

Clinical measurement development and validation

Interventions that facilitate motor recovery following acquired brain injury

Education methods that incorporate online instruction

Current Research

Relationships between attention, balance and dual-task performance after acquired brain injury

Life Interests and Values cards: an interdisciplinary project to assess participation interests in people with aphasia

Development of a combat-readiness dual-task performance assessment for use with wounded warriors

Education

PhD, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2004, Human Movement Science

MS, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1987, Physical Therapy

Postgraduate Fellowship, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2000

BS, The University of Florida,1983, Physical Therapy

Teaching

PHYT 784 Neuromuscular I- PT Intervention

PHYT 785 Neuromuscular II- PT Intervention

PHYT 724 Measurement and Functional Assessment

PHYT 885 Advanced Neuromuscular Intervention

PHYT 854 Capstone Project

Selected Publications

Shubert T, McCulloch KL, Hartman M, Giuliani CA. The effect of an exercise-based balance intervention on physical and cognitive performance for older adults: A pilot study J Geriatric Physical Therapy 2010-33(4): 157-164.

Weightman MM, Bolgla R, McCulloch KL, Peterson MD. Physical therapy recommendations for service members with mild traumatic brain injury. J Head Trauma Rehabil 2010; 25: 206-218.

McCulloch KL, Buxton E, Hackney J, Lowers S. Balance, attention and dual-task performance during walking after acquired brain injury: associations with falls history J Head Trauma Rehabil 2010;  25: 155-163.

McCulloch KL, Mercer VS, Giuliani CA, Marshall S. Development of a clinical measure of dual-task performance in walking: reliability and preliminary validity of the Walking and Remembering Test. J Geriatric PT 2009; 32:1: 2-9.

Blalock SJ, Demby KB, McCulloch KL, Stevens JA. Seniors’ perceptions of using hip protectors to reduce fracture risk. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2008; 56(9): 1773-4.

McCulloch KL. Attention and dual-task conditions: physical therapy implications for individuals with acquired brain injury, Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy 2007; 104-118.

Blanton S, Morris DM, Prettyman MG, McCulloch K, Redmond S, Light K, Wolf SL. Lessons learned in participant recruitment and retention: The EXCITE trial. Phys Ther 2006; 1520-1533.

Uswatte G, Taub E, Morris D, Vignolo M, McCulloch, K. Reliability and validity of the upper-extremity Motor Activity Log-14 for measuring real-world arm use. Stroke 2005; 36:2493-2496.

Kopp B, Kunkel A, Flor H, Platz T, Mauritz KH, Gresser K, McCulloch KL, Taub E: The Arm Motor Ability Test (AMAT): Reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change. Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 1997;78:615-20

McCulloch KL. Standardized assessment tools for traumatic brain injury in physical therapy. Neurology Report, 1998, 22(3): 114-125.

McCulloch, KL, Novack TA. Upper extremity functional assessment in traumatically brain-injured patients. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 1990; 5:4, 1-12.

Professional Societies

Editorial Board Member, Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation

American Physical Therapy Association, Neurology Section, Director of Education

American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, Brain Injury Interdisciplinary Special Interest Group

Brain Injury Association of North Carolina, Board of Directors