APTA’s Combined Section Meeting is always a highlight of the year in the Physical Therapy profession, and UNC’s Division of Physical Therapy will have multiple faculty and students attending and presenting at the event in Anaheim, CA taking place February 12-14, 2026. Faculty and Student Presentations are listed below:
Thursday, February 12
8:00–9:30am
- Prospective Analysis of Physical Therapy Wound Care Modalities in Spinal Cord Injury — Erin Weeks
- Exploring the Intersection between Therapeutic Interventions for Infants and Parent‑Child Dyadic Emotional Availability — Becky Molinini
10:30–12:00pm
- Measuring Preterm Infant Center of Pressure and Movement on a Force Plate — Dana McCarty, Jennifer Bosserman
12:00–2:00pm
- Unique Quadriceps Strength Trajectories Emerge after ACLR: Potential Impact on Early Knee Cartilage Composition — Madison Franek
- Capturing Family and Provider Perspectives on Family‑Centered and Evidence‑Based Practices in Early Intervention — Becky Molinini
- Immersive Physical Therapy in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Sequential Cohort Trial Protocol — Dana McCarty
- Determining Priority Levels for Physical Therapy Among Adults with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Reliability Study — Joel Thompson, Katie Zisk, Louise Thoma
Friday, February 13
10:30–12:00pm
- Joint Moment Contributions to Change Gait Speed in People with Parkinson Disease — Ben Killen, Mike Lewek
12:00–2:00pm
- How Does Exercise Engagement Vary Across Functional Ability Levels Among Adults with Rheumatoid Arthritis? — Joel Thompson, Katie Zisk, Louise Thoma
- Physical Activity and Factors Associated with Exercise Participation Among Patients with Myasthenia Gravis in the MGFA Patient Registry — Zoe Sheitman
Saturday, February 14
8:00–9:30am
- Bilateral Triceps Surae Muscle Volume Changes Pre‑op to 6 Months Post‑ACLR — Hayley Powell Smitheman
10:30–12:00pm
- Exercise for TBI Across the Spectrum of Severity and Lifespan: When and How? — Karen McCulloch
- Patient and Clinician Perspectives on Rehabilitation in Contemporary Care for Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Qualitative Study — Joel Thompson, Louise Thoma
- Differences in Physical Therapy Utilization Among Adults with Rheumatic Conditions Experiencing Pain or Function Impairments — Louise Thoma