SLU Physical Therapy PY1 Students Present Research at the 2022 Senior Legacy Symposium

2022 Senior Legacy Symposium

Featuring SLU Program in Physical Therapy students in the DPT Class of 2024: Meena Chetty, Abby Hanselman, and Paula Buendia Lanchas.

Meena Chetty with faculty mentor Dr. Kim Levenhagen and student Paula Buendia Lanchas.

Meena Chetty

Meena Chetty presented her poster "The Power of Storytelling" which explores how storytelling can be an adjunctive intervention in physical therapy rehab and how physical therapists can be better listeners to their patients. 

Meena Chetty discusses her project with an attendee at the poster presentation.

As a part of this project, Chetty created and self-published a 30-day guided journal for patients with chronic illnesses who are going to physical therapy rehab titled "Chronicles of Rehab". Physical Therapy Associate Professor Kim Levenhagen, PT, DPT, WCC, CLT, FNAP, was Chetty’s mentor throughout the project.

Abby Hanselman discusses her research at the interdisciplinary panel.

Abby Hanselman

Abby Hanselman participated in the interdisciplinary research panels where she discussed her research "An Assessment of Sleep Disturbance in Division 1 Collegiate Soccer and Basketball Athletes". Physical Therapy Assistant Professor Oluwatoyosi Owoeye, BPT, M.S., Ph.D., was Hanselman's mentor throughout the project.

Abby Hanselman and Paula Buendia Lanchas at the interdisciplinary research panel.

Paula Buendia Lanchas

Paula Buendia Lanchas presented her research with "The Ins and Outs of Pelvic Floor PT" to answer the questions of what pelvic health physical therapy is, what common dysfunctions are often seen, why many have not heard of it, and how we can raise awareness and educate society. 

Paula Buendia Lanchas discusses her research at the interdisciplinary panel.

This project’s purpose is to raise awareness of what this specialty can do and educate to be an advocate for others. Buendia recognized Chetty, Levenhagen, and Dr. Brea Rhein for their support in the project.

Physical Therapy Associate Professor Kim Levenhagen, PT, DPT, WCC, CLT, FNAP, was a moderator for Session 1 of the interdisciplinary panels for Allied Health.

Student projects are represented on the 2022 Senior Legacy Symposium website. If you have any questions or concerns for Senior Legacy Symposium staff, please reach out to legacy@slu.edu. 

Photos submitted by Meena Chetty, Kim Levenhagen, and Gretchen Salsich

Story by Kristin Hrasky

SLU PT and MD Students Engage in Research to Keep Student-Athletes Safe

Several undergraduate and graduate Physical Therapy and Medical students at Saint Louis University have seized the opportunity to work part-time and gain research experience in Dr. Oluwatoyosi (Olu) Owoeye’s lab.

Student assistants: Jemma Kim, Meena Chetty, Mark Moyer, Dr. Oluwatoyosi (Olu) Owoeye, Natania Nguyen, Ian Modde – Not pictured: Emily Redpath, Kendall Cunningham, Michael Illes, Abigail Frech

Jemma Kim (Class of 2023), one of the student project leads, conducting an isometric strength test on a student athlete's quadriceps muscle during a baseline testing session.  Jemma is also a co-author on a systematic review in preparation for Dr. Owoeye's lab.

The students have had the opportunity to assist Dr. Owoeye with enrolling participants, conducting baseline testing, data collection and management, and results dissemination for the RICHLoad project. The RICHLoad Project (Reducing Injuries among College atHletes through Load management) aims to investigate the relationship between weekly cumulative load (i.e., training, practice and game load) and musculoskeletal injury risk among soccer and basketball student-athletes using a multivariable prediction model (which considers other established risk factors for injury). Among other novel findings, the project will determine reference values for “safe” cumulative load thresholds that will be used to develop an algorithm in collaboration with the Computer Science Department for the RICHLoad Software.  This algorithm will comprise a mobile app and an athlete monitoring dashboard that will be implemented and evaluated in subsequent collegiate soccer and basketball seasons. Ultimately, the RICHLoad Software will guide coaches and medical staff in evidence-informed load management decisions and related interventions to minimize fatigue, reduce the risk of injury, and maximize performance among student-athletes. Further information about the RICHLoad Project and the preliminary RICHLoad - SLU data collection app can be found here.

This RICHLoad Project is a multidisciplinary and collaborative project and has required the assistance of many from the St. Louis community. Co-investigators include Dr. Jamil Neme (team physician for the Saint Louis Billikens) from the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Dr. Flavio Esposito from the Computer Science Department & School of Engineering, Dr. Paula Buchanan from the Center for Health Outcomes Research and Dr. Anthony Breitbach from the Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, Robert Hornnet from the Department of Athletics and Andy Florian Irakoze from the Computer Science Department. This project has partnered with SLU and Harris Stowe Athletics and has received funding through the Applied Health Research Grant. Dr. Owoeye is the principal investigator on the RICHLoad Project and he directs the Injury Prevention and Health Promotion (P2) Lab within the Physical Therapy and Athletic Training Department.