FPTR Scholarship Recipient to Advance Rehabilitation Research in Stroke Population

The Foundation for Physical Therapy Research funds post-professional doctoral students from all specialty areas. For years now, FPTR has established partnerships with several physical therapy sections to fund scholarships in specific areas, including Neurology.

This year, the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy, through the Foundation’s Neurology Endowment Fund, helped fund a Promotion of Doctoral Studies I Scholarship to Allison E. Miller, PT, DPT, NCS, from the University of Delaware.

Miller hopes to use her funds to learn more about the factors that contribute to physical activity behavior in individuals post-stroke.

“My research involves using step activity data to understand factors associated with real-world walking activity in individuals with chronic stroke. This funding will help ensure I have the resources needed to successfully complete my PhD training,” said Miller. “It will also improve our knowledge of how to measure and address real-world walking activity in people with stroke.”

Stroke is a leading cause of disability and affects approximately 800,000 individuals each year. Evidence shows that individuals post-stroke have low levels of physical activity and spend a large part of their waking hours sedentary. This reduced level of physical activity after stroke can lead to increased risk for cardiovascular disease and recurring strokes.

Miller’s study titled, “Physical Activity Post Stroke and Rehabilitation Clinical Trials,” aims to understand what factors affect real-world walking activity in individuals with stroke and how clinicians can target these factors through intervention to help sustain improvements in their activity levels.

Miller’s research will not only enable her to understand more about physical activity in people that have experienced a stroke, but also will allow her to design high-quality, effective clinical trials studying physical activity among this population.

“Physical therapy research is important to help us understand what interventions are most effective and efficient for improving outcomes in our patients and for whom these interventions are most effective,” said Miller.

ANPT has also helped support two other physical therapists in the 2020 funding cycle: Ellen N. Sutter, PT, DPT, and Rachel L. Bican, PT, DPT.

Select Foundation Grants and Scholarships Awarded