Physical therapy alum wins prestigious research award to help people with Parkinson’s disease
While pursuing her Ph.D. in rehabilitation science at Boston University, Jenna Zajac '17, '19G received a prestigious research award from the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research for a project analyzing the relationship between walking capacity and real-world walking activity in people with Parkinson's disease (PD).
Jenna's hope is to bring all the research being done and actually apply it into clinical practice to make a difference in the lives of PD patients. Currently, it takes about 17 years for research results to be used in clinics.
We caught up with Jenna to ask her about her research and heard how her strong clinic and research-based experiences at Nazareth prepared her, and how patients with disabling shoulder pain inspired her.
Tell us more about this research?
I am interested in understanding the relationship between walking capacity, as measured at a discrete point in time in the clinical setting, and walking behavior (amount and intensity of walking) in the real-world environment in people with PD.
Reduced physical activity in this population has resulted in a higher risk of developing serious health consequences as compared to the general population. A decline in walking has been associated with a reduced engagement in community activities such as activities of daily living, socializing, and traveling.
My proposed research project aims to determine the relationship between walking capacity and real-world walking activity in persons with PD. The relationship between the amount of real-world walking and mobility-related quality of life will also be investigated.
The findings of this study will contribute to the physical therapy profession by providing guidance on selecting targeted interventions that have the potential to alter the trajectory of disability in persons with PD.
You and 10 others each received $7,500 to support your research. How does it feel to earn this recognition?
These awards are highly competitive, so I am humbled to have been selected as a recipient deemed among those having the most outstanding potential. This award provides me with the means to continue working towards my long-term goal of developing novel, ecologically-valid interventions that aim to improve overall function and quality of life in persons with neurological conditions.
I hope that my work is able to contribute greatly to the field of neurologic physical therapy, and this award serves as a stepping stone in the development of my career as an independent clinician scientist! I am beyond grateful to my mentor, Dr. Terry Ellis, at Boston University as well as the incredible faculty in the Rehabilitation Sciences Ph.D. program.
How did your Nazareth education help get you here?
During my time as a physical therapy student at Naz, I discovered my passion for research and a strong desire to further my education beyond the doctor of physical therapy (DPT) degree. I treated patients with neurological deficits in the on-campus pro-bono clinic, where many experienced difficulty functioning in real-world environments. This stimulated me to ask deeper questions in an effort to understand the types of interventions I could implement to improve a person’s quality of life and encourage participation in meaningful life experiences. These questions are what intrigued me about getting involved in research.
I am extremely grateful for Nazareth’s Dr. Linda Riek, associate professor of physical therapy, who exposed me to the research process and ignited a passion in me for research that I may have never known without this opportunity at such an early stage in my career. I participated in a mentored research experience in the Motion Analysis Laboratory. I explored the use of various forms of biofeedback to optimize upper trapezius (UT) and serratus anterior (SA) muscle activation ratios in the adult population with the goal of applying these results to individuals with paraplegia.
My motivation stemmed from patients in the clinic who experienced disabling shoulder pain, restricting their ability to perform daily activities in the home and community. This experience gave me the opportunity to learn about the elements of an intervention study, data analysis and interpretation, as well as manuscript writing and professional presentations.
The culmination of these experiences in my DPT program are what contributed to my decision to pursue a Ph.D. in rehabilitation sciences. Naz was instrumental in this decision and the outstanding clinic and research-based experiences that we received as DPT students are unmatched and provide a unique opportunity to learn and explore our interests, challenge our critical thinking, and thus, develop into expert physical therapists.
Read more about Jenna’s journey in the physical therapy program at Nazareth.
For More Information
Julie Long | Chief PR Officer | jlong2@naz.edu | (585) 389-2456 | (585) 781-8186 (cell)
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