Stacy L. Fritz PhD, PT

Assistant Professor
Program Director, Physical Therapy Program
Director, Rehabilitation Laboratory

Office Number: 301D
Building: Public Health Research Center

Phone: (803) 777-6887
Fax: (803) 777-0558
Email: sfritz@mailbox.sc.edu

Curriculum Vita

Biographical Information:

After receiving my Bachelor of Health Science and Master of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Kentucky in 1997, I began a career as a physical therapist. At the outset, I worked as a traveling therapist in a variety of settings including acute care, rehabilitation, outpatient and home care. Through these diverse experiences I became acutely aware of the health care spectrum and of the importance in determining which patients would benefit most from physical therapy. Furthermore, I questioned the theory and research underlying many of the interventions we utilize. It was these questions that led me to the University of Florida in 1999, where I pursued a doctoral degree in rehabilitation science.

Within the Rehabilitation Science Doctoral Program, my major area of concentration was movement dysfunction in neurological disorders and my minor concentration was gerontology. In my five years at the University of Florida, I worked primarily on a series of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) studies designed to improve hand and arm function in stroke survivors. Since coming to USC in 2004 I have continued that line of research focusing on intensive therapy for individuals with chronic, long-standing neurological disorders. My primary interests are recovery of walking and balance for individuals with stroke or traumatic brain injury.

My goals as an educator are to instill in my students a link between the clinical and research world, emphasizing the need for scientifically-based treatment and evaluation techniques. I try to continue to equip my students with both the hands-on knowledge they will need as PT’s, but also the theoretical background to make appropriate clinical decisions.

I believe rehabilitation will continue to improve and advance when supported by scientifically based research. As an educator, I plan to instill this philosophy in my students; as a researcher, I plan to pursue this philosophy to progress physical therapy

Research:

Please see the RehabLab webpage for details regarding my research interests. http://www.sph.sc.edu/dpt/dpt-rehab/

My primary research interest is in rehabilitation for individuals with chronic neurological insult. Rehabilitation has traditionally focused on the acute stages following a neurological insult; and to date, there has been only limited effort directed toward improving the chronic disability remaining after patients are discharged from conventional therapy. Recent studies, including my own work, have demonstrated that an individual with chronic impairments and disability may also exhibit improvements with selective intervention. My research primarily focuses on assessing the rehabilitation potential of a unique application of intensive therapy on remediating the chronic impairments and disabilities of an individual following a stroke or traumatic brain injury.

Courses Taught:

PHYT 810- Neuromuscular Assessment and Treatment

PHYT 788- Evidence Based Practice

PHYT 753- Research Proposal Development

PHYT 785- Seminar in Physical Therapy

Publications:

(selected)

Massie CL, Fritz SL, Malcolm MP. Elbow Extension Predicts Motor Impairment and Performance Post-Stroke. Rehabilitation Research and Practice. 2010 In press.

Fritz SL, Merlo AM, Rivers ED, Brandenburg B, Sweet J, Donley J, Mathews J, de Bode S, McClenaghan BA. Feasibility of Intensive Mobility Training as an Intervention for Improving Gait, Balance, and Mobility in Persons with Chronic Neurological Conditions: A Case Series. Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy 2010 In press.

Fritz SL, Rivers ED, Merlo AM, Reed AD, Mathern GW, de Bode S. Intensive Mobility Training Post Cerebral Hemispherectomy: Early Surgery Shows Best Functional Improvements. European Journal of Physical Rehabilitation Medicine. 2010 In press .

McCarty D, McClenaghan B, Blanck E, Fritz SL. Examining Dance Therapy as an Adjunct Therapy for Selected Measures of Postural Stability, Gait, and Sensory Processing for Children with Mild to Moderate Cerebral Palsy. Journal of Student Physical Therapy Research. 2010, 3 (1)1-13.

Goodman, A, Mensch JM, Jay M, French KE, Mitchell M, Fritz SL. Retention and attrition factors of female certified athletic trainers in the NCAA Division-I FBS setting. Journal of Athletic Training. 2010, 45(3) 287-98.

Fritz SL, Blanton S, Uswatte G, Taub E, Wolf S. Minimal Detectable Change Scores for the Wolf Motor Function Test. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair. 2009, 23(7)662-7.

Fritz SL & Lusardi M. White Paper: Walking Speed: the Sixth Vital Sign. Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy. 2009, 32 (2):2-5.

deBode S, Fritz SL, Weir-Haynes K, Mathern G. Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy for Children after Cerebral Hemispherectomy- Functional and Imaging Results: a Case Series. Phys Ther. 2009, 89(4):361-9.

Thigpen MT, Cauraugh J, Creel G, Day K, Flynn S, Fritz S, Frost S, Respess R, Gardner-Smith P, Brack M, Behrman A. Adaptation of postural responses during different standing perturbation conditions in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury. Gait Posture 2009;29(1):113-8.

Pickett TC, Fritz SL, Ketterson TU, Glueckauf RL, Davis SB, Malcolm MP, & Light KE. Telehealth and Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy: An Intensive Case Study Approach. Clinical Gerontologist 2007, 31(1):5-20.

Fritz SL, Pittman AL, Robinson AC, Canniff SC, Rivers ED. An Intense Mobility Intervention for Improving Gait, Balance, and Mobility for Individuals with Chronic Stroke. Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy 2007; 31.

Fritz SL, George SZ, Wolf SL, Light KE. Participant Perception of Recovery as Criterion to Establish Importance of Improvement for Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy Outcome Measures: Results from a Preliminary Study. Phys Ther 2007; 87:170-178.

Fritz SL, Light KE, Clifford SN, Patterson TS, Behrman AL, Davis SD. Descriptive Characteristics as Potential Predictors of Outcomes Following Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy for People after Stroke. Phys Ther. 2006;86: 825– 832.

Chiu YP, Fritz SL, Light KE, Velozo CA. Use of item response analysis to investigate measurement properties and clinical validity of data for the Dynamic Gait Index. Phys Ther. 2006;86:778 –787.

Fritz SL, Light KE, Patterson TS, Behrman AL, Davis SD. Active Finger Extension Predicts Outcomes Following Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy for Individuals with Post-Stroke Hemiparesis. Stroke, 2005; 36:1172-1177

Fritz SL, Chiu YP, Malcolm MP, Patterson TS, Light KE. Feasibility of electromyography-triggered neuromuscular stimulation as an adjunct to constraint-induced movement therapy. Phys Ther. 2005; 85:428–442

Kornetti D, Fritz SL, Chiu Y-P, Light KE, Velozo C. Rating Scale Analysis of the Berg Balance Test. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004; 85:1128-35.