Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Education Shefali Christopher, Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Srikant Vallabhajosula and Associate Professor of Exercise Science Svetlana Nepocatych awarded the $10,000 grant from APTA Pelvic Health.
The American Physical Therapy Association Academy of Pelvic Health awards an annual research grant to those investigating scientific topics that match its mission of advancing global excellence in abdominal and pelvic health through evidence-based practice, innovative education, research and social responsibility.
This year, three Elon faculty members – Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Education Shefali Christopher, Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Srikant Vallabhajosula and Associate Professor of Exercise Science Svetlana Nepocatych – were awarded the $10,000 grant. They will also be collaborating with co-investigator Angela Gisselman (Tufts University).
“One of the biggest hurdles to doing research is the cost of supplies as well as helping patients get to the lab for data collection. With the money, we will be able to mitigate these barriers,” Christopher explained.
The study is aimed to improve female athletes’ health during pregnancy and postpartum. Unfortunately, minimal evidence is available for women to reference during these important lifespan stages when they wish to resume running and physical exercise in general. An interdisciplinary and longitudinal approach is needed to improve one’s understanding of pregnancy and postpartum’s impact on running and physical habits.
“There are no studies that have followed a runner through pregnancy and childbirth to document changes to biomechanical, physiological and musculoskeletal system changes, nor are there any studies to see how the variables affect each other,” Christopher said. “This study will help us understand how running changes from pregnancy and after childbirth and can be used to create recommendations for high-impact exercise like running for the community.”
This novel study was designed with a multidisciplinary research team of specific content experts: Christopher (musculoskeletal – postpartum running), Vallabhajosula (biomechanics), Nepocatych (physiology – cardiometabolic health) and Gisselman (physiology – autonomic nervous system). The award was announced on October 13 and will last for one year. Funding will be directed towards supplies for research, transportation and childcare costs for participants to attend a data collection session.
“We are hoping to generate rehabilitation progressions recommending how to initiate and return to physical activity and sport after pregnancy and childbirth,” Christopher said.
This grant is just the first step for Elon’s research team to ask questions about pregnancy and postpartum experiences that women have yet to receive answers for. For more information regarding the study, please contact Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Education Shefali Christopher.