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Theresa D. Ellis, PT, PhD, NCS

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Clinical Associate Professor

Phone: 617-353-7571
Email

Education

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Behavioral Neuroscience, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA (September 1995 – May 2005)
  • Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy, Springfield College, Springfield, MA (September 1983 – May 1987), Master’s degree, 1988

Courses Taught

  • Coordinator, PT652: Evaluation and Treatment: Neurological Systems I
    This course is a continuation of Examination and Treatment of Neurological Systems I and emphasizes evidence based physical therapy management for people who have specific neurological disorders. In PT652 a general foundation was developed for examining, evaluating, and determining appropriate interventions for individuals who have movement dysfunction secondary to neurological deficits. PT 653 will build on the foundation developed in PT652 by considering how specific neurological disorders guide physical therapy practice. The course will focus on pathophysiology, examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, plan of care intervention, and expected outcomes for commonly encountered diagnoses in neurorehabilitation such as Multiple Sclerosis, Traumatic Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, Parkinson’s disease, and Cerebral Palsy. Common diagnostic groups are chosen with the intent of enhancing specific knowledge as well as developing a general problem solving approach that applies to any type of neurological diagnosis. The included diagnoses will illustrate how decision-making in physical therapy takes into account issues of age (life span), natural history, stage in the disease process, and nature (stable vs. progressive) of specific neurological disorders. Students will learn to develop a plan for examination, including the most sensitive and specific standardized examination tools, and to develop a plan of care that is specific to various diagnostic groups and that is based on current evidence.

Scholarly and Practice Interests

  • Efficacy of rehabilitation in Parkinson’s disease;
  • Predictors of rehabilitation outcome; Movement Disorders;
  • Stroke rehabilitation;
  • Physical therapy examination and treatment of persons with neurological disorders;
  • Development and expansion of Community Wellness Programs in Parkinson’s disease

Selected Publications

White, D, Wagenaar RC, Tickle-Degnen L, Ellis T. Changes in home and community activity following self-management rehabilitation in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Arch Phys Med Rehab (in press)

Ellis T, Katz DI, White DK, DePiero TJ, Hohler AD, Saint-Hilaire MH. Effectiveness of an Inpatient Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Program for Patients with Parkinson’s disease. Physical Therapy 2008; 88(7) 1-8.

White DK, Wagenaar RC, Del Olmo MD, Ellis T. Test-Retest Reliability of 24 Hours of Activity Monitoring in Individuals with Parkinson’s disease in Home and Community. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair. 2007;21:327-340.

Fetter L, Ellis T. A Perception-Action Framework for Physical Therapy for Persons with Neurologic Dysfuntion: Use of Therapeutic Affordance and Unitless Ratio. JNPT 2006; 30(3):139-144.

White DK, Wagenaar RC, Ellis T. Monitoring Activity in Individuals with Parkinson’s disease: A Validity Study. JNPT 2006; 30(1):12-21.

White DK, Katz DI, Ellis T, Buyan-Dent L, Saint-Hilaire MH. Rehabilitation of Patients with Atypical Parkinsonian Disorders. Atypical Parkinsonian Disorders, 485-494, Humana Press Inc. Totowa, New Jersey, 2005.

Ellis T, de Goede C, Feldman RG, Wolters E, Kwakkel G, Wagenaar RC. Efficacy of a Physical Therapy Program in Patients with Parkinson’s disease: A Randomized Controlled

Trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2005; 86:626-32.

Keane-Miller D, Ellis T, Fetters L. Stroke Rehabilitation Outcomes: Acute Rehabilitation Versus Skilled Nursing Facilities: Physical Therapy 2005; 85(1):67-76.

Butcher R, Ellis T, Holt K. Teaching Spasticity and Weakness from a Dynamical Systems Perspective: Part II. Neurology Report 2001; 25(3):106- 114.

Holt K, Saltzman E, Ellis T, Butcher R. Teaching Spasticity and Weakness from a Dynamical Systems Perspective: Part I. Neurology Report 2001; 23(3):102-105.

Selected Presentations

  • Ellis, T. Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation to Improve Quality of Life and Day-to-Day Functionin People with Parkinson’s disease; 29th Annual Neurorehabilitation Conference on Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke and Other Disorders; Boston, MA, November 1-2, 2008.
  • Ellis T. Physical Therapy Practice in Neurology: Fundamental Principles and Therapeutic Approaches to the Rehabilitation in the Central Nervous System: Efficacy of Physical Therapy in Patients with Parkinson’s disease: Rationale for Recovery; Congresson Internazionale AIFI; Sicily, Italy, October 10, 2008.
  • Ellis T, Fisher B, Ganley K. Action Potential: Reaching yours in the Neurology Section; American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting, Nashville, TN, February 8, 2008.
  • Hoover L, Ellis T, Matthies M, Tickle-Degnen. An Evidence-Based Interdisciplinary Approach for Self-Management of Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease; American Speech and Hearing Association; Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, Boston, MA, November 17, 2007
  • Ellis, T; Schenkman M. Theory and Practical Experience in Treating People who have Parkinson’s disease; Annual Conference & Exposition of the American Physical Therapy Association; 2-day Preconference Course; Denver, CO, June 26-27, 2007
  • Ellis T, An Academic & Clinical Synergy: A Model for Success; American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting, February 15-17, 2007
  • Ellis T, De Goede, CJT., Wolters EC, Kwakkel G, Wagenaar RC. Predicting Outcome of a Physical Therapy Program in Patients with Parkinson’s disease. Poster Presentation at the Combined Sections Meeting, American Physical Therapy Association, San Diego, CA, February 2-5, 2006

Selected Grant Activity

  • Principal Investigator: National American Parkinson’s disease Association: Development of a Rehabilitation Curriculum for Health Care Professionals in the Management of Patients with Parkinson’s disease
  • Principal Investigator: Dudley Allen Sargent Research Fund: Predicting Rehabilitation Outcome in patients with Parkinson’s disease following participation in an inpatient, specialized, multidisciplinary rehabilitation program AY 2006-2007;
  • Research Associate: National Institute on Aging / National Institutes of Health R01 Rehabilitation for Self-Management of Parkinson’s disease (2003-2004 and 2005-2006)
  • Research Associate: NINDS Exploratory / Development Grant Program: “Optic Flow and Spatial Navigation in Parkinson’s disease” R21 (April 2003 – March 2005)

Consulting and Professional Activities

  • American Parkinson’s disease Association – Massachusetts Chapter: Development of Community Wellness Programs for People with Parkinson’s disease (2008)
  • American Parkinson’s disease Association – Massachusetts Chapter: Development of Community Wellness Programs for People with Parkinson’s disease AY 2007-2008
  • American Parkinson’s disease Association – Massachusetts Chapter: Development of Community Wellness Programs for People with Parkinson’s disease AY 2006-2007

Awards and Honors

  • Clinical Research Award for outstanding clinicians who have made significant contributions to the profession of Physical Therapy through research. American Physical Therapy Association of Massachusetts (November, 2008)
  • Gertrude M. Lamb Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Profession of Physical Therapy Springfield College; April, 2008
  • Outstanding Service American Parkinson’s disease Association – Massachusetts Chapter; June, 2007
  • Nominated for the 2006 Metcalf Awards for Excellence in Teaching, Boston University, October 2005
  • Henry I Russek Student Achievement Award for Outstanding Performance, Boston Medical Center, 2005
  • Whitney Powers Excellence in Teaching Award, Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, May 2003

Licensing and Certification

  • Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Division of Registration in Allied Health Professions Physical Therapist License, 1988 – present
  • Board Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist 1999 to present