The Ohio University Department of Physical Therapy, with support from the Sudha Agrawal Endowment Fund, presents the continuing education course:

Neuroplasticity to Optimize Orthopedic Rehabilitation: Clinical Applications

Course Description:
Musculoskeletal rehabilitation has traditionally focused on peripheral tissue healing and biomechanical recovery, often underemphasizing the role of the central nervous system. Emerging evidence demonstrates that orthopedic injuries such as ACL rupture induce significant neuroplastic changes, including altered cortical connectivity, disrupted sensory integration, and compensatory motor control strategies that may persist despite successful surgical reconstruction and strength recovery. This course provides clinicians with a neuroscience-informed framework for understanding how the nervous system responds to orthopedic injury and how these adaptations influence rehabilitation outcomes and return-to-sport readiness. Participants will review foundational concepts of sensorimotor control and neuroplasticity, examine current evidence describing central nervous system changes following injury, and explore clinically feasible strategies to target these adaptations during rehabilitation. Emphasis will be placed on practical application, including motor learning strategies, sensory reweighting, neurocognitive integration, and advanced return-to-sport considerations. By the end of the course, clinicians will have a clearer understanding of how to incorporate neuroplasticity principles into orthopedic rehabilitation to optimize movement quality, reduce reinjury risk, and improve patient outcomes.

Presenters: Dustin Grooms, PhD, ATC, CSCS, James Odenthal, PT, DPT, OCS

Dr. Grooms is a Professor of Physical Therapy and directs the Neuromuscular Biomechanics and Health Assessment Laboratory and the Neuroimaging Research Laboratory at Ohio University. He is an NIH- and Department of Defense–funded principal investigator whose research focuses on neuroplasticity, sensorimotor control, and neurocognitive mechanisms underlying musculoskeletal injury and rehabilitation, particularly following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. His work integrates neuroimaging, biomechanics, motor control, and clinical outcomes to improve rehabilitation and return-to-sport decision-making. Dr. Grooms has published extensively in high-impact peer-reviewed journals including Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, American Journal of Sports Medicine, and Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise with an H-index >40, >6,000 citations and >100 publications. He is an invited national and international speaker and has delivered continuing education courses to physical therapists, athletic trainers, and physicians on the clinical application of neuroscience to orthopedic rehabilitation. His teaching emphasizes translational science, evidence-based practice, and practical clinical implementation.
 

Dr. Odenthal is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Ohio University Department of Physical Therapy and a physical therapist with 19 years of clinical experience, including 10 years working with collegiate athletics at Ohio University Intercollegiate Athletics. He has developed and implemented an ACL injury prevention program for Ohio University Women’s Basketball and has extensive experience working with athletes following ACL injury.

As an educator, he is committed to translating evidence into practical, clinically relevant strategies that clinicians can immediately apply in practice.
 

Method of Assessing Student Learning:

Student learning will be assessed through interactive question-and-answer discussion throughout the course, including case-based scenarios and applied clinical problem solving. Participants will be encouraged to articulate key concepts, clinical implications, and application strategies during and at the conclusion of each section.

Course Registration:

Click here to register for the course.

Agenda:

9:00 -9:45: Foundations of Neuroplasticity and Sensorimotor Control

• Overview of sensorimotor control: from peripheral receptors to central processing
• Neuroplasticity principles relevant to orthopedic injury
• Central nervous system adaptations following musculoskeletal trauma

9:45-10:30: – Neuroplastic Changes After Orthopedic Injury

• Cortical and cerebellar reorganization after ACL injury
• Altered sensory integration and compensatory motor strategies
• Implications for movement quality and reinjury risk

10:30-11:30 – Neuroplasticity-Informed Rehabilitation Strategies

• Motor learning principles applied to orthopedic rehabilitation
• Sensory reweighting and enriched environments
• Use of low-cost technology (e.g., virtual and augmented reality) to augment rehabilitation

11:30-12:00 Lunch Break

12:00-12:50 – Neurocognition and Return-to-Sport Applications

• Integrating cognitive-motor demands into late-stage rehabilitation
• Neurocognitive considerations in return-to-sport testing

12:50-1:50 - Lab based discussion and applications 

• Applications of neuroplastic augmented rehabilitation
• Case examples and clinical decision-making discussion 

1:50-2:00- Final Q&A