Alys Giordano

Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Education

Gerald L. Francis Center, Office 100N 2085 Campus Box Elon, NC 27244

Brief Biography

Dr. Alys Giordano received her Bachelor's in Exercise Science from Slippery Rock University in 2014 and earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2017 from Elon University. She began her training as a Physical Therapist through Brooks Rehabilitation in Jacksonville, FL, where she completed her neurologic residency in 2020. During her time at Brooks, she practiced primarily in inpatient rehabilitation within the stroke, cardiac, spinal cord injury, and brain injury programs. Her time in residency also included practice in skilled nursing and outpatient physical therapy clinics.

After residency, Dr. Giordano became a board-certified clinical specialist in neurologic physical therapy and began her role as an instructor in Elon's Department of Physical Therapy in 2021. In 2024, she received her PhD in Healthcare Education from William Carey University. She continues active clinical practice providing care for adults with acute and chronic neuromuscular conditions. Her research interests focus heavily on DPT student mental health and the use of telerehabilitation for progressive and degenerative neurologic conditions.

News & Notes

Education

William Carey University

Doctor of Philosphy in Health Education, Hattiesburg, MS, June 2024.

Brooks Rehabilitation

Neurologic Physical Therapy Residency, Jacksonville, FL, July 2020.

Elon University

Doctor of Physical Therapy, Elon, NC, December 2017.

Slippery Rock University

Bachelor of Science, Exercise Science, Slippery Rock, PA, May 2014.

Employment History

Neuro Nation Physical Therapy and Wellness

Staff Physical Therapist, Lead Vestibular Therapist, PRN

Hillsborough, NC

UNC Health, UNC Hospitals Acute and Inpatient Rehab

Staff Physical Therapist, PRN

Chapel Hill, NC

Brooks Rehabilitation

Staff Physical Therapist, Stroke and Cardiac Program, and Neurologic Physical Therapy Resident.

Jacksonville, FL

Courses Taught

DPT 6080 Biophysical Agents & Pain, lead instructor

DPT 6112 Research Design II, lead instructor

DPT 6122 Clinical Reasoning and Therapeutic Exercise II, lead instructor

DPT 7120 Motor Control and Motor Learning, lead instructor

DPT 7124 Clinical Reasoning and Therapeutic Exercise IV, lead instructor

DPT7125 Clinical Reasoning and Therapeutic Exercise V, co-instructor

DPT 7150 Geriatric Health and Wellness, lead instructor

Research

The Impact of an Asynchronous Telehealth Exercise Program on Gait, Balance, and Quality of Life in Individuals with Atypical Parkinson’s Diseases and individuals with Dementia Present

The Influence of Anxiety and Stress on the Academic Performance of First-Year DPT Students Present

Impact of Dual Tasking on Lower Extremity Prosthetic Users’ Function, Impact of Multitasking on Balance and Gait in Individuals with Below or Above Knee Amputations 2022-2023

Functional Height Obstacle Clearance in Virtual and Mixed Reality vs. Real-life, Obstacle Clearance Behavior among Healthy Older Adults and Older Adults at High Fall Risk in Mixed Reality Environment 2021-2023

Move Virtually with Elon (MOVE) program for Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease 2021

The Effect of Backwards Walking on Chronic Ataxia & Gait after Cerebellar Stroke 2021

Publications

Paranthaman, P.K., Vallabhajosula, S., Giordano, A., *Walton, S., *Tuisa, O., Bajaj, N. (2023). “User Experience Analysis in Obstacle Clearance Tasks in Virtual and Mixed Reality Environments.” In: Nagar, A.K., Singh Jat, D., Mishra, D.K., Joshi, A. (eds) Intelligent Sustainable Systems. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 579. Springer,Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-7663-6_64

Vallabhajosula S, Humphrey SK, Cook AJ, Freund JE. “Concurrent Validity of Zeno Walkway for Measuring Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Older Adults.” Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy. 2019 Jul/Sep;42(3): E42-E50. DOI: 10.1519/JPT.0000000000000168

Presentations

Giordano, A. “The Influence of Anxiety and Stress on the Academic Performance of First-year Doctor of Physical Therapy Students.” Poster, 2025 American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting, Houston, TX, February 2025.

*Huie W, *Rosengarten J, *Moore S, Giordano A, Paranthaman P, Vallabhajosula S. “Obstacle Clearance Behavior in Immersive Reality Environments Among Older Adults.” Platform, 2025 American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting, Houston, TX, February 2025.

*Huie W, *Rosengarten J, *Moore S, Giordano A, Paranthaman P, Vallabhajosula S. “Obstacle Clearance Behavior in Immersive Reality Environments Among Older Adults.” Poster, 2024 American Physical Therapy Association North Carolina Annual Conference, High Point University, NC, October 2024.

Vallabhajosula S, Giordano A. “Dual Task Cost During Backward Walking While Using Prosthetics for Ambulation.” Poster, 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics, Madison, WI, August 2024.

*Moore S, *Rosengarten J, *Huie W, Giordano A, Paranthaman P, Vallabhajosula S. “Aging and Fall Risk on Peak Landing Force While Clearing an Obstacle in Immersive Technologies.” Poster, 2024 Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Boston, MA, May 2024.

*Patton C, *Miller A, *Bush N, Vallabhajosula S, Giordano A. “How Does Dual Tasking Effect Gait in Individuals Who Use Prosthetics?” Poster, 2024 Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Boston, MA, May 2024.

*Japit A, *Lawler M, *Go C, *Wilson A, *Walton S, *Tuisa O, Paranthaman P, Vallabhajosula S, Giordano A. “Comparing Obstacle Clearance in Virtual and Mixed Reality Environments in Older Adults.” Poster, 2024 American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting, Boston, MA, February 2024.

*Lawler M, *Go C, *Wilson A, *Japit A, *Tuisa O, *Walton S, Giordano A, Paranthaman P, Vallabhajosula S. “Does Dual Tasking Change Obstacle Clearance Patterns for Older Adults in Mixed Reality?” Poster, 2024 American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting, Boston, MA, February 2024.

Guy J, Vallabhajosula S, Giordano A, *Heil A, *Knuckles A, *Macapagal B. “Impact of Virtual Dance and Exercise Program on People with Parkinson’s Disease.” Podium, 33rd Annual Conference of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science, Columbus, OH, October 2023.

Vallabhajosula S, Paranthaman P, Giordano A, *Japit A, *Go C, *Wilson A, *Lawler M, *Walton S, *Tuisa O. “Obstacle Clearance Strategies of Older Adults in Mixed Reality Environment.” Poster, 2023 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics, Knoxville, TN, August 2023.

*Rentz J, *Ridge N, *Lanouette B, *Ritch B, Giordano A, Vallabhajosula S. “Impact of Dual Tasking on Lower Extremity Prosthetic Users Function.” Poster, 2023 Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Denver, CO, May 2023.

*Wilson A, *Go C, *Japit A, *Lawler M, *Walton S, *Tuisa O, Paranthaman P, Giordano A, Vallabhajosula S. “Mixed and Virtual Reality Obstacle Clearance Behavior in Older Adults.” Poster, 2023 Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Denver, CO, May 2023.

*Walton S, *Tuisa O, Giordano A, Paranthaman P, Vallabhajosula S. “Obstacle Clearance Behavior in Mixed Reality While Dual Tasking.” Poster, 2023 American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting, San Diego, TX, February 2023.

Paranthaman PK, Vallabhajosula S, Giordano A, *Walton S, *Tuisa O, Bajaj N. “User Experience Analysis in Obstacle Clearance Tasks in Virtual and Mixed Reality Environments.” Podium, 6th World Conference on Smart trends in Systems, Security and Sustainability, London, United Kingdom (presented virtually), August 2022.

Vallabhajosula S, Giordano A, Paranthaman P, *Tuisa O, *Walton S, *Perri S. Comparison of Obstacle Clearance Under Mixed, Virtual and Physical Reality Environments. Poster, 2022 North American Congress on Biomechanics Meeting, Ottawa, ON, August 2022.

*Knuckles A, *Heil A, *Macapagal B, Guy J, Giordano A, and Vallabhajosula S. “How Accurate are Virtual Assessments of Function in Persons with Parkinson’s Disease?” Poster, 2022 American College of Sports Medicine Conference, San Diego, CA, May 2022.

*Walton S, *Tuisa O, Paranthaman P, Giordano A, and Vallabhajosula S. “Comparing Obstacle Clearance in Mixed Reality and Physical Reality.” Podium, 2022 American College of Sports Medicine Conference, San Diego, CA, May 2022.

*Alford B, *Upham M, and Giordano A. “Multifactorial Balance Interventions for an Individual with BPPV and Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy.” Poster, 2022 American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting Combined Sections Meeting, San Antonio, TX, February 2022.

*Etherton A and Giordano A. “Impact of Restricted Visitation and Depressive Symptoms during Inpatient Rehabilitation after Stroke: A Case Report.” Poster, 2022 American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting, San Antonio, TX, February 2022.

Cook A. “A Progression of Midline Retraining Exercises with High-Speed Locomotor Training to Decrease Contraversive Pushing in an Individual with Pusher Syndrome Post Stroke.” Poster, 2020 Brooks Rehabilitation Scholarly Symposium. Jacksonville, FL, May 2020.

Dineen S, Cook A, and Freund J. “Improved Gait and Balance After Speed-Dependent Locomotor Training in an Adult with Chronic Stroke, Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Neurosyphilis.” Poster, 2018 American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting, New Orleans, LA, February 2018.

Balasubramanian C, Cook A, Humphrey S, Freund J, Vallabhajosula S. “Concurrent Validity of APDM Opal Sensors and GAITRite Walkway in Older Adults.” Poster, 2017 International Society of Posture and Gait Research World Congress, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 2017.

Cook A, Humphrey S, McDougal M, Vallabhajosula S, and Freund J. “Concurrent Validity of Zeno Walkway and APDM Opal Sensors in Older Adults at High Fall Risk.” Poster, 2017 American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting. San Antonio, TX, February 2017.

Humphrey S, Cook A, McDougal M, Vallabhajosula S and Freund J. “Concurrent Validity of Zeno and GAITRite Walkway Systems in Older Adults at High Fall Risk.” Poster, 2017 American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting. San Antonio, TX, February 2017.

Cook A, Humphrey S, McDougal M, Vallabhajosula S, and Freund J. “Concurrent Validity of Zeno Walkway and APDM Opal Sensors in Healthy Older Adults.” Poster, 2016 American College of Sports Medicine Conference. Boston, MA, 2016.

Humphrey S, Cook A, McDougal M, Vallabhajosula S and Freund J. Concurrent Validity of Zeno and GAITRite Walkway Systems in Healthy Older Adults. Poster, 2016 American College of Sports Medicine Conference. Boston, MA, 2016.

Humphrey S, McDougal M, Cook A, Vallabhajosula S and Freund JE. Concurrent Validity of Zeno and GAITRite Walkway Systems in Healthy Older Adults and Those at High Fall Risk. Poster, 2016 Human Movement Science Research Symposium. Chapel Hill, NC, 2016.

Professional Development

Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy

Awards

Rising Alumnx Award - Elon University Department of Physical Therapy Education, 2022