The associate professor in Elon's Department of Physical Therapy Education spoke about a study the university and Cone Sports Medicine are conducting for people who suffer from knee osteoarthritis.
Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Education Daryl Lawson presented a collaborative Elon-Cone Health Sports Medicine research project at the Graduate Medical Education: A Day of Scholarship at Cone Health on March 29. The primary investigators of the research project are Elon DPT students Andrew Kuyper, Leah Coggon and Maggie Parker.
Lawson, alongside Dr. Karl Fields, director of Cone Health Sports Medicine Fellowship Program, discussed a study Elon University and Cone Sports Medicine are doing for people with knee osteoarthritis (OA). The study is using an exercise program and an exercise program along with a compression sleeve to increase function and decrease pain in people with knee OA. Lawson is using Musculoskeletal Ultrasound to track swelling in the knee along with outcome questionnaires to capture monthly activities of daily living, quality of life and pain over 12-weeks. The preliminary data is very positive for decrease swelling and pain although it is too early to statistically say one group is better than the other.
Lawson is still taking participants at the Cone Sports Medicine Center. People age 50-80 who suffer from knee osteoarthritis are invited to participate by calling Lawson at 336-278-6357.