Institute for Musculoskeletal Advancement

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Institute for Musculoskeletal Advancement

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The Institute for Musculoskeletal Advancement (iMSKA) was created to engage in scientific research to determine the causes of injuries, disorders, and diseases of the musculoskeletal system; to inform, improve, and advance the diagnosis, treatment.

06/05/2026

Hand therapy is about more than recovery, it’s about restoring function, independence, and quality of life. Celebrating Hand Therapy Week and the research fellows that are helping to advancing patient care through innovation, research, and a commitment to helping people return to the activities that matter most.

Joseph Sharya, iMSKA OT Research Fellow shares his insights on his experience in the research fellow program.

06/04/2026

We want to highlight some of the research helping advance upper extremity care for athletes and active individuals

Our researchers continue to explore topics impacting overhead athletes, including:
• Shoulder and elbow injury risk factors
• Throwing athlete performance and function
• Strength and range of motion assessment
• Rehabilitation and return-to-play decision making

Our goal is simple to translate research into meaningful clinical insights that help providers deliver better care for athletes at every level.

Whether you are treating baseball players, overhead athletes, or active populations, iMSKA’s growing library of upper extremity research is designed to support evidence-based clinical practice.

Explore our upper extremity and sports medicine research publications here:
https://i-mska.org/publications/

06/03/2026

Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Certified Hand Therapy. All different paths but the same goal to helps patients return to the activities that matter most.

While PT focuses on movement, strength, and mobility, OT emphasizes function and independence in daily life. Hand therapy brings both together, combining specialized expertise to restore upper extremity function after injury, surgery, or overuse. Certified Hand Therapists (CHTs) have advanced training in treating complex shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand conditions.

Whether you're an athlete recovering from a wrist injury, a worker managing carpal tunnel syndrome, or someone looking to regain hand function, the right rehabilitation team can make all the difference.

Learn more about the unique roles of PTs, OTs, and CHTs in upper extremity care: https://www.atipt.com/ot-vs-pt-hand-therapy-differences/

06/02/2026

Hand therapy is about more than recovery, it’s about helping people get back to work, sport, and everyday life. During Hand Therapy Week, we’re celebrating the occupational therapists and hand therapists making that possible every day through compassionate, evidence-based care.

We are proud to highlight the passion for learning, research, and patient care shared by iMSKA OT Research Fellow Chiao-Ming Tsai, OTR/L.

06/01/2026

During Hand Therapy Week, we're highlighting the important role hand therapists play in helping athletes, workers, and active individuals recover from injury and return to the activities that matter most.

Did You Know?

Hand and wrist injuries are some of the most common conditions affecting both athletes and workers and they can significantly impact performance, productivity, and everyday function.

Athletes often experience:
• Wrist sprains
• TFCC injuries
• Tendon irritation from repetitive gripping or throwing

Workers commonly deal with:
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Tendinitis
• Overuse injuries from repetitive tasks and forceful gripping

Early recognition and targeted rehabilitation are key to restoring strength, mobility, and confidence while helping prevent long-term limitations.

We are committed to advancing research and education that improves upper extremity care for active individuals both on the field and in the workplace.

05/28/2026

How well does an athlete’s self-perceived shoulder and elbow function actually align with injury risk factors in baseball players?

In a recently published manuscript within the family of AOSSM Journals, , Natalie Myers, DoR, was part of the team that looked at the connection between how athletes feel they are performing and the measurable risk factors tied to shoulder and elbow injuries in baseball athletes. Their findings highlight the importance of combining athlete-reported outcomes with objective screening when evaluating throwing athletes.

Key Takeaways:
• Athlete perception may not always reflect underlying injury risk
• Objective screening remains critical for identifying at-risk players
• Integrating both subjective and objective measures can improve athlete management and return-to-play decisions

For clinicians treating baseball players and overhead athletes, this study reinforces the value of looking beyond symptoms alone and using comprehensive assessment strategies to guide care and injury prevention.

Check out the full article here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/19417381261437777

05/27/2026

How do you translate research into real-world care?

Delaney Willingham, a graduate of ATI Physical Therapyresidency program, recently presented at the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy Journal Club Case and Point session, sharing insights on the effects of return to play after ACL reconstruction.

Check out the video below! This case highlight breaks it down the evidence in a practical, clinician-friendly way.

Want to learn more...check out more case studies here. https://www.youtube.com/

05/25/2026

Today, we pause to honor and remember the courageous men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

Their bravery, selflessness, and dedication will never be forgotten. We are deeply grateful for those who gave their lives to protect the freedoms we enjoy every day.

Today, we remember, we honor, we give thanks.

05/22/2026

We are proud to see our collaborative work highlighted by JOEM!

This manuscript was especially meaningful as it represented a first publication experience with our research fellows, an important milestone in developing future clinician-researchers and advancing evidence-based occupational rehabilitation.

We are so grateful to everyone involved in supporting this work and continuing to move the profession forward through research, mentorship, and patient-centered outcomes.

05/21/2026

We’re excited to shine a light on Bruno Frazao, Physical Therapist at ATI Physical Therapy and Research Fellow at iMSKA. Based in Texas, Bruno brings a unique background in healthcare education and physical therapy to our research team.

Bruno previously worked in research and spent years as an educator in healthcare before pursuing his current path in physical therapy.

Currently he is assisting with a research project that is determining the facilitators and barriers that influences Physical Therapists’ ability to apply evidence-based interventions in post-op knee rehab

He is most excited about the opportunity to collaborate on a variety of research projects and become more involved in advancing care.

Bruno's long-term goal includes continuing to contribute to impactful research that supports providers, patients, and the future of rehabilitation care.

We are proud to spotlight the next generation of clinicians helping to shape the future of research and care.

Address

Downers Grove, IL

Website

https://i-mska.org/

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