Richard K. Shields, PT, Ph.D.

Portrait: Richard Shields, Ph.D., PT

Director & Professor
Graduate Program in Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science

The University of Iowa
1-254 Medical Education Building
Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1190
Tel.: (319) 335-9803
richard-shields@uiowa.edu

Education, Training & Experience

  • 1972-76 Bachelor's degree in Biology, Catawba College, Salisbury, North Carolina.
  • 1979-81 Physical Therapy Certificate, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
  • 1983-85 Advanced Master's degree in Physical Therapy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
  • 1988-92 Doctoral (Ph.D.) degree in Exercise Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
  • 1981-98 Clinical Specialist (Neurology), University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) Department of Physical Therapy, Iowa City, Iowa.

Research Activities

  • Director, NEUROMUSCULAR RESEARCH / MOTOR CONTROL LABORATORY, Graduate Program in Physical Therapy, College of Medicine.
  • Director, CLINICAL MEASUREMENT LABORATORY, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
  • Neuromusculoskeletal plasticity in individuals with spinal cord injury
  • Neuromuscular control of the knee after acute and chronic adaptation from pathology
  • Computerized Medical Record, Clinical Outcomes Research

Teaching Responsibilities

  • DPT--Principles of Motor Control (101:224)
  • PhD--Sensory Motor Analysis in Health and Disease (101:275)

Academic & Professional Activities

Recent Publications

  • Shields RK, Dudley-Javoroski S. Musculoskeletal adaptations in chronic spinal cord injury: effects of long-term soleus electrical stimulation training. Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2007; 21(2):169-79
  • Frey Law LA, Shields RK. Mathematical models of human paralyzed muscle after long-term training. J Biomech 2007; 40(12):2587-95
  • Madhavan S, Shields RK. Weight-bearing exercise accuracy influences muscle activation strategy of the knee. J Neurol Phys Ther. 2007; 31(1):12-19
  • Shields RK. Neuroimaging in rehabilitation: a resource for clinicians. Phys Ther 2007; 87(6):639-40. Epub 2007 May 15
  • Dudley-Javoroski S, Shields RK. Dose estimation and surveillance of mechanical loading interventions for bone loss after spinal cord injury. Phys Ther 2008; 88(3):387-96. Epub 2008 Jan 17
  • Dudley-Javoroski S, Shields RK. Muscle and bone plasticity after spinal cord injury: review of adaptations to disuse and to electrical muscle stimulation. J Rehabil Res Dev 2008; 45(2):283-96
  • Dudley-Javoroski S, Shields RK. Doublet stimulation protocol to minimize musculoskeletal stress during paralyzed quadriceps muscle testing. J Appl Physiol 2008; 104(6):1574-82
  • Iguchi M. Baldwin K, Boeyink C, Engle C, Kehoe M. Ganju A, Messaros AJ, Shields RK. Low frequency fatigue in human quadriceps is fatigue dependent and not task dependent. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2008; 18(2):308-316. Epub 2006 Dec 8.
  • Shields RK, Dudley-Javoroski S. Musculoskeletal plasticity after spinal cord injury. J Rehab Rel Res 2007 (in press)
  • Dudley-Javoroski S, Shields RK.  Asymmetric bone adaptations to soleus mechanical loading after spinal cord injury.  J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2008; 8(3):227-238.
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