David F. Levine (born July 13, 1965) is an American author, a professor of
physical therapy
Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is one of the allied health professions. It is provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through physical examination, diagnosis, management, prognosis, patient ...
, and a
biomedical scientist A biomedical scientist is a scientist trained in biology, particularly in the context of medical laboratory sciences or laboratory medicine. These scientists work to gain knowledge on the main principles of how the human body works and to find new w ...
. He holds the Walter M. Cline Chair of Excellence in Physical Therapy at the
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UT-Chattanooga, UTC, or Chattanooga) is a public university in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States. It was founded in 1886 and is one of four universities and two other affiliated institutions in the ...
. His research and publication contributions focus on veterinary rehabilitation and
physical therapy
Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is one of the allied health professions. It is provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through physical examination, diagnosis, management, prognosis, patient ...
, including
canine physical therapy,
animal assisted therapy
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is an alternative or complementary type of therapy that includes the use of animals in a treatment. The goal of this animal-assisted intervention is to improve a patient's social, emotional, or cognitive functionin ...
,
gait analysis
Gait analysis is the systematic study of animal locomotion, more specifically the study of human motion, using the eye and the brain of observers, augmented by instrumentation for measuring body movements, body mechanics, and the activity of the ...
and
motion analysis Motion analysis is used in computer vision, image processing, high-speed photography and machine vision that studies methods and applications in which two or more consecutive images from an image sequences, e.g., produced by a video camera or high ...
, the use of modalities such as
extracorporeal shockwave therapy
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a non-invasive, out-patient alternative to surgery for those with many joint and tendon disorders. ESWT sends acoustic shock waves into bone or soft tissue, in effect reinjuring the area on a cellular l ...
,
electrical stimulation
Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a technique that uses low-energy electrical pulses to artificially generate body movements in individuals who have been paralyzed due to injury to the central nervous system. More specifically, FES can ...
, and
therapeutic ultrasound
Therapeutic ultrasound refers generally to any type of ultrasonic procedure that uses ultrasound for therapeutic benefit. Physiotherapeutic ultrasound was introduced into clinical practice in the 1950s, with lithotripsy introduced in the 1980s. ...
, as well as clinical infectious disease research
and
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome research.
Education
*B.S. Physical Therapy, The University of New England
*M.S. Orthopedic Physical Therapy, Boston University
*Ph.D. Exercise Science, The University of Tennessee
*DPT Doctor of Physical Therapy, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
*MPH Master of Public Health, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Academic and research areas of interest
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Patient Management
Levine works with a team of faculty, students, and local partners to investigate different treatments for individuals with
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Most recently Levine and colleagues conducted research on occupational interventions for clients with EDS in the presence of POTS.
Infectious disease prevention
As a member of University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Research Interest Group on Clinical Infectious Disease Control, Levine works with a team of faculty, students, and local partners to investigate the efficacy of
disease control
Preventive healthcare, or prophylaxis, consists of measures taken for the purposes of disease prevention.Hugh R. Leavell and E. Gurney Clark as "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical and mental hea ...
in various local clinical settings and potentially decrease the spread of
nosocomial infections
A hospital-acquired infection, also known as a nosocomial infection (from the Greek , meaning "hospital"), is an infection that is acquired in a hospital or other health care facility. To emphasize both hospital and nonhospital settings, it is ...
.
Most recently, Levine has contributed, along with members of his team, to research on contamination in pediatric intensive care units. Levine spoke on these subjects at the
Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) 2019 Annual Conference in June 2019 and (APIC) 2022 Annual Conference in June 2022.
Canine rehabilitation
Levine plays a part in the development of
canine rehabilitation and physical therapy, and he is a certified canine rehabilitation practitioner in Tennessee. He has held adjunct positions at the Colleges of Veterinary Medicine at the
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee (officially The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; or UT Knoxville; UTK; or UT) is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state, ...
and
NC State
North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The university ...
since 2001 and 2003, respectively. He currently co-chairs the University of Tennessee's Certificate Program in Canine Rehabilitation, one of only two such programs available in the United States. It offers certification for physical therapists, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and physical therapy assistants. There is no accreditation available for this growing field, but both programs are "included in the Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE), which is the industry standard for veterinary continuing education."
Levine has been featured in various television stories, including special talks on the
DogTV television channel regarding how animals can benefit human health, and also a news story on
WDEF-TV
WDEF-TV (channel 12) is a television station in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States, affiliated with CBS. Owned by Morris Multimedia, the station maintains studios on Broad Street in Chattanooga and a transmitter in nearby Signal Mountain. Al ...
channel 12 in Chattanooga about
animal assisted therapy
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is an alternative or complementary type of therapy that includes the use of animals in a treatment. The goal of this animal-assisted intervention is to improve a patient's social, emotional, or cognitive functionin ...
. An article done by UTC's magazine features a story on how Levine became involved in animal physical therapy and how far it has come today.
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
In 1990, Levine accepted a position at the
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UT-Chattanooga, UTC, or Chattanooga) is a public university in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States. It was founded in 1886 and is one of four universities and two other affiliated institutions in the ...
(UTC) as a professor in the physical therapy department, a position he still holds. He is actively involved in the enhancement and betterment of the university.
TEDx
In recent years, Levine has become involved with th
TEDxprograms. His involvement includes active engagement on the TED website and in conversations on various
TED talks
TED Conferences, LLC (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is an American-Canadian non-profit media organization that posts international talks online for free distribution under the slogan "ideas worth spreading". TED was founded by Richard Sau ...
.
Levine is the co-chair of TEDxChattanooga and played a vital part in the organization and execution of UTC's first TEDx event. The conference was titled "Now What?" and took place on October 25, 2014, on UTC's campus. A selection committee chose 12 speakers from a pool of 50 applicants to present on various topics. The audience was limited to 100, and the talks were streamed online and in auditoriums on UTC's campus.
With Levine's continued leadership, the TEDxChattanooga organization held their latest event, which took place in February 2016. Both the 2014 and 2016 events sold out.
In September 2017, he co-organized a third TEDx event in Chattanooga at
Baylor School
Baylor School, commonly called Baylor, is a private, coeducational college-preparatory school in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Founded in 1893, the school currently sits atop a 690-acre campus and enrolls students in grades 6-12, including boarding stu ...
wit
TEDxBaylorSchool
American Physical Therapy Association
Levine is an active member in the
American Physical Therapy Association
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is a U.S-based individual membership professional organization representing more than 100,000 member physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students of physical therapy. The nonpro ...
(APTA). He has written home study courses for the APTA Orthopedic Section—including Biomechanics of Gait: Hip and Biomechanics of Gait: Knee—and was the subject matter expert for Basic Science for Animal Physical Therapists.
He is currently the vice chair of the Evidence Based Practice Special Interest Group (EBP SIG), which is housed under the APTA Section on Research and has created curriculum guidelines for physical therapy schools around the nation.
In 2018, he was honored as a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association (FAPTA). This is the association's highest membership category, awarded to members who have "demonstrated unwavering efforts to advance the physical therapy profession for more than 15 years, prior to the time of nomination."
Other research and scholarly works
Levine is on the editorial board for
PeerJ
''PeerJ'' is an open access peer-reviewed scientific mega journal covering research in the biological and medical sciences. It is published by a company of the same name that was co-founded by CEO Jason Hoyt (formerly at Mendeley) and publisher ...
, an award-winning biological and medical science journal, as well as Frontiers in Veterinary Science. He is also an associate member of the allied health research unit at the
University of Central Lancashire
, mottoeng = "From the Earth to the Sun"
, established = as Institution for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledgere-established 1992 (University status granted)
, type = Public
, chancellor ...
.
He was an international key note speaker at the 2015 Connect Physiotherapy Conference that was hosted by the Australian Physiotherapy Association in Australia.
Publications
Books
* ''Canine Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy'', 1e
* ''Canine Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy'', 2e
* ''Essential Facts of Physiotherapy in Dogs & Cats - Rehabilitation and Pain Management''
* ''Veterinary Rehabilitation and Therapy, An Issue of Veterinary Clinics: Small Animal Practice'' (Nov. 2005)
* ''Whittle's Gait Analysis'', 5e
* ''Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy, An Issue of Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice'', 1e (The Clinics: Veterinary Medicine) (Jan. 2015)
* ''Gait Analysis: An Introduction''
*''Better You Better Dog Better Life''
*''Essential Facts of Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine in Companion Animals''
*''Forensic Gait Analysis: Principles and Practice''
Online publications
*Infection Prevention Is Key in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
*Inpatient and Outpatient Clinics Must Monitor Fomites as Part of IPC Protocols
* Hiding in Plain Sight: How You Can Fight Bacterial Contamination in Your Clinic
*Coronavirus: A Wake-up Call for Best Practices in Preventing Pathogen Transmission
Peer-reviewed journal articles and other research contributions
Dr. Levine has been author or co-author on over 70 research articles in a variety of peer reviewed journals, including ''The American Journal of Veterinary Research'', ''Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, Gait and Posture, Medical Engineering and Physics, The Journal of Athletic Training, and The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy'' with over 50 articles indexed in
PubMed
PubMed is a free search engine accessing primarily the MEDLINE database of references and abstracts on life sciences and biomedical topics. The United States National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health maintain the ...
. Dr. Levine is an associate editor of the veterinary surgery and anesthesiology section of the Frontiers in Veterinary Science journal.
Dr. Levine is also a founding member of the Clinical Infectious Disease Control Research Unit
at UT-Chattanooga and is a part of current and ongoing infectious disease research in the clinical setting.
References
External links
* https://apic.org/
{{DEFAULTSORT:Levine, David F.
University of Tennessee faculty
University of New England (United States) alumni
Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Sargent College) alumni
University of Tennessee alumni
American exercise and fitness writers
Living people
Place of birth missing (living people)
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga faculty
1965 births