Paris Patla Manual Therapy Research Grant

FPTR, like the physical therapy profession, is dedicated to the goal of improving the quality and delivery of patient care. FPTR accomplishes this goal by providing support to emerging investigators to promote scientifically based and clinically relevant research related to the effectiveness of physical therapist practice.

FPTR supports only those intervention studies in which the interventions are provided by physical therapists, or selected components of the interventions are provided by physical therapist assistants, under the direction and supervision of physical therapists.

Funds may be requested to meet any type of expense reasonably associated with the research project, including salaries and fringe benefits, purchase or rental of equipment, supplies, travel, publication costs, printing or postage, and special services such as computer time, photographic services, and secretarial or research assistant support.

The intent of FPTR is to fund the highest quality scientifically based and clinically relevant research with priority given to projects having the most immediate clinical application. Proposed studies should add to or refine the body of knowledge on which physical therapist practice is based using any of a variety of recognized investigative methods, such as experimental, descriptive, or correlational. Proposed studies should begin to address the most critical questions regarding clinical research. The Research Agenda is provided as a guide to identification of those critical research questions.

Studies should seek to do one or more of the following, specifically as related to manual therapy:

• Evaluate the clinical effectiveness of therapeutic interventions
• Assess the interaction between patient characteristics and therapeutic methods
• Explore the scientific basis for interventions used in physical therapy
• Address an item identified in the APTA Research Agenda
• Address Health care disparities

In addition, priority will be given to studies which:

• Have direct application to the practice of physical therapy
• Address the need for measurable outcomes
• Ask a new question important to intervention or its validation
• Address a previously asked question with a new methodology, different sampling strategy or a different form of analysis

FPTR would prefer that proposed studies:

• Have obtained matching funds or in-kind services
• Provide the basis for larger-scale submissions for funding to external agencies (e.g., NIH)

Estimated Total Program Funding: