​The Board of Directors of the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy has begun the search for a new Editor-in-Chief (EIC) of the Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy. The new EIC will be selected in 2019 and shadow the current EIC for one year beginning in January 2020, assuming the role of EIC in January 2021.

Please review the Application Process and submit all required materials to info@neuropt.org by April 30, 2019.

Moving Beyond Effectiveness 

Over the past decade (or more), there has been tremendous growth in the number of randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses revealing the effectiveness of physical therapy and exercise interventions for persons with Parkinson disease (PD). Given this accumulating body of evidence, exercise is now considered an important element in the treatment of PD. Although this marks important progress in the field, there is still much more to be learned to optimize the outcomes of the patients we serve. For example, which persons with PD benefit most from a particular intervention? Is one type of exercise better than another? Does dose matter? Does the timing of the intervention matter? What are the underlying mechanisms that may account for the benefits of exercise?

Read the full editorial in this issue.

Special Issue Editors: Terry Ellis, PT, PhD; Lee Dibble, PT, PhD; Dan Peterson, PhD

Dear Reader,

JNPT is excited to ring in the new year with a special issue on Parkinson Disease. This special issue is edited by Drs. Terry Ellis, Lee Dibble, and Dan Peterson and is now available on our website. In this issue we have seven research articles. Strouwen and colleagues assess factors that impact the effect of dual task training in people with PD to determine who will benefit the most from this type of training. Landers and colleagues analyze the feasibility and safety of a high-intensity exercise boot camp in people with PD and determine if it would be of greater benefit than usual care. In a prospective, controlled trial; Rawson and colleagues evaluate the impact of tango, treadmill walking, and stretching on gait, balance, motor function, and quality of life in people with PD. Olivier and colleagues characterize postural skill acquisition in people with PD, identify factors that predict learning, and investigate whether levodopa medication status during practice impacts learning. Löfgren and colleagues explore factors associated with responsiveness to a highly challenging training intervention that incorporated dual-task exercises in people with PD. In a longitudinal, pilot study; Lirani-Silva and colleagues examine the effect of auditory cues on gait characteristics in people with early PD at 2 time points, 3 years apart. Skinner and colleagues examine the effect of PD on muscular strength and force steadiness in muscles that are primarily responsible for locomotion and stability.

This year at the Combined Sections Meeting JNPT is trying something new. Instead of our usual Meet the Editor session, join our editor-in-chief, Dr. Edelle Field-Fote, and other editorial board members at the JNPT educational session entitled Fake News: Error, Ethics, and Evidence in Publication of Research. The abstracts for the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy platform and poster presentations are now available on the JNPT website. We look forward to seeing you there.

A draft of the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy Locomotor Function Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) is now available for review and public comment from December 1-21, 2018. The goal of this Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) is to delineate the relative efficacy of various interventions to improve walking speed and timed distance in individuals >6 months following stroke, incomplete spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury. Please email all comments to locomotorcpg@gmail.com. 

Enjoy the issue and we hope to see you at CSM!

George Fulk, PT, PhD

Digital Media Editor

JNPT invites original research articles on Neuroplasticity in Physical Therapy and Exercise. This special issue, scheduled for publication in January 2020, will recognize the important role of physical therapy and exercise to promote neuroplasticity, and seeks manuscripts that provide an understanding of the mechanisms that drive functional change.

Prospective authors are encouraged to contact the Special Issue Editor Anne Kloos (kloos.4@osu.edu), or Guest Editors Lara Boyd (lara.boyd@ubc.ca), and Joyce Gomes-Osman (j.gomes@miami.edu​) regarding their submission.​

Please see the Call for Manuscripts​ page for more information.

Call for Manuscripts​ | Submit a Manuscript

To access the full text online journal & article PDFs, you must first Register a new account with the web site and second, follow the online steps to activate your full text subscription. 

Neurology Academy Members:  Activation requires your Member ID# previously sent to you by email.  (Use the prefix “JNPT” with member number:  JNPT######).  If you do not know your Member ID#, you may request assistance from memberservices@lww.com.

Subscribers:  Activation requires the Subscriber ID# printed on the mailing label of the print issue.  If you cannot locate your Subscriber ID#, call customer support @ 1.800.638.3030 (US);  00-1-301-223-2300 (outside of the U.S).