Dr. Richard W. Bohannon, DPT, EdD, FASNR, FAHA, FAPTA, FGSA
Physical Therapist
709 Far Post Dr Fuquay Varina NC, 27526About
Richard W. Bohannon is a prolific physical therapist and researcher, working at Physical Therapy Consultants in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. As the former Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Human Muscle Performance and the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, Dr. Bohannon is well-known for his research in the field of muscle elasticity and other elements of physical therapy and the way the body moves. He has been cited over an astonishing 28,000 times for work on stroke care, knee extension in post-surgical patients, and grip strength in various muscles and other body parts. For the last 7 years, he has also served as a Professor at nearby Campbell University. Dr. Bohannon was recently written up in New York Weekly, detailing his accomplishments and body of research. His goal has always been to find a cure for the common ailments of humanity, particularly in the area of activity management. Dr. Bohannon is a well-versed physical therapist in multiple environments, who has spent a 30 year career serving others both in practice and as a renowned author and researcher for medical journals.
Dr. Richard W. Bohannon, DPT, EdD, FASNR, FAHA, FAPTA, FGSA's Videos
Education and Training
North Carolina State University Doctor of Education degree 1988
Boston University Doctor of Physical Therapy 2007
Provider Details
Dr. Richard W. Bohannon, DPT, EdD, FASNR, FAHA, FAPTA, FGSA's Expert Contributions
working out
I cannot think of any reason you should avoid a chiropractor visit and workout on the same day. I, however, do wonder why you would need to have monthly visits with a chiropractor, physical therapist or other clinician for a spinal or pelvic issue. As a clinician I see one of my primary responsibilities as helping patients gain independence in their physical regimen. Follow-up visits are meant to determine whether a prescribed intervention is accompanied by the intended changes. READ MORE
I wake up with sore feet every morning. How can I treat it?
It sounds like you have plantar fasciitis. Orthotics and various apparatus that stretch the calf and arch can help- but they can be quite annoying. An alternative is to gently stretch the tissues by standing and slowly increasing the stretch to the point of discomfort. Once the pain has subsided you can get a better stretch by standing with the ball of the foot on the edge of a step. To get a better stretch you can pull your ankle and toes up while so weight-bearing. READ MORE
My daughter is recovering after a paralytic stroke from Guillian Barre syndrome. How should I go about her physical therapy?
I'm sorry for your misfortune but am perplexed. A stroke is caused by a vascular lesion of the central nervous system - usually of the brain. Guillain Barre, on the other hand, is an inflammatory peripheral neuropathy thought to be caused by an autoimmune response to infection. So, the 2 pathologies are quite different. What they have in common is a natural course/history. Specifically, both tend to improve to some degree with time. Ultimate status tends to be dependent on the initial severity of the disease. A person who is comatose after a stroke or on a ventilator after Guillain Barre, therefore, would not tend to recover as much. Whichever diagnosis is most appropriate, physical therapy by an experienced and committed therapist is certainly appropriate- at the very least for a thorough examination. The treatment that follows is likely to involve corrective and compensatory interventions. READ MORE
Can physiotherapy help my husband recover from a one-sided paralysis?
Yes, physical therapy can help. The degree of benefit will depend on how the stroke affected him (eg, his perceptual status and degree of weakness), the severity of the stroke, and his willingness and ability to comply with an appropriately focused intervention. READ MORE
After a slip disc when can my mom start physiotherapy?
Did she have surgery? Regardless, bed rest is rarely indicated- it puts her at risk for deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary emboli. Some therapy can probably be begun immediately- particularly instruction in how to move with limited aggravation of pain. The initiation of other therapy will depend. READ MORE
After a hip surgery, when can I resume exercise?
You should check with your physician as patient and procedural issues may dictate when certain activities can begin. That noted patients can often begin walking the day of or the day after hip surgery nowadays. READ MORE
I have increased twitching in the left thumb. Is that a sign of cervical disc herniation worsening?
I doubt your disk herniation is to blame for increased twitching. I would be more concerned if muscles innervated by a specifically compressed nerve root are weak or sensation is impaired. Twitches (fasciculations) that are more widespread or progressive would also be of greater concern me. Tichard W. Bohannon, DPT, EdD, FAHA, FASNR, FAPTA READ MORE
Knee replacement therapy
The time to rehab depends on what you consider a desirable outcome. The knee gets worse before it gets better. However, in the absence of complications, you should be able to transfer in and out of bed, walk on level surfaces, and negotiate stairs within 3 weeks. You will still have some impairments in range and strength at the knee. These will preclude the performance of some more demanding activities- sometimes for months. Richard Bohannon READ MORE
Why can I not bend my knee without having pain?
Regarding your knee pain, I wish I had a simple answer - I do not. One likely fact is that forces in your knee increase with flexion. This could be the result of specific injured structures or an effusion. Are the knees similar in circumference and passive knee flexion? If not, you probably have an effusion that may be resolved with repetitive flexion and extension of the knee through the pain-free range. Then I'm not there to make a sound judgment. Blessings and best wishes, Richard READ MORE
Areas of expertise and specialization
Faculty Titles & Positions
- Professor University of Connecticut 1987 - 2013
- Professor University of Connecticut Health Center 2008 - 2015
- Professor Campbell University 2015 - 2019
Awards
- Neurology Research Award 1990 Neurology Section APTA
- Marian Williams Award for Research in Physical Therapy 2005 APTA
- Jules M Rothstein Golden Pen Award for Scientific Writing 2008 APTA
Professional Memberships
- American Physical Therapy Association
- America, Society of Neurologic Rehabilitation
- Gerontologic Society of America
- American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
- Society for Sarcopenia, Cachexia, and Wasting Disorders
Professional Society Memberships
- American Physical Therapy Association America, Society of Neurologic Rehabilitation Gerontologic Society of America American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine Society for Sarcopenia, Cachexia, and Wasting Disorders
Areas of research
Muscle performance, balance, mobility, ageing
Dr. Richard W. Bohannon, DPT, EdD, FASNR, FAHA, FAPTA, FGSA's Practice location
Dr. Richard W. Bohannon, DPT, EdD, FASNR, FAHA, FAPTA, FGSA's reviews
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Get to know Physical Therapist Dr. Richard W. Bohannon, who serves patients in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina.
Dr. Bohannon is a highly trained licensed physical therapist with more than 35 years of continuous clinical experience in acute care, rehabilitation, outpatient, and home-care settings. He serves as the Principal at his private practice - Physical Therapy Consultants - in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina.
Educated in the United States, he received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Physical Therapy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He then received his Doctor of Education degree (EdD) from North Carolina State University in 1988. Later, he graduated with his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Boston University in 2007.
A board-certified specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy, Dr. Bohannon is a Fellow of the American Society of Neurorehabilitation, Fellow of the Stroke Council of the American Heart Association, Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association, and Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America.
Recognized internationally for his expertise in muscle performance following stroke, hand-held dynamometry, and mobility, he has served as a consultant to the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, and as a member of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Neuromuscular Panel of Experts, which assisted in developing A Guide to Physical Therapist Practice, Part Two: Preferred Practice Patterns. He serves as a consultant to industry (medical instrumentation, rehabilitation equipment, and pharmaceutical) and the legal profession on issues related to muscle performance, mobility, and neurologic physical therapy.
A prolific researcher, Dr. Bohannon has over 400 publications in more than 50 different journals to his credit. His work has been cited more than 14,000 times. He serves on numerous editorial boards; he was the Founding Editor of the Journal of Human Muscle Performance and is presently Editor in Chief of the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy.
Currently, his research and teaching is focused primarily on the measurement, implications, and treatment of impairments (most notably muscle weakness) and activity limitations (primarily mobility) in older adult and neurologic populations.
Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is one of the allied health professions that, by using evidence-based kinesiology, electrotherapy, shockwave modality, exercise prescription, joint mobilization and health education, treats conditions such as chronic or acute pain, soft tissue injuries, cartilage damage, arthritis, gait disorders, and physical impairments typically of musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, neurological, and endocrinological origins. Physical therapy is used to improve a patient’s physical functions through physical examination, diagnosis, prognosis, physical intervention, rehabilitation, and patient education. It is practiced by physical therapists (known as physiotherapists in many countries).
In 1996, Dr. Bohannon received the American Physical Therapy Association’s Helen Hislop Award for Outstanding Contributions to Professional Literature. In 2005, he was awarded the Association’s Marian Williams Award for Research in Physical Therapy and in 2008 he was honored with the Association’s Jules Rothstein Golden Pen Award for Scientific Writing.
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