Cheryl Ford-Smith, PT, DPT, M.S., N.C.S.

Associate Professor

E-mail: cdfordsm@vcu.edu

Professional interests

Cheryl Ford-Smith is the Chair of the Minority Recruitment and Retention Committee in the Department of Physical Therapy. Her primary research interest is in fall prevention in the elderly, reliability of balance evaluation tools, and interventions for vestibular and balance rehabilitation. Ford-Smith teaches courses on neurological physical therapy, prosthetics and orthotics and clinical integration of physical therapy concepts.

Education

• D.P.T. Physical Therapy (2007), Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va.
• M.S. Physical Therapy (1989), Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va.

• B.S. Physical Therapy (1982), Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Va.

Selected publications

Ford-Smith, C., Physical Therapy Intervention in a man with posterior canal BPPV and limited cervical range of motion. Poster presentation at annual conference of APTA; June 27-30, 2007, Denver, Colo.

Ford-Smith, C.D., Wyman, J., Elswick, R.K.: Reliability of Stationary dynamometer muscle strength testing in community-dwelling older adults. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 82:1128-32, 2001.

Ford-Smith, C.D., The Individualized treatment of a patient with benign paroxysmal vertigo. Physical Therapy, 77:848-55, 1997.

Ford-Smith, C.D., Wyman, J., Elswick, R.K., Fernandez, T.: Test-Retest reliability of the sensory organization test in non-institutionalized older adults. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 76: 77-81, 1995.

Grant funding

Grant to the Department of Development for the technological upgrade of the Balance Master System in the Department of Physical Therapy, VCU Medical Center, January 2003. Non-funded.

Falls Evaluation and Prevention Program. Co-investigator; principal investigator: Dr. Jean Wyman. National Center for Nursing Research. 1991 through 1996.

Key professional service activities

Summer Enrichment Day Camp presenter sponsored by VCU Health Careers/Education and Special Services for Students, Richmond, Va., July 12, 2007.

Allied Health Careers Informational Session. Norfolk Technical Center junior and senior high school students. Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Physical Therapy, Richmond, Va., March 29, 2007.

Diabetes care day foot care and screening clinic sponsored by the American Diabetes Association. St. Peter’s Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., Nov. 18, 2006.

Project Inquisitive Minds sponsored by VCU Medical Center and supported by the Virginia Area Health Education Center Program, Richmond, Va., June 26-30 2006.

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