Laura Case, PT, DPT, MS, PCS, C/NDT

Associate Professor

Phone: 919-681-9930

Office: Wing B, #224

Email: laura.case@duke.edu

Dr. Case is a board certified clinical specialist in pediatric physical therapy. She has dedicated her career to teaching, research in childhood-onset neuromusculoskeletal disorders, and to the lifelong treatment of people with childhood-onset neurological and neuromuscular disorders such as cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, Pompe disease, myelodysplasia, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and brachial plexus injury.

She has been involved in numerous clinical trials for the treatment of disorders including Pompe disease and other metabolic disorders, cerebral palsy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and spinal muscular atrophy. Dr. Case has participated in the development of international guidelines for the management of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Pompe disease, and other glycogen storage diseases.

She teaches and consults internationally, has worked on a number of Center for Disease Control (CDC) task forces, has served on numerous committees and task forces in the pediatric section of APTA, served two terms as NC State Representative to the APTA Section on Pediatrics, and is a member of the North American Pompe Registry Board of Advisors.

Education

• DPT, Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, 2005

• MS, Physical Therapy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1992

• Postgrad fellowship, Pediatric PT, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1984

• BS, Physical Therapy, Ithaca College, 1978

Teaching

• PT 606: Health Promotion Across the Lifespan

• PT 614: Movement Science

• PT 702: Professional Development

• PT 705: Neurological Practice Management I

• PT 715: Neurological Practice Management II, course director

• PT 725: Pediatric Elective, course director

Practice

Pediatric physical therapy, with particular emphasis on children with neuromusculoskeletal diagnoses including CNS dysfunction (cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury) and motor unit diseases and disorders (muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, Pompe disease, and other glycogen storage diseases).

Clinical responsibilities include provision of direct physical therapy treatment; casting and orthotic intervention; assistive technology; and evaluation, consultation, and coordination with the rest of the medical team at specialty multidisciplinary clinics. Practice emphasizes lifelong care of individuals with childhood-onset diagnoses.

Research

Dr. Case has been involved in numerous clinical trials for the treatment of disorders such as Pompe disease and other metabolic disorders, cerebral palsy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and spinal muscular atrophy. Her research interests include developmental neuroscience, such as plasticity, recovery, and adaptability of the nervous system; developmental biomechanics; dynamic systems and dynamic functioning of the neuromusculoskeletal system; motor control and motor learning; and exercise and clinical management of neuromuscular disease and disorders.

Recent publications

Awards and honors

• Duke Presidential Award for Meritorious Service—2002 Awarded by Nannerl Keohane, PhD, President of Duke University

• Springfield College Physical Therapy Humanics Award—1998 Awarded by Springfield College - Department of Physical Therapy

• Outstanding Thesis Award—April 1993 Awarded by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Division of Physical Therapy Thesis: "The Effect of Inhibitive Orthoses on Muscle Extensibility and Gait in a Child with Central Nervous System Dysfunction".