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APTA MA 2026 Annual Conference

November 7
Norwood Sheraton Four Points
1125 Boston Providence Turnpike, Norwood, MA, US
Advancing Clinical Practice: Knowledge into Action

Conference Proposal Submissions Are Open

 

Track 1

 

Track 2

Track 3

Track 4

Track 5

Track 6

Platforms

7:00am

Registration / Exhibitor Set Up

7:30 – 8:15am

Coffee with Board / Exhibitors

8:15 – 9:00am

General Session: Keynote 

9:10 – 10:40am

When neural circuits converge: overlapping mechanisms, assessment strategies, and treatment pathways in chronic pain and FND
Lincoln Lawrence PT, DPT, OCS and Ana Sanchez Junkin PT, DPT, NCS

9:10 – 10:10am: Managing Traumatic Shoulder Instability in Non-Throwers
Phillip Ting PT, DPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS, David Nolan PT, DPT, OCS, SCS, CSCS and Giovanna Medina MD, PhD

10:10 – 10:40am Mini:
Treatment Considerations for Medial Elbow Tendinopathy in Rock Climbers
Karen Lovely PT, DPT, OCS

9:10 – 9:55:
How to measure improvement in high functioning clients
Mohammad Jamali, PT, DPT

9:55 – 10:40:
SPEED UP TO SLOW DOWN: Return-to-Sport Decision-Making Following Revision ACL Reconstruction
Mario Paredes, PT, DPT

Beyond the Curve: The Role of Pelvic Health in Scoliosis Rehabilitation
Noam Eitan PT DPT PWCS and Tamara Alie PT DPT

9:10 – 10:10am: Patient Autonomy in Physical Therapist Practice: Defining the Limits
Jessica Marengo PT, DPT, SM

10:10 – 10:40am Platform:

Disability and Accommodations in the Physical Therapy Workforce

Enhancing Recovery: The Role of PT in Advanced Heart Failure and Advanced Therapies Evaluation
Jordan Goodman PT, DPT, CCS and Helen Schmitt PT, DPT, CCS 

9:10 – 9:35am Mini:
Three Clinical Clues to Obstructive Sleep Apnea That Impact Pain and Rehab
Roberta Garceau DMD, D-ABDSM

9:40 – 10:05am Mini:
Not All Total Knee Arthroplasty Post-Op Pain Is Orthopedic: A Neuroma Case
Laura Lapolla, MPT,OCS,FAAOMPT,CSCS and Casey Schweber DPT,PT

10:10 – 10:40am Platform:

Evaluating The Feasibility Of The Clinical Practice Guideline Classification For Patellofemoral Pain In Clinical Practice

10:45 – 11:45

Exhibits / Poster Presentation

12:00 – 1:00pm

Phantom Limb Pain Rehabilitation: Evidence-Based Non-Pharmacological Interventions
Nadine Aranis PT, MSc, Anna Gianlorenco PT, PhD and Urvashi Chogle PT, DPT
A Pragmatic Treatment Based Classification approach in presence of Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain
Lee Marinko PT, ScD, OCS, FAAOMPT, Courtney Morrison SPT, Ben Faulkner SPT, Zhongyang (Simon) Yue, SPT and Jordan Legendre, SPT
From Sideline to Gametime: Integrating Evolving Concussion Research and Experienced Practice to Coordinate Care Across Disciplines
Rachel Divas, PT, DPT, SCS, and Jorden Gaccione MS, LAT, ATC
Pediatric Billing & Coding: Review and Reframe CPT Codes
Jonathan Greenwood, PT
Is referral for imaging part of your personal scope of practice? Now is the time. Integrating Referral for Imaging into Clinical Practice
Alycia Markowski, PT, DPT, MPhyS(manip), FAAOMPT, OCS, RMSK and Marie Corkery PT, DPT, MHS, FAAOMPT
Mental and Physical Consideration in High Performance Settings
Meredith Young PT, DPT, PhD and Benjamin Adams PT, DPT, PhD

Platform Presentations: 

12:00 – 12:20pm:
Belonging Matters: A Toolbox for Supporting Physical Therapy Students during Clinical Education

12:20 – 12:40pm:
Factors Influencing Career Aspirations of Entry-level DPTs

12:40 – 1:00pm:
Motor Learning Strategies Used in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review

1:00 – 2:30pm

Lunch / Awards / Membership Meeting 

Awards: 1:40
Membership Meeting: 2:00 – 2:30pm
(pre virtual meeting on Oct 20)

2:30 – 3:00pm

Exhibits / Posters

3:10 – 4:10pm

A Diagnosis of Inclusion: Reframing Evaluation of Functional Neurological Disorders in the Clinic
Francesca DeSimone-Farrow PT, DPT, NCS
What are Interferential and “Russian” Electrical Currents, and When, Why, and How to Use Them in Clinical Practice
David Selkowitz PT, PhD, DPT, OCS
From Clinician to Practice Leader: Systems That Improve Follow-Through, Team Ownership, and Sustainability
Sturdy McKee, PT
Treating the Whole Patient: Empowering PTs to Address Bowel Dysfunction with Confidence
Kimberly Norton PT, DPT
Beyond Burnout: An Evidence-Based Curriculum Framework for Clinician Wellbeing and Professional Longevity in Physical Therapy
David Pavao PT, DPT, OCS and Matt Haley PT, DPT
Plyometrics for the Athlete-Patient
Sean Laubenstein PT, DPT, OCS, Melissa Belanger PT, DPT and Jason Mason ATC, CSCS

Platform Presentations 

3:10 – 3:40:
Looking Beyond Total TUG Time: Movement Time Allocation During Dual-Task Mobility After Stroke

3:40 – 4:10:
The effects of intrinsic foot muscle strengthening exercises on fall risk among older adults

4:20 – 5:20

Framework for Movement System Task Analysis – An Update
Cory Hall PT, DPT, ATC, NCS

4:20 – 4:50 Platform:

Physical Therapy Management of Non-Arthritic Hip Pain: A Proposal for an Impairment Based Classification System

4:50 – 5:20 Mini:
Physical Examination of the Hip Joint: An Evidence and Experienced Based Approach
Paul Canavan PhD, PT, DPT

Tech-Integrated Return-to-Sport: A Multidisciplinary Model for Post-Operative Decision Making
Alyssa Englert PT, DPT, Christopher Barrett RD, CSSD and Stefanie Bourassa PT, DPT, SCS
Rapid Responses in Pelvic Rehabilitation: A Retrospective Review of Non-Invasive Neuromodulation for Urinary Incontinence
Tami Recesso, PT, DPT
Stop Prescribing PDFs: How AI Is Reimagining the Home Exercise Program
Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung MSPT, NCS, MSMM
Does Pain Phenotyping Improve Outcomes in Low Back Pain: A Treatment Model and Comparative Case Study
Jacob Marsden DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT, Edwin Zheng SPT, Rachel Spektor SPT, Luke Kim, SPT and Ethen Yen, SPT
From Idea to Practice: Implementing a Triage System to Reduce Wait Times in Outpatient Physical Therapy
Emily Ackerman PT, DPT and Brett Weinman PT, DPT

5:30 – 6:00pm

Membership Meeting if needed or Cocktail with the Leaders

Early Bird Rates end October 18
Online Registration ends November 3

Conference Cancellation Policy

Full Refund: prior to October 8

Partial Refund (50%): Between October 9 – November 7 

No Refund: Notification less than 12 hours of the scheduled event, or after the scheduled event has occurred.

Must be a current APTA MA Member

Please log into the website (upper right menu) prior to clicking on registration. And then return back to this page.

If you are an APTA Member of another state chapter, please reach out to aptama@libertysquaregroup.com for a code to pay the member rates.

If you aren’t attending the entire conference but would like to attend the Awards Ceremony and / or Annual Meeting and purchase lunch.

Mailing items to the hotel:

Four Points Sheraton Norwood
1125 Route 1
Norwood, MA 02062

Attn: Laura Fellini
APTA MA Conference
(name of your company)

Thank you to our 2025 Sponsors


Lunch Sponsor

Registration
Giveaway


Lanyard Sponsor

Student Volunteers

We are looking for 5 student volunteers at the Annual Conference on
Nov. 7. 
Volunteers will be randomly chosen.

If you are interested in being considered, you must be available to help at registration starting at 7am. 

Other responsibilities are:

  • prepare rooms 
  • assisting speakers
  • poster setup
  • directions for attendees to move from Ballroom area to conference center 

If interested, submit you name by Oct. 23.  You will be notified following this date if your name was chosen.

If you are chosen, we will cover your registration fee.  If you have already registered and are chosen, we will refund you.

Please be sure you attend if chosen.

Student Volunteer 2026

Sign up below for a chance to volunteer and attend the conference for free. We will reach out to notify you if you have been chosen. Please be sure that you are able to attend if chosen.

Name(Required)
I am able to arrive by 7am?
I have already registered for conference

Racial Underrepresented Scholarship

The profession of physical therapy is historically underrepresented by diverse racial groups in Massachusetts.

APTA MA would like to promote engagement from students and clinicians who identify with minority racial groups by offering a scholarship to attend the Annual Conference.

Please complete the below application to be considered for a registration sponsorship to the APTA MA Annual Conference.

Due date is October 20

Racial Underrepresented Scholarship 2026

APTA MA Annual Conference Registration Scholarship. Candidates will be chosen and notified regarding the conference registration.

500 character limit

Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

We have a room rate of $155.00+ tax per room per night available until October 8, 2025. 
When calling to make a reservation, please ask for the room block: American Physical Therapy Assoc of MA. 781-769-7900

Parking:  Please park in the parking lot to the left for Tiffany Ballroom entrance.  

The MAOT Annual Conference is occurring at the Four Points on Nov. 7.  The MAOT conference page is here. 

In coordination with the MAOT Conference, we are encouraging attendees to give a financial contribution to the Norwood Food Pantry.  Links will be available to all attendees.

Poster / Platform Submissions:

Research/ Poster Presentation: 
General submission deadline: July 31, 2026
  *Student-only last chance submission deadline: September 1 (POSTER ONLY)

 

Presenter Information

  • At least one author must register for the conference to present the poster.
  • Presenters may submit more than one abstract.

 

Review Criteria

Abstracts will be peer-reviewed based on:

  • Relevance to clinical practice, research, or education
  • Clarity and organization
  • Methodological rigor
  • Innovation or contribution to the field

 

Poster Awards

  • Awards will be given to the top poster in each category
  • To be considered for an award, the final poster must be submitted as a PDF online by 11:59PM EST October 31, 2026

 

Poster/Platform Presentation Format

  • All presentations will be in person with printed posters

Below are the proposal forms for Educational Presentations and Poster Research Presentations for the 2026 Annual Conference.

Due Dates
Educational Presentation: May 15, 2026

Research/ Poster Presentation: 
General submission deadline: July 31, 2026
  *Student-only last chance submission deadline: September 1 (POSTER ONLY)

Education Submissions: Submissions closed

We invite you to submit a presentation that focuses on innovation, and evidence-based practices. Whether you have groundbreaking ideas, innovative approaches, or compelling evidence-based practices to share, we encourage you to submit a proposal and be part of this impactful event.

For this year’s Annual Conference, we invite proposals for 90-minute, 60-minute, and 30-minute educational workshops.
During the review process, the Program Committee may recommend that a proposal be presented in a different format or duration than originally submitted. These recommendations are made thoughtfully, based on proposal quality, educational value, and our goal of maximizing meaningful learning opportunities while accommodating a diverse range of presenters and topics. When submitting your proposal, please indicate whether you are flexible with session length or format. Flexibility allows us to include the greatest number of high-quality presentations and create a balanced, engaging conference program.

Final decisions regarding session format and duration will be made by the Conference Review Committee based on submitted content and overall program needs.

Please note: The submission site does not accept proposals for sponsored sessions or product / business promotion. 

First-Time Presenters Welcome!

Below are the proposal forms for Educational Presentations and Poster Research Presentations for the 2026 Annual Conference.

Due Dates
Educational Presentation: May 15, 2026

Research/ Poster Presentation: 
General submission deadline: July 31, 2026
  *Student-only last chance submission deadline: September 1 (POSTER ONLY)

Education Submissions: Submissions closed

We invite you to submit a presentation that focuses on innovation, and evidence-based practices. Whether you have groundbreaking ideas, innovative approaches, or compelling evidence-based practices to share, we encourage you to submit a proposal and be part of this impactful event.

For this year’s Annual Conference, we invite proposals for 90-minute, 60-minute, and 30-minute educational workshops.
During the review process, the Program Committee may recommend that a proposal be presented in a different format or duration than originally submitted. These recommendations are made thoughtfully, based on proposal quality, educational value, and our goal of maximizing meaningful learning opportunities while accommodating a diverse range of presenters and topics. When submitting your proposal, please indicate whether you are flexible with session length or format. Flexibility allows us to include the greatest number of high-quality presentations and create a balanced, engaging conference program.

Final decisions regarding session format and duration will be made by the Conference Review Committee based on submitted content and overall program needs.

Please note: The submission site does not accept proposals for sponsored sessions or product / business promotion. 

First-Time Presenters Welcome!

The MAOT/ RIOTA Conference is November 6 at the Four Points.  We would like to welcome collaborative PT/ OT presentations or a presentation at each conference if your work has a strong interdisciplinary focus.

Connect to MAOT

We understand that submitting a proposal or presenting for the first time can feel overwhelming . To support you, we are offering a mentoring session on April 14 at 7pm, where members of our committee will guide you through the application process and answer your questions.  Sign up here to participate