Tampa, FL (Apr. 14, 2006) – Dr. William (Sandy) Quillen, professor and director of the School of Physical Therapy and an associate dean in the College of Medicine, has been selected to present at the first Governor's Conference on Women's Health.  He will address "Women's Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury – Our Daughters, Our Wives and Our Mothers" before an audience of  legislators, agency officials, health care providers, civic leaders, consumer representatives and women's health care advocates.  The conference, to be held May 18-19 in Orlando, is part of an effort to improve the overall health of women in Florida through research, awareness and education in women's health issues.

 

Dr. Quillen most recently led an interdisciplinary USF Health research team to the Third National ACL Research Retreat in Lexington, Kentucky, April 6-8.  Team members include Dr. David Keefe, a specialist in reproductive endocrinology and chair of the College of Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Dr. Micki Cuppett, director of the Athletic Training Education Program; and Christina Wallace, a second-year medical student.

 

The ACL research team is poised to launch a study examining why female athletes have a significantly greater risk of injuring their anterior cruciate ligament than male athletes.  Specifically, the team will examine the impairment of postural control ability resulting from hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle as a possible contributing factor.  Research involving structural, biomechanical, neuromuscular and hormonal factors is currently underway at centers around the world.