We have established PTClinResNet, a clinical research network for the evaluation of the efficacy of physical therapist interventions to enhance muscle performance in patients with physical disabilities. Our clinical research network consists of one coordination center (University of Southern California, USC) and four primary satellite sites (two University and two clinical) each with its own satellite sites.

PTClinResNet has three specific aims: 1) to generate evidence to evaluate the efficacy of resistance-exercise based physical therapist interventions designed to improve muscle performance and movement skill. Investigations include one multi-site phase III and three phase I randomized clinical trials (RCT); 2) to create the infrastructure necessary to develop and sustain clinical trials research in physical therapy; and 3) to provide education and training opportunities for present and future clinician-researchers in physical therapy and for the physical therapy practice community at-large in its support of evidence-based practice.

PTClinResNet has adopted the disablement model as a framework for analysis allowing assessment of outcome interactions both within a disability (impairment, functional limitation, disability), and across disabilities (represented by the four RCTs, adult stroke, pediatric cerebral palsy, chronic spinal cord injury (paraplegia), and orthopedic/low-back) by using a common set of psychometrically sound outcome measures.