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FACULTY

Justin Lantz, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT

FACULTY PROFILE

Associate Professor of Clinical Physical Therapy/
Director, Spine Physical Therapy Fellowship

MAILING ADDRESS

1640 Marengo Street, HRA 102,
Los Angeles, CA 90033

PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS

Dr. Justin Lantz has a dual appointment an assistant professor of clinical family medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. He is also the current director of the USC Spine Physical Therapy Fellowship program. Dr. Lantz operates as a practicing clinician at the Health Sciences Campus Faculty Practice and is recognized by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties as a board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) as well as a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT).

Dr. Lantz specializes in treating orthopedic populations of all ages with an interest in spinal disorders. He is an active member of the California Physical Therapy Association (CPTA), American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), American Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy of the APTA, American Academy of Manual Physical Therapists (AAOMPT), and North American Spine Society (NASS). He is an APTA Credentialed Clinical Instructor for physical therapy clinical education and currently functions as a clinical mentor for the USC Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency program.

To further promote interdisciplinary relationships and learning between medical and physical therapy students at USC, he is involved in both clinical and academic teaching at the Keck School of Medicine. Dr. Lantz has been published in multiple peer reviewed journals and presented at state, national, and international level conferences with a special research interest in post-surgical rehabilitation outcomes for spine surgery relating to pain, function, and quality of life leading to development of evidenced based guidelines for rehabilitation following spine surgery with tissue healing considerations.

EDUCATION
  • Fellowship in Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2015
  • Doctor of Physical Therapy, Northwestern University, 2012
  • Bachelor of Science, Northern Illinois University, 2009

 

See Justin Lantz’ curriculum vitae.

MORE

Selected Publications:

  1. Buser Z, Tekmyster G, Licari H, Lantz JM, Wang JC. Team Approach: Management of an Acute L4-5 disc herniation. JBJS Rev. 2021 Oct 12;9(10). doi: 10.2106/JBJS.RVW.21.00003. PMID: 34637405.

 

  1. Lantz JM, Abedi A, Tran F, Cahill R, Kulig K, Michener LM, Hah RJ, Wang JC. The impact of physical therapy following cervical spine surgery for degenerative spine disorders: a systematic review. Clin Spine Surg. 2021 Oct 1;34(8):291-307. doi: 10.1097/BSD.0000000000001108. PMID: 33323701.

 

  1. Lantz JM, Yamada KA, Hah RJ.  Tarlov cysts in a female with lumbar pain.  J Orthop Sports Phys Ther.2018 Feb; 48 (2):121.

 

State, National, and International Presentations:

  1. Hwang M, Cheng DS, Hah RJ, Lantz JM.  Postoperative Physical Therapy Following Balloon Kyphoplasty for Management of Vertebral Burst Fracture: A Case Report.  Poster Presentation.  APTA Annual Combined Sections Meeting, San Antonio, TX. 2022.

 

  1. Lantz JM. Abedi A, Tran F, Cahill R, Kulig K, Michener LM, Hah RJ, Wang JC, Buser Z. The Impact of Physical Therapy following Cervical Spine Surgery for Degenerative Spine Disorders: A Systematic Review.  Podium Presentation. Global Spine Congress, Paris, France. 2021.

 

  1. Lantz JM. Rehabilitation after Lumbar Decompression Surgery.  Main Podium Presentation.  6thAnnual USC Spine Symposium. Virtual Conference. 2021.

 

 

Published Abstracts:

  1. Lantz JM, Formanek B, Roberts C, Michener LM, Hah RJ, Wang JC, Buser Z. Incidence of Complications Associated with Cervical Spine Surgery and Post-operative Physical Therapy. Global Spine Journal 2022.

 

  1. Campbell SS, RJ Hah, Lantz JM.  Identification and Triage of Emergent Spine Pathology Via Telemedicine: A Case Report.  J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2021;51(1):CSM57–CSM165. doi:10.2519/jospt.2021.51.1.CSM57

 

  1. Evaristo JE, Nguyen HD, Hah RJ, Lantz JM.  The Effects of a Single-Level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion followed by an Early Initiated Physical Therapy Program.: A Case Report with 1-year Outcomes.  J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2020;50(1): CSM81–CSM177. doi:10.2519/jospt.2020.50.1.CSM81.