The distinction is meant to honor individuals who have demonstrated outstanding contributions to the profession through research, scholarship and leadership.  

BY JOHN HOBBS MA ’14

PROFESSOR-CLINICAL SCHOLAR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY LORI MICHENER has been recognized as a 2025 Fellow of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), a distinction awarded to only the most accomplished scholars contributing to the athletic training profession.

The designation is bestowed upon NATA members who have demonstrated outstanding professional scholarly achievement in combination with leadership in advancing research and scholarly endeavors in the profession, including the education and scholarly development of trainees. Fellows represent the highest levels of expertise and dedication, setting benchmarks for others to follow. 

“This is a high honor for me,” says Michener, who is the first faculty member in the Division to earn the distinction, “because my colleagues and peers in the field of athletic training recognize my research achievements and contributions to the profession.”

Michener is an internationally recognized expert and innovator in clinical and translational research related to musculoskeletal shoulder dysfunction. She has published more than 130 research articles and multiple book chapters.  

Making Shoulder Rehab More Effective 

Shoulder pain is quite common, impacting 20 to 50 percent of the population. While diagnosis and rehabilitation interventions can be successful and lead to improvements in activities of daily living, approximately 40 to 50 percent of patients have recurrent or chronic pain after one to two years. 

It is this gap in knowledge that Michener seeks to fill, gaining a better understanding of which aspects of the rehabilitation program are effective and produce physiological changes related to meaningful benefits in function. 

Through the work with her lab, the Clinical Biomechanics Orthopedics and Sports Outcomes Research Laboratory, Michener aims to help development optimal treatment strategies for this common condition.

Her research record is extensive, with more than 130 peer-reviewed publications as well as continuous funding for nearly 30 years from various prestigious sources, including the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Defense and Major League Baseball,  among others. 

Michener joined the USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy in 2014, after serving as a faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is the Division’s Director of Clinical Outcomes and Research and the Director of Research Advancement. 

NATA is a professional membership association for certified athletic trainers and others who support the athletic training profession. A NATA member for nearly four decades herself, Michener has completed nine years of service for the NATA Research and Education Foundation Grants Committee and three years of service as the organization’s vice chair of public relations.