Rate My Professor Paul Kline

Paul Kline, PT, DPT, PhD, serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy within Virginia Commonwealth University’s College of Health Professions. He holds a BS in Health & Exercise Science from Furman University, a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from East Carolina University, and a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of Kentucky. Dr. Kline directs the Translational Movement Science Lab (TRAMS Lab), which employs biomechanics, wearable technologies such as APDM Opal sensors, Tobii Pro Glasses, activPAL accelerometers, and GPS data recorders, alongside patient-centered collaboration to identify modifiable factors influencing real-world mobility. The lab develops clinically feasible interventions to improve movement quality for individuals with chronic musculoskeletal conditions, with a particular emphasis on those with lower limb amputation.

Dr. Kline’s research evaluates atypical movement patterns and movement-based interventions for chronic conditions. He leads projects including an assessment of ambulatory and non-ambulatory community mobility in lower limb amputees, funded by NIH NCATS grant K12TR004364, and an investigation into the role of visual attention and environmental complexity in real-world mobility, supported by the Virginia Commonwealth University Quest Fund. As a 2025 K12 Scholar with the VCU Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research, he advances a two-year study using GPS monitors and accelerometers to track mobility geography and patterns in 50 participants post-amputation, aiming to pinpoint environmental barriers and enhance participation. His peer-reviewed publications include "Impaired quadriceps rate of torque development and knee mechanics after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with patellar tendon autograft" (American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2015), "Clinical predictors of knee mechanics at return to sport following ACL reconstruction" (Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2016), "Hip external rotation strength predicts hop performance after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction" (Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, 2017), "Rate of torque development is the primary contributor to quadriceps avoidance gait following total knee arthroplasty" (Gait & Posture, 2019), and "Patterns of Sitting, Standing, and Stepping After Lower Limb Amputation" (Physical Therapy, 2021).