Faculty Research - Dr. Christopher Ray
Dr. Christopher Ray, assistant professor in the department of Kinesiology, research is focused on the development of innovative rehabilitation programs aimed at reducing falls in older adults. His current work seeks to identify physical factors that are modifiable and contribute to increased fall risk. These differences provide a basis for exercise interventions that target reductions in the rate of physiological decline while preserving and potentially restoring independent functioning in older adults.
Dr. Ray's secondary focus seeks to quantify the rehabilitation outcomes and document how rehabilitation programs impact travel, independence and physical activity in older adults. This research utilizes GPS and accelerometers to document changes in travel and provide a measuring stick for future interventions that seek to improve current "best practice" and restore independence in older adults.
Dr. Ray has three projects – Objective Blind Rehabilitation Mobility and Activity Outcomes, Postural Control for Visual Impaired Elderly, which are funded by the VA Rehabilitation Research & Development and VA Career Development Program and Performance Trial for Pre‐Frail Elderly, which is funded by University of Texas at Arlington’s Research Enhancement Program. The Performance Trial for Pre‐Frail Elderly is a collaboration with Dr. Kathy Daniel of the School of Nursing.
The Objective Blind Rehab Mobility and Activity Outcomes project provides data that can be used to develop evidence-based programming for VA blind rehabilitation mobility programs. This study examines the changes in amount, frequency, mobility and activity associated with training provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This study is proposed to start in June 2009 and run through June 2012. It is a continuation of a previous study Dr. Ray conducted with the VA that utilized GPS technology to track travel characteristics before and after blind rehabilitation interventions to quantify mobility outcomes. These studies hope to improve knowledge related to the impact of blind mobility programs, resulting in improved independence for Veterans with vision loss.
The Postural Control for Visual Impaired Elderly research study is investigating the extent to which poor postural control and gait instability, coupled with visual impairment, affect climbing stairs, rising from a chair, the floor or even walking in sighted and legally blind, older veterans. The extent to which compromised strength, posture and balance can be compounded by legal blindness has not been measured. Dr. Ray hopes this research will give insight into how to improve exercise interventions that will decrease fall risk within this population.
The Performance Trail for Pre-Frail Elderly will investigate the effectiveness of innovative rehabilitative interventions that target restoration of physiological decline in individuals that exhibit early signs of frailty or are classified as pre-frail. The study specifically looks at the value in A Progressive Functional Rehabilitation (PFR) program and if there are greater improvements in indices of frailty using this program versus the current exercise programs used to treat pre-frail elderly . Dr. Ray and Dr. Daniel are also incorporating emerging technologies, such as the Wii, to test if participating in gaming activities improves enjoyment related to exercise, thereby improving adherence.
The Performance Trail for Pre-Frail Elderly will investigate the effectiveness of innovative rehabilitative interventions that target restoration of physiological decline in individuals that exhibit early signs of frailty or are classified as pre-frail. The study specifically looks at the value in A Progressive Functional Rehabilitation (PFR) program and if there are greater improvements in indices of frailty using this program versus the current exercise programs used to treat pre-frail elderly . Dr. Ray and Dr. Daniel are also incorporating emerging technologies, such as the Wii, to test if participating in gaming activities improves enjoyment related to exercise, thereby improving adherence.
In addition to his research, Dr. Ray has also developed an online class (Exercise and Weight Management) which utilizes the same accelerometer technologies used in his outcomes project to track exercise adherence in students. EXSA 1247 students use an accelerometer to track their daily caloric expenditure, log their dietary intake and upload their data onto the course’s website for review. Students are taught how to create a safe and effective negative caloric balance to promote a healthy lifestyle and achieve a healthy weight. The online tutorials used show students the science behind their exercise method. Additional guided-discovery lab activities are used to help students understand the physiologic relationship between types and intensities of activity. The course blog provides students with a support group to share experiences with one another and organize group exercise sessions. The development of this course was funded by the Center for Distance Education RFP Online Course Development Award. An additional pilot program is currently being conducted with College of Education and Health Professions Faculty and Staff, with the hope of attracting funding for a campus wide wellness initiative.
Dr. Ray was recently highlighted on the University’s homepage “Be A Maverick” spotlight section and in the University’s newspaper, the Shorthorn. For more information on Dr. Ray’s research, please see the following links: