COLUMBUS, Miss. – Dr. Gary Helton, board certified specialist in orthopedic physical therapy, will present at the 2018 Miller-Burdeshaw Lecture hosted by Mississippi University for Women’s Department of Health & Kinesiology Thursday, March 29 at 12:30 p.m. in Pohl 206.
Helton, who is from Hamilton, completed his bachelor of science in kinesiology from The W in 2008. Prior to enrolling at The W, he enlisted in the U.S. Army serving as a medic until 2006. Helton deployed with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team 101st Airborne Division to Iraq in his final year of enlistment.
Upon completion of his undergraduate degree, Helton received a direct commission into the U.S. Army and attended the Baylor University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. He earned his doctorate of physical therapy in 2011. After completing his DPT, he served five years at Fort Benning, Ga., working as a physical therapist. His responsibilities included minimizing musculoskeletal injury among initial entry trainees. In 2015, he was selected to attend the Keller Army Community Hospital Division 1 Sports Physical Therapy Fellowship at the US Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. He earned his sports medicine fellowship credential and terminal doctorate of science in physical therapy in 2017.
Helton is currently serving at Fort Bliss, Texas, in El Paso as assistant professor and internship director within the Army Baylor University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. His research efforts continue to focus on human performance optimization and injury prevention within the military. Specifically, he is working to develop a shoe stiffness in-torsion device to objectively quantify shoe characteristics including heel height and torsional shoe stiffness. Conclusions from his research offer runners, coaches, clinicians and shoe manufacturers guidance on shoe characteristics that may be associated with risk of lower extremity injury.
His presentation will address the contribution of shoe characteristics to lower extremity injuries associated with running within the military and civilian athletic populations, particularly the injury risk associated with minimalist shoe wear.
The Miller-Burdeshaw Lecture is free and open to the public. A light lunch will be provided. Please contact the MUW Department of Health & Kinesiology at (662) 329-7225 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you plan to attend.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 26, 2018