UE’s Phil Plisky a Featured Presenter at Major League Soccer Medical Symposium

Phil Plisky, assistant professor of physical therapy at the University of Evansville, will be a featured presenter at the Major League Soccer Medical Symposium, a professional educational event focused on treatment and prevention of soccer-related injuries.

The symposium, sponsored by the Hospital for Special Surgery Office of Continuing Medical Education and Major League Soccer, will take place Saturday, January 7 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

In his presentation, titled “Screening Athletes for Injury Potential: Identifying the At-Risk Player,” Plisky will speak to some of the nation’s leading sports medicine professionals — including the medical personnel of Major League Soccer teams — about injury prevention research and practical implementation of injury prevention strategies.

“Each year we make progress in how sports injuries are treated in professional athletes,” said Riley J. Williams, III, M.D., symposium director and orthopedic surgeon in the Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. “These presentations are designed to further educate team physicians, athletic trainers, and physical therapists who work with high school, collegiate, and professional soccer players on prevention, but also on how to help them heal these injuries most effectively when they do occur.”

Plisky is the developer of the Y Balance Test, a research-based screening tool that analyzes a person’s movement patterns to detect his or her risk of injury. Professional sports teams such as the Columbus Crew, Indianapolis Colts, and Atlanta Falcons have utilized the test, as have numerous collegiate athletic programs and the U.S. military.

In 2010, Plisky — along with associate professor of physical therapy Kyle Kiesel and researchers at U.S. Army-Baylor University — received two research grants worth over $1.5 million to screen Army soldiers for their injury risk, then offer education and exercises to reduce that risk.

Plisky received his Master of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Evansville and his Doctor of Science degree in orthopedic physical therapy from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. He is a board certified clinical specialist in orthopedics through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. Plisky is also a certified athletic trainer and certified strength and conditioning specialist.

In addition to serving as a member of UE’s physical therapy faculty, Plisky is actively engaged in patient care at ProRehab, PC in Evansville and is the residency program director for the ProRehab and University of Evansville Sports Residency Program.