David A. Sherman

Postdoctoral Researcher, Physical Therapist
Boston University Section of Rheumatology (T32)
Harvard University Biodesign Lab
Boston University Physical Therapy Center

Selected & Upcoming Talks

The American College of Sports Medicine 2024 Annual Meeting (Boston, MA)
- Injury History, Not Corticospinal Excitability, Explains Slower Quadriceps Motor Unit Firing After ACL Reconstruction
- Corticospinal Excitability Is Associated With Quadriceps Motor Unit Action Potential Amplitudes Irrespective of ACL Reconstruction
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Osteoarthritis Research Society International 2024 World Congress
- Association Between Frequent Knee Pain And Pain Severity With Quadriceps Strength Over 5-Years
- Frequent Knee Pain Contributes To Lower Quadriceps Strength, But Not Decline In Strength Over 4-Years
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Isokinetic Medical Group 2024 Football Medicine Conference (Madrid, Spain)
- Interpersonal Coordination Between Female Soccer Players: Leader-Follower Roles
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APTA CSM 2024 (Boston)
- Reconstructing our Athletes: Optimizing Rehabilitation of Persons with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury
- Running a Research Lab is Like Running a Small Business.
- Methods, Tools, and Measurement for the Advancement of Interpersonal Motor Coordination Research in Physical Therapy
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UCF IEPRS Conference 2024 (Orlando)
- Neural Determinants of Motor Function in ACL Rehabilitation
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APTA CSM 2023 (San Diego)
- Weaker quadriceps corticomuscular coherence in individuals following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction during force tracing
- Brain activation and single-limb balance deficits following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: neuroplasticity and potential treatments
- ‘AM I’ doing this right? Treating Arthrogenic muscle inhibition after ACLR
- Accuracy of a Portable Device for Measuring Plantarflexor Muscle Strength and Central Drive
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NATA Convention & Expo (2022)

Presentations included:
Deficits in motor unit amplitude and recruitment threshold following ACL reconstruction: Evidence of diminished quadriceps motor neuron pool.

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Selected Publications

Corticomuscular cross-recurrence analysis reveals between-limb differences in motor control among individuals with ACL reconstruction. Riehm CD, Bonnette S, Rush JL, Diekfuss JA, Koohestani M, Myer GD, Norte GE, Sherman DA. Exp Brain Research. 2023. doi: 10.1007/s00221-023-06751-1.

Neural drive and motor unit characteristics after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: Implications for quadriceps weakness. Sherman DA, Rush JL, Stock M, Ingersoll CD, Norte GE. PeerJ. 2023. doi: 10.7717/peerj.16261.

Brain Activation and Single-Limb Balance Deficits following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. Sherman DA, Stock MS, Baumeister J, Murray AM, Bazett-Jones DM, Norte GE. Clinical Neurophysiology. 2023. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2023.02.175.

Weaker Quadriceps Corticomuscular Coherence in Individuals Following ACL Reconstruction during Force Tracing. Sherman DA, et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2023. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003080.

Arthrogenic Muscle Inhibition: Best Evidence, Mechanisms, and Theory for Treating the Unseen in Clinical Rehabilitation. Norte GE, Rush JR, Sherman DA. J Sport Rehabil. 2021. 10.1123/jsr.2021-0139.

View my entire Bibliography here.

Current Projects

Improving return to sport test batteries after Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries
Application of new muscle deformation sensors for the detection of clinical impairments.
Neurophysiological and Structural Adaptations of the Hamstrings to the Nordic Hamstring Exercise
Development and validation of a portable, neurostimulation-integrated, force measurement platform
Corticospinal contributions to motor unit dysfunction in the quadriceps muscle
Mapping rate of torque development and force steadiness to neurophysiological impairments

Mentorship
& Outreach

I am fortunate to have personally contributed to enhancing the success of students through teaching, service, and mentorship in clinical, classroom, and laboratory settings. I have experience teaching in undergraduate and graduate level courses, including curriculum in Doctor of Physical Therapy degree programs, and have served on advisory boards in the Centers for Teaching and Learning at both the University of Toledo and Boston University. My leadership and teaching philosophy focuses on leveraging an inclusive and open environment to foster intellectual curiosity, critical appraisal, and synthesis of complex and diverse knowledge. Further, I believe a classroom needs to be innovative, multi-faceted, inter-disciplinary, and collaborative.

Mentors & Collaborators

I am truly fortunate to be supported by an incredible team of scientists, mentors, and friends. Their expertise and belief in me has made all the difference in my personal and professional success.