Charles Thigpen, PhD, PT, ATC, Vice President of Care Delivery at ATI Physical Therapy, received the Excellence in Sports PT Research Award from the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy (AASPT) recently via online video.

Thigpen received this honor for his decades of commitment to furthering the field of physical therapy, with a focus on changing how musculoskeletal (MSK) care is delivered to improve patient outcomes.

“This award is a recognition, not just of the outstanding research Chuck has led in the PT field, but also of how that important, ground-breaking work is extending ATI’s reach as a leader in quality-based outcomes in physical therapy. We are extremely proud of what this award means for Chuck, for our team and for our patients.”

— Ray Wahl, ATI Chief Operating Officer

In his current role, Thigpen leads ATI’s recently created Care Delivery Team, where he oversees clinical operations and specialized service lines, and implements best practices fueled by research and the development of future clinical programs.

“This honor by the AASPT is shared with my current team and the many colleagues who’ve partnered with me over the years. Over my career, my goal has always been to evolve and innovate the way MSK care is delivered to the breadth of patients we see in our clinics every day. I hope our work will disrupt the way MSK healthcare is delivered by showing how physical therapy improves our patients’ lives and reduces their total cost of care.”

— Charles Thigpen, PhD, PT, ATC

Started with a Football Injury

Thigpen’s interest and career in PT started with a college football injury. He became fascinated with how the body works, which drove him to learn more about biomechanics and patient outcomes during his PhD program at the University of North Carolina.

Thigpen began to understand and identify large gaps in PT outcome research, and he began to study how to prevent injury and improve patient outcomes with the help of Ellen Shanley, a research scientist and ATI’s Director of Athletic Injury Research, Prevention and Education. Together, they are now developing ATI’s best practices that integrate the best evidence and guidelines with data insights from ATI’s Patient Outcome Registry.

“Dr. Thigpen intimately understands what’s possible when it comes to applying PT to injuries and general MSK health, but also what’s important for improving patient outcomes and making a direct impact on their lives. He can take the vision of a team, create a consensus, and spearhead a group of individuals toward attaining a common goal, which is the prevention and treatment of MSK disorders.”

— Ellen Shanley

[Source(s): ATI Physical Therapy, PR Newswire]