Meet Your Course Faculty and Lab Team

Shirley Sahrmann, PT, PhD, FAPTA

Lecturer and Lab

Dr. Sahrmann is professor emerita of physical therapy at Washington University in St. Louis. She received her BS degree in physical therapy and her master’s and PhD degrees in neurobiology from Washington University, where she was a clinician and faculty member for 56 years. Her research interests were in disordered motor control and the classification of musculoskeletal disorders. Dr. Sahrmann, together with her colleagues at Washington University, has been a major promoter of the movement system and the development of movement-related diagnostic categories to direct physical therapy treatment, which formed the basis of her published books. She has lectured extensively nationally and internationally.

Suzy Cornbleet, PT, DPT

Lecturer and Lab

Dr. Cornbleet was an Associate Professor of Physical Therapy and Orthopaedic Medicine in the Program in Physical Therapy at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. She recently retired after decades of teaching at WashU. In 2015, Suzy received both the Missouri Physical Therapy Association “Outstanding Service Award for Education” and the University of Colorado Physical Therapy “Alumni Achievement Award.” Her clinical interests are in pediatric and adolescent hip and low back pain and general outpatient orthopedics. She was instrumental in the development of Washington University’s Fellowship in the Diagnosis and Management of Movement Impairment Syndromes and served as a primary mentor.

Nancy Bloom, PT, DPT, MSOT

Lecturer and Lab

Dr. Bloom is professor emerita of physical therapy at WashU Medicine Physical Therapy. After a remarkable 45 years of service to WashU, she retired in 2024. As a superb clinician and educator, Nancy garnered respect from practitioners across the globe as a recognized expert in musculoskeletal conditions of the hip and low back. She also provided valuable insights for many clinical research projects, resulting in authorship of numerous peer-reviewed manuscripts, textbook chapters and clinical practice guidelines. Nancy had an enormous impact on clinical practice through her work within the Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy (AOPT). Her enduring contributions to the practice of physical therapy were recognized by the American Physical Therapy Association through the Henry O. Kendall and Florence P. Kendall Award and the John H.P. Maley Lecture Award.

Renee Ivens, PT, DPT

Lab Assistant

Dr. Ivens was an associate professor of physical therapy and orthopedic surgery at Washington University. She was involved in the didactic entry-level DPT curriculum. Renee served as a mentor in the clinical practice at the School of Medicine. Her clinical interests are movement dysfunctions involving the spine, shoulder girdle and upper-extremity peripheral nerves. She is happy to share the knowledge and experience she gained while working alongside Dr. Shirley Sahrmann and Associates for over 25 years.

Maiko Morotani, PT, DPT, OCS

Lecturer and Lab

Dr. Morotani is the president of Nexus Motion and Learn Movement System. She has been a full-time clinician treating patients with neuromusculoskeletal pain conditions for over 15 years. Currently, she mentors physical therapists in the Los Angeles area. Maiko is one of the translators of the Japanese version of the Movement System Impairment Syndromes of the Extremities, Cervical and Thoracic Spine textbook. She teaches the kinesiopathologic concepts to the Japanese community monthly. She served as a regional mentor for WashU Medicine Physical Therapy’s Movement System Clinical Fellowship. She was a keynote speaker at the Asian Confederation of Physical Therapy Congress in Bangkok, Thailand. She is PhysioU’s education lead for Japan and is responsible for overseeing the Japanese content. Her passion is spreading the joy of movement to physical therapists worldwide, from physical therapy students to experienced clinicians. Under Maiko’s leadership, Nexus Motion and Learn Movement System deliver high-quality continuing education content every month.

Renee Roth Powers, PT, DPT

Lab Assistant

Dr. Roth Powers owns a private practice in the Washington, DC, metro area. She provides a pathway for patients to return to their maximum possible physical performance. Her clinical practice is based on extensive study and implementation of the Movement System Syndromes. Years of training, study and professional implementation of the kinesiopathologic concepts have given her an unusually skilled eye for identifying how and why human body mechanics go wrong and how to effectively restore ideal movement. She is a competitive amateur athlete with an extensive background in saber fencing, cycling, weight training and running.

Tracy Spitznagle, PT, DPT, WCS

Lecturer — No Lab

Dr. Spitznagle is a professor of physical therapy and OB-GYN at Washington University in St. Louis. Her educational mission is to provide physical therapists around the world with the knowledge needed to help others move better. Her expertise spans the thoracic spine to the pelvic girdle. Tracy firmly believes that all people benefit when we understand how pregnancy affects the movement system.

Sheila Banovetz, MS, PT

Lab Assistant

Sheila has been a practicing physical therapist since 1985, first working at a rehabilitation/amputee clinic before transitioning to outpatient care. Before moving to Stevens Point in 1996, she taught physical therapy at the University of Iowa. She has assisted in the lab portion of Movement System Syndromes courses for many years. While working with athletes and teaching at UW-Stevens Point, Sheila started experimenting with video analysis of sport-specific movements. When Stevens Point Orthopedics acquired the Noraxon Movement Analysis system in 2017, Sheila developed the program, managed the system, and trained in motion-analysis technology and troubleshooting.

Cheryl Caldwell, PT, DPT

Lab Assistant

Dr. Caldwell spent over 30 years as a key faculty member, alongside Dr. Shirley Sahrmann and Associates, developing the Movement System Syndromes concepts. Her expertise in the upper quarter is reflected in a published case report related to the shoulder, co-authoring chapters on the hand, wrist and elbow in the Movement System Impairment Syndromes of the Extremities, Cervical and Thoracic Spines textbook, and serving as a mentor for students, fellows and experienced clinicians. Recently, she retired from teaching at WashU Medicine Physical Therapy and is excited to continue sharing her wealth of knowledge. She was formerly a Certified Hand Therapist.

Mary Kate McDonnell, PT, DPT, OCS

Lab Assistant

Dr. McDonnell recently retired from her position as Associate Professor of Physical Therapy and Orthopedic Surgery at WashU Medicine Physical Therapy. She has been a board-certified orthopedic specialist since 1996 and is a Fellow of the Education Leadership Institute. For most of her career, she was actively involved with colleagues at Washington University in developing diagnoses and treatment strategies related to Movement System Syndromes, with a focus on the upper quarter. Her clinical and research work focuses on patients with upper-quarter impairments.

Joan Vicente, PT, DPT, PhD, OCS

Virtual Lab Assistant Only — No Hands-On Instruction

Dr. Vicente is a Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. She was a regional mentor for Washington University’s Clinical Fellowship in Movement System after completing the training herself. She is currently working at UCLA Health as a Rehab Clinical Educator and has recently completed her PhD at Rocky Mountain University.

By registering for this course, you agree NOT to share the KAJABI / Learn Movement System log in information, Zoom links, or handouts with anyone else.  You agree to only utilize the materials for personal learning.

Note: Attending onsite in Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Registration is limited to licensed Physical Therapists (PTs) and Physicians (MDs). Proof of licensure is required for all on-site participants.