Wikstrom Lab Group
Erik Wikstrom, PhD, ATC
Associate Professor & Katherine Smith Gunter Fellow,
Department of Exercise & Sport Science
Previous Education
Ph.D., University of Florida, 2007
M.Ed., University of Florida, 2003
B.S., Roanoke College, 2001
Contact Information:
Email: wikstrom@unc.edu | Twitter: @ea_wikstrom
Dr. Wikstrom’s primary research interest is on the impact of ankle joint injury on sensorimotor control and cartilage health as well as developing interventions to restore sensorimotor function and prevent posttraumatic osteoarthritis. Dr. Wikstrom has published over 120 peer-reviewed manuscripts and his research has been funded by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Research and Education Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Defense among others. Dr. Wikstrom is a co-director of the International Ankle Consortium.
PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Erik+A+Wikstrom&sort=date&size=100
Awards and Honors
Fellow of the National Athletic Trainer’s Association, 2019
Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, 2011
David H. Perrin Doctoral Dissertation Award, National Athletic Trainers’ Association Research and Education Foundation, 2010
Lab Video: https://endeavors.unc.edu/sprains-and-the-brain/
The Team
Kimmery Migel, PT, DPT, OCS, Cert MDT
Educational Background
B.S. Clinical Health, Ithaca College, 2009
M.S. Physical Therapy, Ithaca College 2010
Doctorate, Physical Therapy, Ithaca College, 2010
Contact Information:
Email: kmigel@live.unc.edu
Twitter:@kmigel
After practicing in orthopedics as a physical therapist for 8 years, Kimmery decided to return to academics to pursue her PhD. Her current research interests surround the neuromechanics of gait retraining using various feedback modalities. Her goal is to help clinicians create lasting changes and prevent long term consequences of musculoskeletal injuries.
PubMed Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1RoftWt7Nc0Mrl/bibliography/public/
Jaeho Jang, MA, ATC
Educational Background
B.S. Yonsei University, 2017
M.A. University of Nebraska Omaha 2019
Contact Information:
Email: jaeho@live.unc.edu
Jaeho’s research interest lies in investigating long-term consequences of ankle injury, specifically slowing ankle posttraumatic osteoarthritis progression. His goal is to find a biomarker that may predict progression toward posttraumatic osteoarthritis using muscle-driven simulation.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Lab Group Alumni
Kyeongtak Song, Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Kentucky Sports Medicine Research Institute. Graduated 2019
Current Grant Funding & Research Projects
Advancing the Management and Assessment of Talar Cartilage Health (MATCH) to Mitigate PTOA Development (Principle Investigator), Awarded by the NATA Research & Education Foundation (NATA REF). 2020-2022
Addressing Neuromuscular Deficits for Improved Outcomes in Ankle Sprain Rehabilitation (Co-Principle Investigator), Awarded by the Department of Defense (Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program). 2018-2022
Neuromuscular Mechanisms of Manual Therapies in Chronic Ankle Instability Patients (Principle Investigator), Awarded by the National Center of Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH, NCCIH). 2018-2020