Dr. JoEllen Sefton

Dr. JoEllen Sefton, an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and director of the Neuromechanics Research Laboratory, has been named to the Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge (MTBOK) Task Force.

Sefton is one of eight volunteer members of the task force, assembled by the MTBOK Stewards on the basis of experience and expertise in the field of massage therapy. Sefton focuses much of her research on how the neuromuscular system responds to injury, rehabilitation and therapy. A nationally certified massage therapist for 15 years, Sefton's long-term research interests involve developing an understanding of the means by which massage therapy influences neuromuscular and physiological function and how such techniques contribute to improved quality of life through pain relief.

The MTBOK Task Force  will work to develop a unified communications platform in order to help those outside the profession better understand it. The team will work to define massage therapy and its scope of practice, as well as the competencies for entry-level massage therapists. The foundational elements of the initiative are expected to be completed within a year.