Christopher Carcia, PhD, received his bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania. Afterwards, he worked full-time in an outpatient orthopedic/sports medicine practice for 10 years in the Greater Hartford, Connecticut area. In 1999, Carcia received his post-professional master’s degree in physical therapy with an emphasis in orthopedics from the Institute of Health Professions at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2002, Carcia completed his PhD in Kinesiology with an emphasis in sports medicine at the University of Virginia. Upon completion of his PhD, Carcia accepted a faculty position in the Department of Physical Therapy at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During his time at Duquesne, Carcia was granted tenure, served as department chair and director of a PhD program in rehabilitation science.
Carcia teaches coursework in the areas of kinesiology and musculoskeletal physical therapy. His research focus is associated with the kinesiology and clinical biomechanics of both the upper and lower extremities. Carcia has published more than 35 papers in peer reviewed refereed journals, contributed to several book chapters and numerous national/international presentations.
Despite being a full-time academic, Carcia has remained engaged in clinical practice on a part-time, limited basis throughout the years. He feels strongly that continued clinical practice not only augments both his teaching and research but also ensures he remains contemporary in the field.
He is certified as both an orthopedic and sports specialist by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). Carcia is excited to serve as the founding program director in physical therapy at CMU.
When not teaching or working on a research project, Carcia can be found either spending time with his family, riding his bike or hiking in and around the Grand Valley.
Selected Publications
Hannah DC, Scibek JS, Carcia CR, Phelps AL. Junior and collegiate tennis players display similar bilateral asymmetries of humeral retroversion. J Athl Train. Submitted – under review.
Carroll LA, Kivlan BR, Martin RL, Phelps AL, Carcia CR. The single leg squat test: a ‘top-down’ or ‘bottom-up’ functional performance test? Intl J Sports Phys Ther. In-press.
Cacolice PA, Carcia CR, Scibek JS. Shoulder flexion torque is augmented by a volitional abdominal isometric contraction. J Strength Cond Res. In-press. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003277
Cacolice PA, Carcia CR, Scibek JS, Phelps AL. Ground reaction forces are predicted with functional and clinical tests in healthy collegiate students. J Clin Med. 9, 2907; doi:10.3390/jcm9092907
Carcia CR, Cacolice PA, McGeary S. Defining lower extremity dominance: the relationship between preferred lower extremity and two functional tasks. Intl J Sports Phys Ther. 14(2):188-191, 2019
Hannah DC, Scibek JS, Carcia CR, Phelps AL. Reliability and validity of a 1-person technique to measure humeral torsion using ultrasound. J Athl Train. 53(6):590-596, 2018.
Martin RL, Chimenti R, Cuddeford T, Houck J, Matheson JW, McDonough CM, Paulseth S, Wukich DK, Carcia CR. Achilles pain, stiffness and muscle power deficits: midportion Achilles tendinopathy revision 2018. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 48(5):A1-A38, 2018.
Hannah DC, Scibek JS, Carcia CR. Strength profiles in healthy individuals with and without scapular dyskinesis. Intl J Sports Phys Ther. 12(3):390-401, 2017.
Kivlan BR, Carcia CR, Christoforetti JJ, Martin RL. Comparison of range of motion, strength, and hop test performance of dancers with and without femoroacetabular impingement. Intl J Sports Phys Ther. 11(4):527-535, 2016.
Kivlan BR, Carcia CR, Clemente R, Phelps AL, Martin RL. The effect of ASTYM therapy on muscle strength: a blinded, randomized, clinically controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 16(325):1-10, 2015.
Cacolice PA, Carcia CR, Scibek JS, Phelps AL. The use of functional tests to predict sagittal plane knee kinematics in NCAA-D1 female athletes. Intl J Sports Phys Ther. 10(4):1-12, 2015.
Scibek JS, Carcia CR. Validation of a new method for assessing scapular anterior-posterior tilt. Intl J Sports Phys Ther. 9(5):644-656, 2014.
Carcia CR, Cacolice PA, Scibek JS. Sidelying glenohumeral internal rotation values in healthy collegiate populations. Intl J Sports Phys Ther. 8(6):793-799, 2013.
Scibek JS, Carcia CR. Validation and repeatability of a shoulder biomechanics data collection methodology and instrumentation. J Appl Biomech. 29(5):609–615, 2013.
Kivlan BR, Carcia CR, Clemente FR, Phelps AL, Martin RL. Reliability and validity of functional performance tests in dancers with hip dysfunction. Intl J Sports Phys Ther. 8(4):360-369, 2013.
Carcia CR, Scibek JS. Causation & management of calcific tendonitis and periarthritis. Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 25(2):204-209, 2013.
Lindenberg KM, Carcia CR. The influence of heel height on vertical ground reaction force during landing tasks in recreationally active and athletic collegiate females. Intl J Sports Phys Ther. 8(1):1-8, 2013.
Scibek J, Carcia CR. Presentation and conservative management of acute calcific tendinopathy: a case study & literature review. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation. 21:334-342, 2012.
Scibek J, Carcia CR. Assessment of scapulohumeral rhythm for scapular plane shoulder elevation using a modified digital inclinometer. World J Orthop. 3(6):87-94, 2012.
Carcia CR, Kivlan B, Scibek JS. Time to peak force is related to frontal plane landing kinematics in females. Physical Therapy in Sport, 13(2):73-79, 2012.
Lindenberg KM, Carcia CR, Phelps AL, Martin RL, Burrows AM. The influence of heel height on sagittal plane knee kinematics during landing tasks in recreationally active and athletic collegiate females. Intl J Sports Phys Ther., 6(3):186-189, 2011.
Carcia CR, Kivlan B, Scibek JS. The relationship between lower extremity closed kinetic chain strength and sagittal plane landing kinematics in female athletes. Intl J Sports Phys Ther. 6(1):1-9, 2011.
Christopher Carcia's curriculum vitae