Dr. Crane joined the faculty at Plymouth State University in August of 2019 after 15 years as a Professor of Physical Therapy at the University of Hartford in West Hartford, CT. She became Director of the DPT program in August of 2020 and shares this leadership responsibility with Dr. Sean Collins. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Allied Health/Physical Therapy in 1989 from the University of Connecticut, a Master of Arts degree in Human Development/ Gerontology from Saint Joseph College in West Hartford, CT in 1997 and a PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences from the University of Pittsburgh in 2004.
Her clinical background includes working for over 15 years in an in-patient rehabilitation hospital, primarily with adults with neurological disorders and complex medical/rehabilitation needs. She also has over 30 years of experience prescribing complex rehabilitation technologies (primarily wheelchairs and seating systems), for individuals with long term mobility impairments. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy, the New Hampshire Physical Therapy Association, the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals and the Clinician Task Force and is a Fellow of the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America. Her research interests include outcomes associated with the application of various assistive technology interventions and studying curricular innovations in physical therapy education.
Selected peer reviewed publications:
Barks, L., Garvan, C., Crane, B., Peterson, M., Brown, L. M., & Powell-Cope, G. (2020). Wheelchair Seated Posture and Health Outcomes of Older Veterans in Community Living Centers. Rehabilitation Nursing: the Official Journal of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses. DOI: 10.1097/rnj.0000000000000274 PMID: 32657850
Barks, L., Garvan, C., Crane, B., Peterson, M., Brown, L. M., & Powell-Cope, G. (2019). Reliability and criterion-related validity of the seated posture scale. Rehabilitation Nursing, 44(4), 213–220. doi: 10.1097/rnj.0000000000000119
Leard JS, Wininger M, Roller D, Crane B. (2019) Data-Driven Decision Making in DPT Curricula Part II: Course-Level Analysis. Status. Journal of Physical Therapy Education. 33(2):88-93, June 2019.doi: 10.1097/JTE.0000000000000091
Roller, D., Wininger, M., Leard, J., & Crane, B. (2018). Data-driven Decision Making in Doctor of Physical Therapy Curricula Part I: Program-level Analysis. Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 32(4), 368-375. doi: 10.1097/JTE.0000000000000064
Crane, B., Wininger, M., & Call, E. (2016). Orthotic-style off-loading wheelchair seat cushion reduces interface pressure under ischial tuberosities and sacrococcygeal regions. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 97(11), 1872-1879. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2016.04.004
Wininger, M., & Crane, B. A. (2016). Product limit estimation for capturing of pressure distribution dynamics. Medical engineering & physics, 38(5), 427-432. doi:10.1016/j.medengphy.2016.02.006
Wininger, M., & Crane, B. A. (2016). Assessment of the minimally sufficient spatial sampling in pressure mapping the wheelchair seating interface. Technology and Disability, 27(4), 119-125. DOI: 10.3233/TAD-150434
Crane, B., Wininger, M., Strydom, E., & Hulse, J. (Jan/March 2015). The Effects of Sitting on a Mechanical Lift Sling on Interface Seat Pressure: A Pilot Study. Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, 31(1), 67-73. doi: 10.1097/TGR.0000000000000048
Wininger, M, & Crane, BA (2015). Prevalence of sensor saturation in wheelchair seat interface pressure mapping. Assistive Technology, 27(2), 69-75. Crane, B. A., Wininger, M., & Kunsman, M. (December, 2015). Proxy Study on Minimizing Risk of Sacral Pressure Ulcers While Complying with Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Risk Reduction Guidelines. Advances in skin & wound care, 28(12), 541-550.
Wininger, M., & Crane, B. (2014). Effect of interpolation on parameters extracted from seating interface pressure arrays. Journal of rehabilitation research and development, 51(9), 1365-1375. http://dx.doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2014.04.0101
Chen, Y., Wang, J., Lung, C. W., Yang, T. D., Crane, B. A., & Jan, Y. K. (December 2014). Effect of Tilt and Recline on Ischial and Coccygeal Interface Pressures in People with Spinal Cord Injury. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 93(12), 1019-1030. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000225
Wininger, M. and Crane BA. (Sept. 2014) A comparison of strategies for restoring saturated pressure array data with application to the wheelchair-seating interface. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology. Posted on line September 9, 2014. doi:10.3109/17483107.2014.956816
Lung CW, Yang TD, Crane BA, Elliott J, Dicianno BE, Jan YK. (June 2014). Investigation of Peak Pressure Index Parameters for People with Spinal Cord Injury Using Wheelchair Tilt-in-Space and Recline: Methodology and Preliminary Report. Biomed Res Int: 2014:508583. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/508583 Epub 2014 Jun 26.
Crane, B., Goodworth, A. D., Liquori, M., Ghosh, S., Certo, C., & McCafferty, L. (February 2014). Multidisciplinary Testing of Floor Pads on Stability, Energy Absorption, and Ease of Hospital Use for Enhanced Patient Safety. Journal of patient safety. doi:10.1097/PTS.0000000000000079
Jan, YK, Crane, BA, Liao, F, Woods, JA, and Ennis, WJ (October 2013). Comparison of muscle and skin perfusion over the ischial tuberosities in response to wheelchair tilt-in-space and recline angles in people with spinal cord injury. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 94(10), 1990-1996.PMID: 23602880 doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2013.03.027
Jan YK and Crane BA (June 2013). Wheelchair tilt-in-space and recline does not reduce sacral skin perfusion as changing from the upright to the reclined and tilted position in people with spinal cord injury. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 94(6), 1207-1210. (PMID: 23313352). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2013.01.004