Irene Davis, PhD, PT

Dr. Irene Davis received her Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from the University of Massachusetts, and in Physical Therapy from the University of Florida. She earned her Master's degree in Biomechanics from the University of Virginia, and her PhD in Biomechanics from Pennsylvania State University. She previously served as professor in Physical Therapy and Director of Running Injury Lab at the University of Delaware, where she was recently honored with a Professor Emeritus appointment. In addition, she was the Director of Research for Drayer Physical Therapy Institute.

Over the past 20 years, Dr. Davis has established relationships between faulty mechanics and overuse injuries such as tibial stress fractures and patellofemoral disorders. This has led to the development of innovative interventions such as gait retraining, aimed at altering faulty running mechanics. She is interested in the mechanics of barefoot and minimal footwear running and is effect on injury rates, and is a barefoot runner herself. She has received funding from the Department of Defense, Army Research Office and National Institutes of Health to support her research related to stress fractures. She serves as a consultant for patients with lower extremity problems related to overuse.

Dr. Davis has given nearly 300 lectures both nationally and internationally and authored nearly 100 publications on the topic of lower extremity mechanics during running. She has been active professionally in the American Physical Therapy Association, the American Society of Biomechanics, and International Society of Biomechanics. She is also a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association and a Past-President of the American Society of Biomechanics. She has organized and coordinated national research retreats on topics of the foot and ankle, anterior cruciate ligament injuries and patellofemoral pain syndrome. She has been featured on ABC World News Tonight, Good Morning America, Discovery, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Parade and Time Magazine.