Derek Clewley, DPT, PhD

Dr. Clewley’s area of expertise and training is in orthopaedics and manual physical therapy. He has achieved board certification in orthopaedics and is recognized as a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapists.

He has a PhD with primary research interests including dry needling, manual physical therapy, and pain sciences. Dr. Clewley has extensive experience in the development of continuing education, residency, and fellowship post-graduate training programs.

Education

• PhD, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions
• DPT, Shenandoah University, 2007
• MS PT, University of Montana, 2002
• BS, University of Montana, 2000

Teaching

• PT 743B Manual Therapy I APC
• PT 743A Manual Therapy II APC
• PT 743C Ortho Exercise Prescription and Dosing APC
• CDHD 1 Cultural Determinants of Health and Health Disparities
• PT 643 Evidence Based Practice
• PT 736 CAMP I
• PT 737 CAMP II

Practice

• Board certified by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists as an orthopaedic clinical specialist since 2006
• Fellow of the American Academy of Manual Physical Therapists since 2010

Research

Dr. Clewley’s research interests focus on clinical applications in orthopaedic physical therapy, including manual therapy, dry needling, and pain sciences. He is currently part of an international team active in the development of clinical practice guidelines for neck pain. He collaborates and presents nationally. 

Selected publications

• Burri, Sabrina D., Kaleigh M. Smyrk, Mostafa S. Melegy, Melanie M. Kessler, Nadim I. Hussein, Brandi D. Tuttle, and Derek J. Clewley. “Risk factors associated with physical therapist burnout: a systematic review.” Physiotherapy 116 (February 5, 2022): 9–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2022.01.005.

  More info

• Alnwick, G. M., D. Clewley, B. Beuning, and S. Koppenhaver. “Improvements after dry needling for craniofacial pain in a patient with chronic rhinosinusitis: a case report.” Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, January 1, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593985.2022.2085218.

  More info

• Braaten, Amanda Day, Cannon Hanebuth, Holt McPherson, Dashae Smallwood, Samantha Kaplan, David Basirico, Derek Clewley, and Zachary Rethorn. “Social determinants of health are associated with physical therapy use: a systematic review.” Br J Sports Med 55, no. 22 (November 2021): 1293–1300. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-103475.

  More info

• Paz, Tatiana, Rachel N. Meyers, Cayla N. Faverio, Yuxuan Wang, Emily M. Vosburg, and Derek J. Clewley. “Youth Distance Running and Lower Extremity Injury: A Systematic Review.” Int J Environ Res Public Health 18, no. 14 (July 15, 2021). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147542.

  More info

• Clewley, Derek, Yusra Iftikhar, Maggie E. Horn, and Daniel I. Rhon. “Do the Number of Visits and the Cost of Musculoskeletal Care Improve Outcomes? More May Not Be Better.” J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 50, no. 11 (November 2020): 642–48. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2020.9440.

  More info

• Talty, Francis T., Michelle E. Roberts, Christine Dang, Derek J. Clewley, and Maggie E. Horn. “Using a behavioral model to identify factors associated with choice of provider for neck and low back pain: A systematic review.” In Musculoskelet Sci Pract, 49:102223, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msksp.2020.102223.

  More info

• Kinney, Meredith, Jasmine Seider, Amanda Floyd Beaty, Kaitlin Coughlin, Maximilian Dyal, and Derek Clewley. “The impact of therapeutic alliance in physical therapy for chronic musculoskeletal pain: A systematic review of the literature.” Physiother Theory Pract 36, no. 8 (August 2020): 886–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593985.2018.1516015.

  More info

• Minniti, Melissa C., Andrew P. Statkevich, Ryan L. Kelly, Victoria P. Rigsby, Meghan M. Exline, Daniel I. Rhon, and Derek Clewley. “The Safety of Blood Flow Restriction Training as a Therapeutic Intervention for Patients With Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review.” Am J Sports Med 48, no. 7 (June 2020): 1773–85. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546519882652.

  More info

• Dragotta, K., B. Jang, B. Quinzi, A. Bosco, and D. Clewley. “Physical therapy management of pediatric and adolescent neck pain: a call to action.” Physical Therapy Reviews 24, no. 5 (September 3, 2019): 208–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/10833196.2019.1663979.

  More info

• Arnold, Elizabeth, Janna La Barrie, Lisley DaSilva, Meagan Patti, Adam Goode, and Derek Clewley. “The Effect of Timing of Physical Therapy for Acute Low Back Pain on Health Services Utilization: A Systematic Review.” Arch Phys Med Rehabil 100, no. 7 (July 2019): 1324–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2018.11.025.

  More info

• Arnold, Elizabeth, Adam Goode, and Derek Clewley. “Re: Early Physical Therapy for Acute Low Back Pain May Not Reduce Health Services Utilization, Costs, and Opioid Use.” Arch Phys Med Rehabil 100, no. 7 (July 2019): 1376–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2019.03.003.

  More info

• Clewley, Derek, Daniel I. Rhon, Timothy W. Flynn, Charles D. Sissel, and Chad E. Cook. “Does Health Care Utilization Before Hip Arthroscopy Predict Health Care Utilization After Surgery in the US Military Health System? An Investigation Into Health-Seeking Behavior.” J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 48, no. 11 (November 2018): 878–86. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2018.8259.

  More info

• Clewley, Derek, Dan Rhon, Tim Flynn, Shane Koppenhaver, and Chad Cook. “Physical therapists familiarity and beliefs about health services utilization and health seeking behaviour.” Braz J Phys Ther 22, no. 4 (July 2018): 336–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjpt.2018.02.002.

  More info

• Rhon, Daniel I., Derek Clewley, Jodi L. Young, Charles D. Sissel, and Chad E. Cook. “Leveraging healthcare utilization to explore outcomes from musculoskeletal disorders: methodology for defining relevant variables from a health services data repository.” Bmc Med Inform Decis Mak 18, no. 1 (January 31, 2018): 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-018-0588-8.

  More info

• Clewley, Derek, Dan Rhon, Timothy Flynn, Shane Koppenhaver, and Chad Cook. “Health seeking behavior as a predictor of healthcare utilization in a population of patients with spinal pain.” Plos One 13, no. 8 (2018): e0201348. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0201348.

  More info

• Sola, M., M. Allison, M. Cusick, M. Franek, M. Murray, and Derek Clewley. “Biomechanical and physiological effects of shallow water gait in healthy adults: A systematic review.” Journal of Aquatic Physical Therapy 26, no. 3 (2018).

  More info

• Adams, Valerie J., Brianna Walker, Devin Jepson, Carly Cooper, Jordan Tyler, Derek Clewley, Sydney Rozenfeld, and Kristian P. Nitsch. “Measurement Characteristics and Clinical Utility of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale in Individuals Experiencing Low Back Pain.” Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 98, no. 11 (November 2017): 2350–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2017.03.005.

  More info

• Tousignant-Laflamme, Yannick, Shefali Christopher, Derek Clewley, Leila Ledbetter, Christian Jaeger Cook, and Chad E. Cook. “Does shared decision making results in better health related outcomes for individuals with painful musculoskeletal disorders? A systematic review.” J Man Manip Ther 25, no. 3 (July 2017): 144–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/10669817.2017.1323607.

  More info

• Blanpied, Peter R., Anita R. Gross, James M. Elliott, Laurie Lee Devaney, Derek Clewley, David M. Walton, Cheryl Sparks, and Eric K. Robertson. “Neck Pain: Revision 2017.” J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 47, no. 7 (July 2017): A1–83. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2017.0302.

  More info

• McClinton, Shane, Lace Luedke, and Derek Clewley. “Nonsurgical Management of Midsubstance Achilles Tendinopathy.” Clin Podiatr Med Surg 34, no. 2 (April 2017): 137–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpm.2016.10.004.

  More info

• Lane, Elizabeth, Derek Clewley, and Shane Koppenhaver. “Complaints of Upper Extremity Numbness and Tingling Relieved With Dry Needling of the Teres Minor and Infraspinatus: A Case Report.” J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 47, no. 4 (April 2017): 287–92. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2017.7055.

  More info

• Clewley, Derek, Timothy W. Flynn, and Shane Koppenhaver. “Trigger point dry needling as an adjunct treatment for a patient with adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder.” J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 44, no. 2 (February 2014): 92–101. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2014.4915.

  More info

• Clewley, Derek, D. Rhon, S. Koppenhaver, T. Flynn, and C. Cook. “Healthcare seeking behavior as an explanation for healthcare utilization for low back and neck pain,” n.d.

  More info

• Kinney, M., J. Seider, A. Beaty, K. Coughlin, M. Dyal, and Derek Clewley. “The role of therapeutic alliance in physical therapy for chronic musculoskeletal pain: management a systematic review,” n.d.

  More info

• Sola, M., M. Allison, M. Cusick, M. Franek, M. Murray, and Derek Clewley. “Biomechanical and physiological effects of shallow water locomotion in healthy adults pain: management a systematic review,” n.d.

  More info

• Clewley, Derek. “Guideline based management of pediatric and adolescent neck pain,” n.d.

  More info

• Clewley, Derek, and M. Ross. “Leveraging the non-specific effects of dry needling for the management of shoulder pain,” n.d.

  More info

• Clewley, Derek, E. Lane, J. Moore, M. Finnegan, and T. Flynn. “Non-wet substance needling for the management of shoulder pain: A systematic review pain: management a systematic review,” n.d.

  More info

• Wedemeyer, A., D. Adamson, K. Crenshaw, A. Evans, Derek Clewley, and R. Butler. “The effects of training load on injury rates in an athletic population: A systematic review,” n.d.

  More info

• Clewley, Derek, E. Lane, and C. Myers. “Medical screening for tomorrow manual therapist,” n.d.

  More info

• Clewley, Derek, D. Maddox, E. Lane, and H. Norton. “Cervicogenic dizziness,” n.d.

  More info

• Blanpied, P., A. Gross, Derek Clewley, L. Devaney, J. Elliott, C. Sparks, D. Walton, and E. Robertson. “An update on the neck pain clinical practice guideline revision,” n.d.

  More info

• Clewley, Derek. “Integration of dry needling and pain sciences for a patient with shoulder pain,” n.d.

  More info

• Blanpied, P., A. Gross, Derek Clewley, L. Devaney, J. Elliott, C. Sparks, D. Walton, and E. Robertson. “An update on the neck pain clinical practice guideline revision.,” n.d.

  More info

• Junkin, J., and Derek Clewley. “Corrective taping and the use of a mobilization with movement technique on the 4th metatarsal to relieve pain with great toe extension status-post bunionectomy,” n.d.

  More info

• Pedrotti, M., and Derek Clewley. “A psoas abscess disguised as a musculoskeletal injury: a case report,” n.d.

  More info

• Clewley, Derek, T. Flynn, and S. Koppenhaver. “Trigger point dry needling as an adjunct treatment for a patient with adhesive capsulitis,” n.d.

  More info

• Milligan, M., and Derek Clewley. “Dry needling scope of practice,” n.d.

  More info

• Clewley, Derek, and A. Bennett. “Dry needling: clinical cases and decision making,” n.d.

  More info

• Robertson, E., C. Sparks, and Derek Clewley. “Primary hip interventions for patients with low back pain and hip impairments: a prospective case series,” n.d.

  More info

• Cooper, D., A. Brannon, C. Sparks, E. Robertson, and Derek Clewley. “Primary hip interventions for patients with low back pain and hip impairments: preliminary results of a case series,” n.d.

  More info

• Clewley, Derek, M. Horn, Y. Iftikhar, and D. Rhon. “The relationship between health care utilization and changes in self-reported pain and disability: Is more better?,” n.d.

  More info

• Arnold, E., J. La Barrie, L. DaSilva, M. Patti, and Derek Clewley. “The impact of timing of physical therapy for acute low back pain on health services utilization: A systematic review,” n.d.

  More info

• Taylor, T., B. Butler, M. Shiver, and Derek Clewley. “Blood flow restriction training: A systematic review of safety and adverse event reporting,” n.d.

  More info

Awards and honors

• Jan K. Richardson Excellence in Teaching Award:  Duke University, 2021

• Physical Therapy Association of Georgia: Merritt Award for Exceptional Service and Achievement, 2014

• Recognition of Excellence: BenchMark Rehab Partners, 2014

• Clinical Instructor of the Year: Rocky Mountain University, 2013

• Clinical Instructor of the Year: Georgia State University, 2008

• Clinician of the Year: BenchMark Physical Therapy, 2007