Kaci Handlery

Associate Professor

Arkansas Colleges of Health Education primary UA Fort Smith

Also affiliated: University of South Carolina (2017–2021); Tarleton State University (2023)

7 h-index 22 pubs 118 cited

Research Areas

Biomedical Subjects

Links

ORCID

OverviewAI-generated summary

Kaci Handlery’s research investigates the lived experiences and impact of physical activity and exercise interventions for individuals with neurologic diagnoses, including spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. Her work also explores factors contributing to burnout and attrition among physical therapists and students, aiming to understand and address challenges within the profession. Previously, Dr. Handlery worked as a research physical therapist at the University of South Carolina, studying the effects of action-selection demands and upper extremity-task oriented training in individuals with stroke.

Her publications include studies on predictors of daily steps post-stroke, physical activity in Parkinson’s disease, and strength training attitudes among physical therapists. Recent work also addresses high-intensity functional training feasibility for individuals with spinal cord injury and Parkinson’s, as well as care partner involvement in physical activity interventions for stroke patients. Dr. Handlery has an h-index of 7 with over 100 citations across her 22 publications. She collaborates extensively with colleagues at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, including Reed Handlery, Dana Kahl, Allison Young, and Catherine McCall.

Metrics

h-index: 7
Publications: 22
Citations: 118

Positions

Associate Professor 2026–present

Arkansas Colleges of Health Education School of Physical Therapy ORCID
Associated Instructional Faculty 2018–present

University of South Carolina Exercise Science, Program in Physical Therapy ORCID
Assistant Professor 2021–2026

Arkansas Colleges of Health Education School of Physical Therapy ORCID
Physical Therapist I 2016–2020

Prisma Health Richland Rehab Services ORCID

Selected Publications

High-Intensity Functional Training for Older Adults with Mobility Disabilities: A Feasibility Pilot Study (2026)

Healthcare DOI OpenAlex
Exercise Professionals' Strength Training Attitudes, Behaviors, and Knowledge: A Survey (2025)

The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research DOI OpenAlex
Factors Contributing to Physical Therapist Attrition: A Qualitative Study. (2024)

PubMed 8 citations OpenAlex
Abstract WMP48: Targeting The Action Selection Network During Functional Arm Training After Stroke: A Feasibility Study (2022)

Stroke DOI OpenAlex