Deborah Stafford

Dr. Deborah Stafford serves as an Adjunct Part-Time Lecturer in the Department of Physical Therapy at Angelo State University, joining the department in fall 2006 to teach spinal cord injury content within the Essentials of Rehab Practice course.

Her academic credentials include:

• BS in Physical Therapy from Marquette University (1990)
• Master of Physical Therapy with neurology focus from University of Maryland at Baltimore (1998)

Her clinical and research expertise centers on neurorehabilitation, spinal cord injury management, orthopedics, women's health, and lymphedema therapy, with specialized certifications in Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT) and Complex Lymphedema Therapy. This foundation informs her development of practical assessment methodologies for rehabilitation contexts.

Her seminal 2003 publication on wheelchair user outcome measures demonstrates alignment with evolving rehabilitation science priorities, particularly in patient-centered assessment tools, assistive technology integration, and functional mobility metrics. This work reflects broader disciplinary trends toward quantifiable, real-world rehabilitation outcomes.

Dr. Stafford maintains active professional engagement through memberships in:

• Texas Physical Therapy Association
• American Physical Therapy Association