Emilio Puentedura

Emilio "Louie" Puentedura is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Baylor University, affiliated with the Robbins College of Health & Human Sciences. He has over 30 years of experience teaching physical therapy students and practicing as an orthopedic manual therapist.

His educational background includes:

• Bachelor of Applied Science in Physiotherapy, La Trobe University, 1980
• Graduate Diploma in Manipulative Therapy, La Trobe University, 1983
• Post-Professional Doctorate in Physical Therapy, Northern Arizona University, 2005
• PhD in Physical Therapy, Nova Southeastern University, 2011

Dr. Puentedura's research focuses on pain neuroscience education, precision and safety in manual therapy, mechanisms of dry needling, and best practices in physical therapy education. His work bridges clinical practice and academic instruction, emphasizing evidence-based approaches.

He has published over 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers since 2010, with an h-index of 35 and over 5,300 citations, reflecting substantial scholarly impact in the field of physical therapy.

His scientific awards include:

• Rose Excellence in Research Award — Orthopedic Section, APTA
• John Medeiros Award — Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy
• Presentation Awards — American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (2012, 2016)

Dr. Puentedura has served on faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and currently teaches core DPT courses such as Human Anatomy, Musculoskeletal System I, and Pain Science. He mentors future physical therapists and contributes to curriculum development in manual therapy and dry needling education.

He is also active professionally via social media (@AussieLouie on Twitter) and contributes to textbook authorship and peer-reviewed presentations.