Kara Radzak

Kara Radzak, Ph.D., ATC, serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where she has taught since fall 2015 in both the Master of Science in Kinesiology program's athletic training emphasis and the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education-accredited undergraduate athletic training program.

Her academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology-Athletic Training from the University of Texas at Austin, Master of Science in Sports Medicine from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, and Doctor of Education in Kinesiology from the University of Hawaii, Manoa.

Dr. Radzak's research integrates clinical, biomechanical, and practice-based methodologies to investigate musculoskeletal injury prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation—particularly among military personnel. Her work examines fatigue-induced movement alterations impacting injury risk, with specialized focus on knee overuse injuries and osteoarthritis. She also explores concussion dynamics, military-specific injury concealment behaviors, and safe physical activity protocols for pregnant/postpartum populations.

Analysis of her 2022-2025 publications reveals dominant themes in military health (particularly ROTC cadet populations), where she investigates concussion history correlations with lower-extremity injuries, chronotype influences on injury risk, and torso-borne load effects on movement patterns. Concurrently, her women's health research addresses postpartum lumbopelvic pain management and pregnancy exercise safety through evidence-based frameworks.

Dr. Radzak actively contributes to professional advancement as Far West Athletic Trainers’ Association Young Professional Chair, National Athletic Trainers’ Association district representative, Journal of Athletic Training's JATChat host, and Athletic Trainers’ Osteoarthritis Consortium member. Her leadership extends to the Athletic Training Practice-Based Research Network, driving military-focused injury studies.

While specific grant details remain unspecified in source materials, her ongoing military health investigations suggest sustained funding through defense-related research channels. She mentors students within UNLV's athletic training programs, preparing the next generation of sports medicine practitioners through clinical and didactic instruction.