Lindsey Lepley

Dr. Lindsey Lepley is an assistant professor of Athletic Training and co-director of the Orthopaedic Rehabilitation and Biomechanics (ORB) Laboratory at the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology. She earned a master's in Education from the University of Virginia and a PhD in Kinesiology from the University of Michigan in 2014.

Dr. Lepley’s research interests center around examining the negative neuromuscular effects of traumatic joint injury and identifying therapeutic approaches capable of combating neuromuscular dysfunction. Much of her previous and current research has evaluated the effects of eccentric exercise on the recovery of muscle function after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Additionally, she studied the impact of muscle inhibition on persistent muscle weakness, and the consequences of muscle weakness on knee joint biomechanics. Her current projects look to study the effects of ACL injury on neuromuscular function in a rodent model, and the ability of exercise to promote muscle and joint health for the purpose of translating this work back into the clinic to minimize the risk of traumatic osteoarthritis development.

Dr. Lepley has been honored with several awards, including:

• NATA Research & Education Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Award, 2016
• New England American College of Sports Medicine New Investigator Award, 2015
• University of Michigan Paul A. Hunsicker Memorial Award, 2014

Her affiliations include: 

• American College of Sports Medicine
• American Society of Biomechanics
• Athletic Trainers’ Osteoarthritis Consortium
• National Athletic Trainers’ Association

Dr. Lepley has nearly 40 journal articles published, including those for:

• Sports Medicine
• American Journal of Sports Medicine
• Journal of Athletic Training
• Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy

Her research has been funded by the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease Research; Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association Research; and the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Research and Education Foundation.

She is also a manuscript reviewer for several professional journals, such as Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions; Sports Medicine; Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport; and American Journal of Sports Medicine.