Faculty Profile:

Sandra Waller, P.T., PhD, M.ED
Assistant Professor

Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science

6-0787

smccombewaller@som.umaryland.edu

Research

Dr. McCombe Waller is currently involved in research as part of the Claude Pepper Center (NIA) with funding to study an innovative combination of bilateral and unilateral training to improve arm and hand function in patients with moderate severity paresis after brain injury. She also studies the underlying neural mechanisms associated with recovery of function with unilateral, bilateral and combination therapies using transcranial magnetic stimulation and functional magnetic resonance imaging. She has collaborated over the last 8 years with Dr. Jill Whitall in research involving bilateral arm training with rhythmic auditory cueing. Together they have a patent for a unique bilateral arm training device named the BATRAC.

Publications

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles:

Alon, G., McCombe, S, Koutsantonis, S., Stumphauzer, L., Burgwin, K., Parent, M., and Bosworth, R., (1987) "Comparison of the Effects of Electrical Stimulation and Exercise on Abdominal Musculature, "Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 8, 567 - 573.

Whitall, J., McCombe Waller, S., Silver, K.H.C., Macko, R.F. (2000) Repetitive bilateral arm training with rhythmic auditory cueing improves motor function in chronic hemiparetic stroke. Stroke 31, 2390-2395.

Luft AR, McCombe Waller S, Forrester L, Whitall J, Macko RF, Smith GV, Goldberg AP, Hanley DF (2004) Lesion location alters brain activation in chronically impaired stroke survivors. Neuroimage Mar; 21(3):924-35.

Luft, A., McCombe Waller, S., Whitall, J, Smith, G., Forrester, L, Macko, R., Hauser, T., Goldberg, A., Hanley, D. (2004) Interhemispheric Reorganization of Motor Activity is Necessary for Successful Rehabilitation. JAMA Oct 20; 292(15):1853-61.

McCombe Waller, S., & Whitall, J (2004). "Fine motor function in adults with chronic hemiparesis: Baseline comparison to non-disabled adults and effects of bilateral arm training. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Jul; 85(7):1076-83

McCombe Waller, S. and Jill Whitall (2005) Hand Dominance and Side of Stroke Affect Rehabilitation in Chronic Stroke. Clinical Rehabilitation Aug; 19(5):544-51

Luft, A., Forrester, L., Macko, R., McCombe Waller, S., Whitall, J., Villagra, F., and Hanley, D. (2005) Brain activation of lower extremity movement in chronically impaired stroke survivors. Neuroimage. May 15; 26(1):184-94.

Harris-Love, McCombe Waller, S., Whitall, J. Exploiting interlimb coupling to improve paretic arm reaching performance in people with chronic stroke. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2005 Nov;86(11):2131-7.

McCombe Waller, S., Harris-Love, M., Wei, L., and Whitall J. (2006) Temporal Coordination of the Arms During Bilateral and Sequential Movements in Patients with Chronic Hemiparesis, Experimental Brain Research 168,450-454.

Whitall, J. Savin Jr., D., Harris-Love, M., McCombe Waller, S. (2006) Extending the applicability of the Wolf Motor Function Test. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 87, 656-660.

Whitall, J., McCombe Waller, S., Luft, A., Hanley, D. (2006). Motor function improvement is associated with brain re-organization after bilateral arm training in chronic stroke - Case report. Physioscience, 2, 93-98.

McCombe Waller, S., Wei, L., Whitall, J. (accepted) Temporal and Spatial Control following Bilateral versus Unilateral Training, Human Movement Science.

Book Chapters / Proceedings/ Reviews (invited or peer-reviewed):

Whitall, J. & McCombe Waller, S. Bilateral arm training based on motor control/learning principles improves motor control and function in patients with chronic hemiparetic stroke. In N. Gantchev (Ed.) From Basic Motor Control to Functional Recovery II; (pp.435-444), Sofia, Bulgaria: Drinov Academic Publishing House. (2001)

McCombe Waller, S. Hand dominance and side of stroke affect rehabilitation in chronic stroke. In Monduzzi (Ed.) Neurological Rehabilitation Proceedings of the 3rd World Congress ;( pp235 -240), Bologna, Italy: Monduzzi Editore. (2002)

McCombe Waller, S. and Whitall, J. (accepted) Bilateral Arm Training Who Benefits and Why?
Journal of Neurorehabilitation.

Personal History

Sandy McCombe Waller PhD, PT, NCS is an Assist Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences. She graduated with her BS in PT from the University of Maryland in 1985, received her Masters of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins University in 1991, and completed her Doctoral Training in Physical Rehabilitation Science at UMB in 2004 in the area of Neuromotor Control. She is also board certified as a Neurologic Clinical Specialist. Dr. McCombe Waller has over 20 years teaching the clinical neurology content in the physical therapy program and joined the faculty full time in 1994. From 2003 until 2007 she served as Director of the Entry-level Physical Therapy Program. Her current focus includes ongoing teaching in the entry-level program, mentoring of doctoral students and research in the area of neuromotor control.

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