Cara L. Lewis, PT, PhD Hear my name
Professor
Boston University College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College
Physical Therapy

PhD, Washington University in St. Louis
MS, Washington University in St. Louis
BS, University of Notre Dame

Pronouns: she/her/hers



Cara L. Lewis, PT, PhD is a Professor and director of the Human Adaptation Laboratory. She is also the Director of the PhD Program in Rehabilitation Sciences. The long-term goal of her research is to improve the lives of individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain and prevent or slow the progression of musculoskeletal damage through improved knowledge of joint function, leading to advanced, targeted intervention strategies. Dr. Lewis' current focus is on treatment for hip pain, especially in adults with variant hip morphology, such as femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) and acetabular dysplasia. In the Human Adaptation Laboratory, they are working to better understand the role of movement in the development of hip bone shape and hip pain. The knowledge gained from Dr. Lewis' work has the potential to redirect treatment for people with FAIS and dysplasia by identifying pathology-specific movement patterns that could be targeted by non-invasive therapeutic interventions.

Dr. Lewis has been supported by the National Institutes of Health. She has published and presented her research nationally and internationally in biomechanics, physical therapy, and motor control forums.

Associate Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Medicine
Rheumatology

Member
Boston University
Arthritis & Autoimmune Diseases Research Center


Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research




Hip structure and function in young female athletes
06/11/2024 - 05/31/2028 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of Arthritis & Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases
5R01AR083148-02

The contributions of morphology and movement on hip joint contact stress in females with acetabular dysplasia
06/15/2025 - 06/14/2026 (Key Person / Mentor)
American Society of Biomechanics


ATHENA: Athlete Total Hip Evaluation: Normal or Arthritic
01/01/2025 - 12/31/2025 (PI)
Arthritis Foundation


Etiology of cam morphology in adolescent athletes
08/10/2020 - 06/30/2024 (PI)
Rheumatology Research Foundation


Movement screening and modification in individuals with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome
02/06/2018 - 02/28/2022 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of Arthritis & Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases
5R03AR072808-02

Effect of Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) on Hip Motion in Young Adults
12/23/2015 - 08/31/2019 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of Arthritis & Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases
5K23AR063235-05

Effect of Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) on Hip Motion in Young Adults
09/01/2013 - 08/31/2016 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of Arthritis & Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases
5K23AR063235-03

Sex-specific movement differences in young adults with and without hip pain
08/01/2012 - 07/31/2015 (PI)
NIH/National Institute of Arthritis & Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases
5R21AR061690-02

SBIR Phase II: Compliant Nonlinear Quasi-Passive Orthotic Joint
03/01/2012 - 08/29/2014 (Subcontract PI)
Adicep Technologies National Science Fdn
IIP-1152605

Boston University Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program KL2
05/01/2012 - 04/30/2014 (PI of Sub-Project / SP)
PI: David M. Center, MD
NIH/National Center for Health Research Resources
3KL2TR000158-05S1



Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs
2025 Hip structure and function in young female athletes 5R01AR083148-02
2024 Hip structure and function in young female athletes 1R01AR083148-01A1
2019 Movement screening and modification in individuals with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome 5R03AR072808-02
2018 Movement screening and modification in individuals with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome 1R03AR072808-01
2017 Effect of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) on hip motion in young adults 5K23AR063235-05 20
2016 Effect of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) on hip motion in young adults 3K23AR063235-03S1 20
2016 Effect of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) on hip motion in young adults 4K23AR063235-04 20
2015 Effect of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) on hip motion in young adults 5K23AR063235-03 20
2014 Effect of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) on hip motion in young adults 5K23AR063235-02 20
2013 Effect of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) on hip motion in young adults 1K23AR063235-01A1 20
Showing 10 of 14 results. Show All Results

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

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  1. Huang CH, Segal NA, Felson DT, Sherman DA, Lewis CL, Bacon KL, Lynch J, Lewis CE, Stefanik J. Effect of Knee Extensor Power on Knee Pain in Adults With or at Risk for Osteoarthritis: The Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study. J Rheumatol. 2025 Oct 15.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40953946; PMCID: PMC12443331; DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.2025-0621;
     
  2. Ahn N, Lewis CL, Kipp K. Joint-Specific Contributions to Vertical and Horizontal Center-of-Mass Velocity During a Sit-to-Stand Task Depend on Age. J Appl Biomech. 2025 Oct 01; 41(5):435-441. PMID: 40681168
     
  3. Patel JR, Grosklos M, Lewis CL, Di Stasi S. Effect of altered gluteus maximus strength on the magnitude and direction of hip joint contact forces during simulations of gait. PLoS One. 2025; 20(6):e0324451. PMID: 40549747; PMCID: PMC12184943; DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0324451;
     
  4. deMille P, Lewis CL, Nguyen JT, Brown AM, Hannafin JA, Chiaia T. Quality of Movement for Athletes 6 Months After ACL Reconstruction. Orthop J Sports Med. 2025 May; 13(5):23259671251324525. PMID: 40342355; PMCID: PMC12056337; DOI: 10.1177/23259671251324525;
     
  5. Sara LK, Felson DT, Tilley S, LaValley MP, Lewis CE, Lynch JA, Segal NA, Guermazi A, Roemer F, Stefanik JJ, Lewis CL. The relation of walking forces to structural damage in the knee: The Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2025 Jun; 33(6):745-752.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40222627; PMCID: PMC12148067; DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2025.04.007;
     
  6. Kratzer AL, Rao RP, Chang AH, Khuu A, Araújo VL, Santos TRT, Lewis CL. Increased ankle pushoff alters frontal-plane hip and knee mechanics. J Biomech. 2025 Apr; 183:112623. PMID: 40107188; PMCID: PMC12021298; DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112623;
     
  7. James KA, Neogi T, Felson DT, Corrigan P, Lewis CL, Davis IS, Bacon KL, Torner JC, Lewis CE, Nevitt MC, Stefanik JJ. Association of walking cadence to changes in knee pain and physical function: The multicenter osteoarthritis study. Osteoarthr Cartil Open. 2025 Mar; 7(1):100575.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39995587; PMCID: PMC11849617; DOI: 10.1016/j.ocarto.2025.100575;
     
  8. Kiapour AM, Mitchell C, Hosseinzadeh S, Emami A, Lewis CL, Warfield SK, Bixby S, Stracciolini A, Novais EN, Kim YJ. Association Between Hip Translation and Hip Rotation and Anatomy: A Pilot Quasi-static MRI Study. Orthop J Sports Med. 2024 Oct; 12(10):23259671241275662. PMID: 39380668; PMCID: PMC11459479; DOI: 10.1177/23259671241275662;
     
  9. Ahn N, Haischer MH, Lewis CL, Kipp K. Relative muscular effort in the older adults during the sit-to-stand task: Monitoring neuromuscular reserve and movement limitations. Clin Biomech (Bristol). 2024 Dec; 120:106360. PMID: 39406131
     
  10. Rao RP, Sara LK, Perkins ZE, Dwyer MK, Lewis CL. Females with hip pain walk with altered kinematics at peaks and throughout the gait cycle. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2024 Aug; 118:106314.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39111115; PMCID: PMC11837976; DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2024.106314;
     
Showing 10 of 95 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 95 publications over 19 distinct years, with a maximum of 12 publications in 2019

YearPublications
20061
20071
20082
20095
20104
20111
20122
20144
20156
20167
20174
20183
201912
20206
20216
20228
202310
20246
20257

Contact for Mentoring:

635 Commonwealth Ave
Boston MA 02215
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