Kellee Harper-Hanigan
PT, DPT, PhD
Kellee Harper-Hanigan, PT, DPT, PhD is a Board-Certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist, founding DPT program director, and PhD-trained epidemiologist whose research explores running-related injury risk through the lens of biomechanics and workload modeling. Her work on non-running physical activity (NRPA) highlights overlooked risk factors that impact clinical decision-making. She is passionate about translating complex data into clear, evidence-informed strategies physical therapists can use to assess, prevent, and manage injury in runners.
Full Bio
Kellee Harper-Hanigan, PT, DPT, PhD is a physical therapist, board-certified geriatric clinical specialist, and the Director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Lincoln Memorial University. She brings a unique blend of clinical, academic, and research expertise to the study and teaching of running-related injury prevention. With a professional background that spans both patient care and institutional leadership, Dr. Harper-Hanigan is especially known for her ability to bridge rigorous data analysis with real-world clinical application.
She earned her PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Indiana University Bloomington, with a doctoral minor in Human Performance (Biomechanics). Her research career began with a focus on musculoskeletal overuse injuries, where she applied epidemiological models to better understand the cumulative and often hidden contributions of non-running physical activity (NRPA) to injury risk in runners. This line of inquiry was developed in collaboration with biomechanist Dr. Allison Gruber, and most recently presented at the 30th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Biomechanics. By combining biomechanical insights with statistical modeling, she hopes to provide clinicians with frameworks to make data-informed decisions about training adjustments and return-to-run strategies.
In addition to her research, Dr. Harper-Hanigan is an experienced educator and national consultant on DPT program assessment and faculty development. She currently serves on the board of directors for ACAPT and is especially passionate about evidence translation through helping physical therapists not just understand the latest research, but actually use it. Her teaching emphasizes critical thinking, data interpretation, and the ability to challenge assumptions with evidence. She believes that all clinicians can play a key role in reducing injury burden by asking better questions, evaluating broader risk factors, and applying structured reasoning.
