Baxter Laboratory

Welcome to Baxter Lab HQ

The Baxter Lab is bridging the gap between preclinical animal models and patient-centered clinical research to optimize treatment solutions for musculoskeletal injuries. Our primary research interest is improving rehabilitative care for Achilles tendon injuries. Whether patients suffer an acute tendon injury like a rupture or chronic tendon pain like tendinopathy, current treatments are limited to load management and surgical treatment. Our research leverages 2 conceptual frameworks: 1) small animal models to directly determine the effects of different rehabilitation loading types on tendon healing and 2) longitudinal patient studies to identify tendon loading profiles that explain optimal outcomes. By performing these studies at the same time, we hope to accelerate fundamental discoveries into patient care. Most importantly, optimizing rehabilitation loading will have immediate impact on patient care because it is the only treatment option for non-surgical tendon injuries that is reimbursed by most health insurers in the US. Our research is currently funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society.  

Back to Top