Education

Dr. O’Dell received both her B.A. in Biology and M.S. in Physical Therapy from the University of Indianapolis in the late 1990s.  She practiced clinically with an emphasis on neurologic rehabilitation for 10 years and then completed her Doctor of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Maryland – Baltimore in 2009.  Dr. O’Dell is a Board-Certified Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy. 

Research/Scholarship

• Virtual Reality
• Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation
• Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation & Prognosis
• Clinical Practice within the University of Kentucky’s ALS Clinic

Educational Focus

• Neurological Management
• Professional and Psychosocial Aspects of Rehabilitation

Publications

Smith AC, O'Dell DR, Thornton WA, Dungan D, Robinson E, Thaker A, Gisbert R, Weber KA, Berliner JC, Albin SR. Spinal cord tissue bridges validation study: predictive relationships with sensory scores following cervical spinal cord injury. Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil. Spring 2022; 28(2): 111-115.

Smith AC, O'Dell DR, Albin SR, Berliner JC, Dungan D, Robinson E, Elliott JM, Carballido-Gamio J, Stevens-Lapsley JS, Weber KA.  Lateral corticospinal tract and dorsal column damage: predictive relationships with motor and sensory scores at discharge from acute rehabilitation after spinal cord injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2022. Jan;103(1):62-68.

Smith AC, Albin SR, O’Dell DR, Berliner J, Dungan D, Sevigny M, Draganich C, Elliott JM, Weber KA. Axial MRI biomarkers of spinal cord damage to predict future walking and motor function: A retrospective study. Spinal Cord. 2021. 59: 693-699. 

O’Dell DR, Weber KA, Berliner JC, Connor JR, Cummins DP, Heller KA, Hubert JS, Kates MJ, Mendoza KR, Elliott JM, Smith AC. Midsagittal tissue bridges are associated with walking ability in incomplete spinal cord injury: a magnetic resonance imaging case series. J Spinal Cord Med. 2020. 43(2): 268-271.

Hays K, Tefertiller C, Ketchum J, Sevigny M, O’Dell DR, Natale A, Eagye CB, Harrison-Felix C. Balance in chronic traumatic brain injury: correlations between clinical measures and a self-report measure. Brain Inj. 2019. 33 (4): 435-441.

Cummins DP, Connor JR, Heller KA, Hubert JS, Kates MJ, Wisniewski KR, Berliner JC, O’Dell DR, Elliott JM, Weber KA, Smith AC. Establishing the inter-rater reliability of spinal cord damage manual measurement using magnetic resonance imaging. Spinal Cord Ser Cases. 2019. 5:1-20.

Tefertiller C, Hays K, Natale A, O’Dell DR, Ketchum J, Sevigny M, Eagye CB, Philippus A, Harrison-Felix C. Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial to Address Balance Deficits after Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2019. 100(8).1409-1416.

Smith AC, Weber KA, O’Dell DR, Parrish TB, Wasielewski M, Elliott JM. Lateral corticospinal tract damage correlates with motor output in incomplete spinal cord injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2018. 99 (4):660-666.

O’Dell DR, Nolde-Lopez G. Physical Complications. In: The Essential Brain Injury Guide. Edition 5.0. 2016. USA: Brain Injury Assoc of America. 160-184. 

Cuthbert JP, Staniszewski K, Hays K, Gerber D, Natale A, & O’Dell DR. Virtual reality-based therapy for the treatment of balance deficits in patients receiving inpatient rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury. Brain Inj. 2014. 28(2): 181-88.