Cara L. Lewis, PT, PhD

Professor, Boston University College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College

Biography

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.

Publications

  • Published 12/9/2025

    Patel JR, Grosklos M, Lewis CL, Di Stasi S. Correction: Effect of altered gluteus maximus strength on the magnitude and direction of hip joint contact forces during simulations of gait. PLoS One. 2025; 20(12):e0338414. PMID: 41364629.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 12/1/2025

    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 Dec 01; 52(12):1281-1287. PMID: 40953946.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 11/21/2025

    Corrigan P, Lewis CL, Costello KE, Kumar D, Felson DT, Neogi T, Bacon KL, LaValley MP, Guermazi A, Roemer F, Nevitt MC, Lewis CE, Torner JC, Stefanik JJ. Relation of vertical ground reaction forces while walking to contralateral structural worsening in adults with unilateral knee osteoarthritis: the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study. Clin Biomech (Bristol). 2026 Feb; 132:106718. PMID: 41352273.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 11/19/2025

    Sara LK, Felson DT, LaValley MP, Stefanik JJ, Lewis CL. Response to letter to the editor regarding 'The relation of walking forces to structural damage in the knee: The Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study'. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2026 Jan; 34(1):182-183. PMID: 41265825.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 11/14/2025

    Grosklos M, Patel JR, Lewis CL, Fernandes S, Di Stasi S. Iliopsoas strengthening increases hip joint forces during gait: A simulation study. J Biomech. 2026 Jan; 194:113076. PMID: 41252918.

    Read at: PubMed

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Other Positions

  • Associate Professor, Medicine
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  • Member, Arthritis & Autoimmune Diseases Research Center
    Boston University
  • Member, Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research
    Boston University

Websites

Education

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

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