Department of Physical Therapy

Mitchell Batavia

Associate Professor of Physical Therapy

Mitchell Batavia

Phone: 212-998-9400
Email:

Dr. Mitchell Batavia, Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at New York University, followed up his BS in Physical Therapy from the University of Delaware with an MA in Motor Learning from Columbia University's Teacher's College and a PhD in Pathokinesiology and Physical Therapy from New York University. He also earned a diploma in 1987 for completing the professional training program in the Feldenkrais Method (Toronto).

Dr. Batavia is a prolific researcher who has published a number of journal articles, abstracts, books, and texts. His books include 1998's The Wheelchair Evaluation: A Practical Guide (2004 Korean Translation) and 2001's Clinical Research for Health Professionals: A User-Friendly Guide both from Butterworth Heinemann, and most recently, Contraindications in Physical Rehabilitation: Doing No Harm (2006, Elsevier Pub). In Spring 2002, Dr. Batavia received the prestigious Goddard Award to fund his research on testing functional rotation abilities in non-disabled adults and in persons with Parkinson's disease. In addition to his teaching responsibilities and research, Dr. Batavia serves as a manuscript reviewer for the Neurology Section of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Dr. Batavia’s areas of expertise include assessment of touch and pressure, motor control, and seating and positioning.


Degrees Held

  • Ph.D New York University 1997
    Pathokinesiology
  • M.A. Columbia University 1986
    Motor Learning
  • B.S. University of Delaware 1981
    Physical Therapy

Awards

  • 2005 : DeWitt Wallace Reader's Digest Fellow - New York University Medical Center - Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine
  • 2005 : N.I.D.R.R. Traineeship for Physical Therapy Clinical Research Doctoral Studies
  • 2005 : New York University Arch Award
  • 2005 : Robert Salant Post Doctoral Fellow
  • 2005 : Goddard Award
  • 2005 : AcademicKeys Who's Who in Education
  • 2004 : Marquis Who's Who in America
  • 2006 : Marquis Who's Who in American Education

Publications

  • Batavia M, Gianutsos J, Ling W, Nelson AJ. The Effect of Circumferential Wrist Pressure on Reproduction Accuracy of Wrist Placement in Healthy Young and Elderly Adults. J Geront: Med Sci.1999;54A(4):M177-M183.
  • Batavia M, Batavia A.I. Pressure sore in a man with tetraplegia and a poorly fitting wheelchair: a case report with clinical and policy implications. Spinal Cord. 1999;37: 140-141.
  • McDonough AL, Chen FC, Batavia M. The effect of molded in-shoe orthotics on pressure distribution patterns on the foot. Phys Ther Case Reports. 1999;2(1):3-10.
  • Batavia AI, Batavia M. Disability, chronic conditions, and iatrogenic illness. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004;85(1):168-71
  • Batavia AI, Batavia M. Karaoke for quads: a new application of an old recreation with potential therapeutic benefits for people with disabilities. Disabil Rehabil. 2003;25(6):297-300.
  • Gianutsos JG, Cohen JM, Batavia M. Test-retest reliability in performance of persons with hemiparesis to track by means of compatibly-displayed myoelectric feedback derived from upper limb muscles. Percept Motor Skills. 2004;98(1):19-30.
  • Batavia M. Contraindications for therapeutic massage: do sources agree? J Bodywork Movement Ther. 2004; 8(1): 48-57
  • Batavia M. Contraindications for superficial heat and therapeutic ultrasound: do sources agree? Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004;85(6)
  • Sliwinski M, Sisto S, Batavia M, Chen B. A comparison of dynamic stability between total hip arthorplasty individuals and healthy older adults during walking. Gait Posture. 2004;19(2):141-7
  • Batavia M, Gianutsos JG.Test-retest reliability of the seated Functional Rotation Test in people with Parkinson's disease: a preliminary study. Percept Mot Skills. 2004 Aug;99(1):259-70.
  • Batavia M, Gianutsos JG. Test retest reliability of the functional rotation test in healthy adults. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2003;96:185-196.
  • McDonough AL, Batavia M, Chen FC, Kwon S, Ziai J. The validity and reliability of the GAITRite system's measurements: a preliminary evaluation. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2001;82(3):419-25.
  • Batavia M, Batavia AI, Friedman R. Changing wheelchairs: anticipating problems in prescribing wheelchairs. Disabil Rehabil. 2001;23(12):539-548.
  • Batavia M, Gianutsos J, Vaccaro A, Gold JT. A do-it-yourself membrane-activated auditory feedback device for weight-bearing and gait training. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2001;82(4):541-545.
  • Batavia M., McDonough A.L. Demonstrating the stretch reflex; a mechanical model. Amer Bio Teacher. 200;62(7).
  • Batavia M. Contraindications in Physical Rehabilitation: Doing No Harm. St Louis MO: WB Saunders; 2006. (link)
  • Batavia M. Clinical Research for Health Professionals: A User-friendly Guide. Boston: Butterworth Heinemann, 2001 (link)
  • Batavia M. The Wheelchair Evaluation: A Practical Guide . Boston: Butterworth Heinemann, 1998 (Korean 2004) (link)