POTSDAM — Leslie Russek, professor emeritus of physical therapy at Clarkson University, has been appointed to two influential international leadership roles with the Ehlers-Danlos Society.
In these roles, she will help shape global research priorities, clinical standards and professional education for Ehlers-Danlos syndromes and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders.
Russek will work to strengthen collaboration among clinicians and researchers, expand evidence-based care and accelerate the translation of research into clinical practice, particularly within allied health professions, such as physical and occupational therapy.
She was appointed to the Ehlers-Danlos Society’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Board, an international body that provides expert medical, scientific and strategic guidance. As a member, she will represent allied health professionals and contribute to consensus-based decisions on research priorities, clinical guidelines and educational initiatives.
She was also named chair of the Society’s International Consortium Allied Health Professional Working Group, a global team representing the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and Australia. In that role, she will lead efforts to improve coordination, productivity and research development across disciplines.
Russek is internationally recognized as a leading allied health researcher and educator in hypermobility and chronic pain. An orthopedic certified specialist, she has focused on hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome since the 1990s and has published extensively in the field. She is frequently invited to speak nationally and internationally to patient groups, allied health providers and physicians.
“The Ehlers-Danlos Society plays a critical role in advancing understanding and care for a condition that remains widely misunderstood,” Russek said in a press release. “I believe I can help bring new ideas that facilitate research collaboration, mentorship and the transfer of knowledge to clinicians.”
Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are connective tissue disorders that often involve joint hypermobility but can affect multiple systems throughout the body. While long considered rare, hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and related disorders may affect an estimated 1-3% of the population and are frequently underdiagnosed.
Both appointments are three-year terms. The Medical and Scientific Advisory Board meets twice annually, with the next meeting scheduled in England. The Allied Health Professional Working Group meets four times per year using multiple sessions to accommodate global time zones.
Although retired from university teaching and clinical practice, Russek remains active in research, writing and professional education. She co-facilitates the Allied Health Professionals ECHO series for Ehlers-Danlos in North America, co-teaches the EDS Finding Functional Foundations program and contributes to several additional EDS educational initiatives.
More information and free educational resources are available at webspace.clarkson.edu/~lrussek/.