Narrative:
Dr. Swisher joined the faculty in 1994 and served as the Division's Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education until 1997, when she accepted a position as Graduate and Distance Education Coordinator. She teaches in the areas of cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy, acute care, pathophysiology, and exercise physiology. She was certified as a Cardiopulmonary Clinical Specialist by the APTA in 2001.

Education & Credentials:

• Ph.D. - Exercise Science; West Virginia University, 2003
• CCS Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Clinical Specialist; American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties, 2001
• MS - Exercise Physiology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1993
• BS - Physical Therapy; West Virginia University 1988

Research:
Dr. Swisher’s research focuses on the influence of exercise in cardiopulmonary diseases. Specific projects include:

• Effect of individualized physical activity recommendations on adherence to exercise and quality of life in children with cystic fibrosis
• Barriers and facilitators of physical activity in adolescents with cystic fibrosis
• Effects of partial body weight support on treadmill walking time in persons with claudication

Representative Scholarship:

• Swisher AK, Yeater R. Cardiomyopathy: Classification, medical management and exercise. Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Journal Vol 11(1):31-37. 2000.
• Swisher AK, Mandich MB. The use of distance education for a bachelor’s degree to master’s degree transitional program in physical therapy. Journal of Allied Health 31(4):217-221, 2002.
• Swisher AK, Yeater R, Moffett K, Baer L, Stanton B. A comparison of methods to determine body fat in individuals with cystic fibrosis: A pilot study. Journal of Exercise Physiology Online 6(2):105-114, 2003.
• Swisher AK, Alway SE, Yeater R. Capillary-to-fiber ratio of hind limb muscles in the male Syrian golden hamster. The Anatomical Record 277A(2):272-274, 2004.
• Swisher AK, Baer L, Moffett K, Yeater R. The Influence of Lean Body Mass and Leg Muscle Strength on 6-Minute Walk Test Performance in Children with Cystic Fibrosis. Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Journal16(3):5-9, 2005.
• Swisher AK, Moffett K, Baer L. The impact of cystic fibrosis on recovery from orthopedic trauma: a case study. J Cystic Fibrosis 4(4):263-5, 2005
• Swisher AK, Alway SE, Yeater R. The effect of exercise on peripheral muscle in emphysema: A preliminary investigation. COPD: Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 3(1):9-15, 2006
• Swisher AK Not just a lung disease: Peripheral muscle abnormalities in cystic fibrosis and the role of exercise to address them. Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy 17(1):10-15, 2006.
• Swisher AK, Baer L, Bonner D, Moffett K. Effect of habitual activity, lung function, and nutritional measurements on 3-minute step test performance in children with cystic fibrosis. Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Journal 18(1):15-20, 2007.
• Degans H, Swisher AK, Heijdra YF, Sui PM, Dekhuijzen PNR, Alway SE. Apoptosis and Id2 expression in diaphragm and soleus muscle from the emphysematous hamster. Am J Physiol 293:R135-R144, 2007

Grant Funded Projects:

• Swisher AK, Moffett K, Baer L, Yeater R. Predictors of 6-Minute Walk Performance in Children with Cystic Fibrosis. $1000 total funding from the Cardiopulmonary Section, APTA. Awarded February 1999
• Swisher AK. A Comparison of Home-Based vs. Supervised Strength Training on Quality of Life and Functional Measures in COPD. $1000 from the Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Section, APTA. Awarded June 2000. Also supported by Hygenic Corporation (in kind materials).
• Swisher AK, Erickson ME. Identification of Barriers and Facilitators to Exercise in Adolescents with Cystic Fibrosis. Funded for $2000 Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Section Research Grant, 2006
• Anne K. Swisher, Kathryn Moffett. Effect of individualized physical activity assessment and recommendations on improving physical activity levels and quality of life in children with cystic fibrosis. Funded by the WV chapter American Academy of Pediatrics, budget $6000, 2006.

Teaching:
Course coordinator:

• PT 724 Exercise Foundations
• PT 733 Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy
• PT 754 Clinical Sciences 4
• PT 797 PT Research (3 course sequence)
• PT 781 Advanced Topics: Cardiopulmonary PT
• PT 782 Advanced Topics: Integumentary PT
• PT 792 Directed Study

Clinical:
Exercise consultant to Mountain State Cystic Fibrosis Center at WVU. Cardiovascular and Pulmonary PT consultant to Care Partners Home Health and WVU Hospitals. Dr. Swisher also provides care through the Therapy Group Practice at WVU.

Service:
Associate Editor and Reviewer: Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy Journal
Chair of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Specialty Council, ABPTS
PT member, Education Committee, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation