Christine Pollard is OSU-Cascades' senior associate dean. She is the chief academic officer and second-in-command for the campus. A professor of kinesiology and the founding director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, she joined OSU-Cascades in 2011 to develop and lead the kinesiology program.

Pollard received a master of science degree in physical therapy from Pacific University in 1998 and a Ph.D. from University of Massachusetts in biomechanics in 2003. Pollard was a faculty member at University of Southern California’s top-ranked Doctor of Physical Therapy program and California State University Long Beach’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program before joining OSU-Cascades.

Pollard founded the FORCE biomechanics lab in 2013. Her research is dedicated to improving the scientific understanding of lower extremity injuries, and advancing injury-prevention and rehabilitation programs based on this knowledge. Her research is primarily focused in two areas: identifying biomechanical changes at the knee in individuals’ post-ACL reconstruction, and examining the influence of varying types of running footwear on running biomechanics.

Selected, Peer-Reviewed Publications

1. Chang E, Johnson ST, Pollard CD, Hoffman M, Norcross MF. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed females who pass or fail a functional test battery do not exhibit differences in knee joint landing biomechanics asymmetry before and after exercise.  Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc.  doi: 10.1007/s00167-019-05707-9. [Epub ahead of print]
    
2. Hannigan J and Pollard CD. Differences in running biomechanics between a maximal, traditional, and minimal running shoe.  J Sci Med Sport. 23(1):15-19. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2019.08.008, 2020.
    
3. Hannigan J and Pollard CD.  A 6-week transition to maximal running shoes does not change running biomechanics.  Am J Sports Med. 47(4):968-973. doi: 10.1177/0363546519826086, 2019.
         
4. Pollard CD, Ter Har J, Hannigan J, Norcross MF.  Influence of maximal running shoe mechanics prior to and following a 5K run.  Orthop J Sports Med. 7;6(6):2325967118775720. doi: 10.1177/2325967118775720, 2018.
    
5. Chang E, Johnson S, Pollard CD, Hoffman M, Norcross MF.  Landing biomechanics in anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed females who pass or fail a functional test battery. The Knee. 25(6):1074-1082, 2018.
    
6. Pollard CD, Norcross MF, Johnson ST, Stone AE, Chang E, Hoffman MA.  A biomechanical comparison of dominant and non-dominant limbs during a side-step cutting task.  Sports Biomech. 19:1-9. doi: 10.1080/14763141.2018.1461236, 2018.
    
7. Pollard CD, Sigward SM, Powers CM. ACL injury prevention training results in modification of hip and knee mechanics during a drop-landing task. Orthop J Sports Med.  Sep 8;5(9):2325967117726267. doi: 10.1177/2325967117726267, 2017.
    
8. Pollard CD, Stearns-Reider K, Katzel M, Landel RF. Knee biomechanics during side-step cutting and performance on return to sport tests: Retrospective analysis following anterior cruciate ligament re-injury. Int J Phys Med Rehabil.  5:4. doi: 10.4172/2329-9096.1000424, 2017.
    
9. Norcross MF, Johnson ST, Pollard CD, Chang EW, Hoffman MA. Normalization influences knee abduction moment results: Could it influence ACL-injury research too? J Sci Med Sport. Apr 20(4):318-321, 2017.
    
10. Cronin B, Johnson ST, Chang E, Pollard CD, Norcross MF.  Greater hip extension but not hip abduction explosive strength is associated with lesser hip adduction and knee valgus motion during a single-leg jump-cut. Orthop J Sports Med.
     
11. Pollard CD, Stearns KM, Hayes AT, Heiderscheit BC. Altered lower extremity movement variability in female soccer players during side-step cutting after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Am J Sports Med. 43:460-465, 2015.
     
12. Uglade V, Brockman C, Bailowitz Z, Pollard CD. Single leg squat and its relationship to dynamic knee valgus and injury risk screening.  PM R. 7:229-235, 2015. 
     
13. Stearns K, Pollard CD. Abnormal frontal plane knee mechanics during side-step cutting in female soccer athletes following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and return to sport. Am J Sports Med. 41:918-923, 2013.
     
14. Sigward SM, Pollard CD, Havens KL, Powers CM. The influence of sex and maturation on knee mechanics during side-step cutting. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 44:1497-1503, 2012. 
     
15. Lyle MA, Sigward SM, Pollard CD, Powers CM. Influence of maturation on instep biomechanics in female soccer athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc.
     
16. Loudon J, Popovich JM, Winder BR, Pollard CD, Kulig K. Dancers with Achilles tendinopathy demonstrate altered lower extremity take-off kinematics.  J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 41(8):606-613, 2011.
     
17. Sigward SM, Pollard CD, Powers CM. The influence of sex and maturation on landing biomechanics: Implications for ACL injury.  Scand J Med Sci Sports. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0838.2010.01254.x, 2011.
     
18. Sorenson SC, Arya S, Souza RB, Pollard CD, Salem GJ. Kulig K. Knee extensor dynamics in the volleyball approach jump: the influence of patellar tendinopathy. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 40:568-576, 2010.
     
19. Souza RB, Arya S, Pollard CD, Salem GJ, Kulig K. Patellar tendinopathy alters the distribution of lower extremity net joint moments during hopping. J Appl Biomech. 26:249-255, 2010.
     
20. Pollard CD, Sigward SM, Powers CM. Limited hip and knee flexion during landing is associated with increased frontal plane knee motion and moments. Clin Biomech. 25:142-146, 2010.
     
21. Tsai L-C, Sigward SM, Pollard CD, Fletcher MJ, Powers CM. The effects of fatigue and recovery on knee kinetics and kinematics during side-step cutting. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 41:1952-1957, 2009.
     
22. Farrokhi S, Pollard CD, Souza R, Chen Y, Reischl S, Powers CM. Trunk position influences the kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activity of the lead lower extremity during the forward lunge exercise. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 38:403-409, 2008.
     
23. Pollard CD, Sigward SM, Powers CM. Gender differences in hip joint kinematics and kinetics during a side-step cutting maneuver. Clin J Sports Med. 17:38-42, 2007.
     
24. Pollard CD, Braun B, Hamill J. Influence of gender, estrogen and exercise on anterior knee laxity. Clin Biomech. 21:1060-1066, 2006.
     
25. Pollard CD, Sigward SM, Pelley K, Ota S, Powers CM. The influence of in-season injury prevention training on lower extremity kinematics during landing in female soccer players. Clin J Sports Med. 16:223-227, 2006.
     
26. Milner CE, Ferber R, Pollard CD, Hamill J, Davis IS. Biomechanical factors associated with tibial stress fractures in female runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 38:323-328, 2006.
     
27. Pollard CD, Heiderscheit BC, Van Emmerik REA, Hamill J. Gender differences in lower extremity coupling variability during an unanticipated cutting maneuver. J Appl Biomech. 21:143-152, 2005.
     
28. Pollard CD, Davis I, Hamill J. Influence of gender on hip and knee mechanics during a randomly cued cutting maneuver. Clin Biomech. 19:1022-1031, 2004.

Book Chapters

Pollard CD and Sigward SM. Proximal Risk Factors for ACL Injury: Role of the Hip. In: Noyes FR and Barber-Westin SD eds. ACL Injuries in   the Female Athlete. Causes, Impacts, and Conditioning Programs. Springer-Verlag, 2012.

Powers CM, Pollard CD, Sigward SM. Effect of Prevention Programs on Performance. In: Hewett TE, Griffin LY, Mandelbaum BR, Schultz SJ eds. Understanding and Preventing Non-Contact ACL Injury. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2007.