The Call for Abstracts will be open from March 30, 2026, through 11:59 PM (ET) on Monday, May 11, 2026.
All submitters will be notified of the review outcomes by Friday, July 31, 2026.
Please review this page and all associated resources in their entirety before completing your submission.

Abstract Submission Guidelines 

Purpose

APTA Pennsylvania supports and promotes research excellence in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, most notably by facilitating an opportunity for APTA Pennsylvania members to submit abstracts annually for consideration for presentation at the MovePA Annual Conference. The 2025 MovePA Annual Conference will be held at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, Harrisburg, PA on November. 6-7, 2026

Eligibility

To be eligible for consideration, the primary presenter MUST be both an APTA and APTA Pennsylvania member. The primary presenter is responsible for all communication to/from the Chapter and Practice & Research Committee, and for forwarding any communications to other researchers included in this study. If the primary presenter is a student, the responsible faculty member’s name and contact information must also be provided. All presenters must register for the MovePA 2026 conference.

Abstracts should have relevance and implications to physical therapy practice. Studies on non-clinical populations are acceptable, however the link to future work in clinical populations should be clear.

Proper format as listed below is required for abstract to be evaluated.
 

Conference Presentation Formats

  • Platform presentations are a 12-minute oral presentation using a PowerPoint presentation to a seated audience, followed by 3 minutes of question time, and will be moderated by a chairperson. Researchers whose study is accepted for a Platform presentation will be notified of the date and time for the presentations as soon as that information is finalized. Platform presentations will be held on both Friday and Saturday morning (around 8:00 AM) and researchers will be assigned to present during one of the scheduled times. Please disclose any conflicts at the time of submission.
  • Poster presentations are reports summarizing information using brief written statements and graphic materials, such as graphs, charts, figures and photographs mounted on a poster board. Authors will share their work during both days of the conference. Details on poster expectations, including dimensions, requirements, setup, and presentation times, will be communicated directly to selected abstract authors.

Preferred presentation format will be taken into consideration but is not guaranteed. Accepted proposals may be assigned a format other than your top preference.

Submission Types

  • Special Interest Study Reports are presentations of unique and innovative concepts, ideas, devices, or products developed to meet the special needs of physical therapy. Emphasis should be on the unique and innovative nature of the concept or idea presented. All reports must contain data or evaluative information either collected or developed by the author(s) that address the idea, concept, device, or product presented. Reports that are limited to a "proposed" idea, concept, device, or product are not appropriate for submission and will not be allowed for presentation. Abstracts should include the following sections: Purpose/Background, Methods/Design, Results/Outcomes, Conclusion/Clinical Relevance, and Citations/References. 

Tips for Preparing a Successful Abstract: Special Interest Study Report 
  • Case Study Reports include the application of physical therapy examination and interventions to improve patient outcomes.  The abstract should summarize the case and must demonstrate clinical significance to physical therapists.  Abstracts should include Purpose/Background, Methods/Design, Results/Outcomes, Conclusion/Clinical Relevance, and References.
Tips for Preparing a Successful Abstract: Case Study Reports
  • Research Study Reports are presentations of original scientific data collected by the author(s). Any established research format, both experimental and non-experimental designs, may be used. Scientific research requires the design of a study, collection of samples, measurement of variables, analysis of data, and presentation of the results. Abstracts should include the following sections: Background/Hypothesis/Purpose, Methods/Design, Research Outcomes, Conclusions/Clinical Relevance, and Citations and References.  Abstracts with data collection and analysis in progress at the time of the submission deadline will be considered for acceptance.  However, the abstract MUST include a detailed plan for data collection and analysis, statements of projected relevance to clinical practice or the field of study and a projected date for completion.  Research studies with data pending will be accepted with the contingency that all data collection and study analysis is completed by September 4, 2026.  An updated abstract must be forwarded to the Practice and Research Committee by September 8 for final review and approval/denial based on the final abstract submission.  Studies that are not completed by the September 4, 2026 deadline can be re-submitted in 2026 and will be given priority consideration. 
Tips for Preparing a Successful Abstract: Research Study Reports

Abstract Formatting

  • Abstract must be saved in a Word format (.doc or .docx).
  • The suggested word count of the abstract body is 500 words, not including the title, authors, and references.
  • Identifying information must be single-spaced and include:Indicate the category of your abstract submission (research, special interest, or case report) and the requested mode of presentation (platform, poster, or either) in the abstract footer.
    • Title, case-sensitive, please.
    • Name(s) of the author(s) with the presenter’s name underlined.
    • Email address of the presenter
    • Place where the work was completed.
    • Acknowledgement of any financial support for the work being presented.
    • Your preferred format will be considered but is not guaranteed. You may be assigned a different presentation format than requested.
  • Please save attachments under this naming convention: SUBMISSION TYPE_ Title of Report (Example: CASE STUDY_Example Study Title)
Download Abstract Template HERE.

Selection Criteria

Abstracts will be evaluated using the same criteria outlined in these Guidelines and in the “Tips for Preparing Successful Abstracts” document for your submission type. Guidelines and tip sheets provide guidance on how reviewers will score abstracts and what information should be included. These documents explain the criteria reviewers will use when evaluating submissions and provide helpful guidance for preparing a strong abstract. The quality and professionalism of the abstract will be considered in the scoring of submissions. 

You are also encouraged to download and use the report template associated with your submission type to ensure your abstract includes all required components and aligns with the evaluation criteria.

General Information

  • In keeping with APTA-Pennsylvania’s policy, honorariums, fees, or payment of expenses will not be provided for presenters. Conference registration for all presenters is required. Only individuals registering for the conference may receive continuing education credit for attending approved APTA PA educational sessions.
  • Abstracts should address the current evidence, where it exists, the need for further research and areas of controversy in the literature. Any reference to personal experience or hypotheses should be clearly labeled.
  • All presentations must adhere to the use of “people-first” language. A person must not be referred to by disability or condition, and terms that could be considered biasing or discriminatory in any way should be removed (e.g., “person with a stroke” instead of “stroke patients”).
  • Any source(s) of funding or support for the work being presented should be acknowledged.
  • Presenters are responsible for providing all copyright permissions and securing appropriate ethics review.
  • All decisions of the APTA PA Practice and Research Committee are final.

Review Process

All submitted abstracts will go through a blinded and peer-reviewed process completed by qualified abstract reviewers. Selection will be based on the abstract’s conformance to the above stated selection criteria and standards for acceptance. All applicants will be notified of the outcome no later than July 31, 2026. After a notification of acceptance, a contract and further details regarding the presentations will be provided.

Contact Information

Please address any specific questions to:

Mary Ann Wharton, Chair, APTA PA Practice and Research Committee

[email protected]

APTA Pennsylvania Chapter Office

412-871-3406; [email protected]