Overview
Dr. Cook is a clinical researcher, physical therapist, and profession advocate with a long-term history of clinical care excellence and service. His passions include refining and improving the patient examination process and validating tools used in day-to-day physical therapist practice. Dr. Cook has authored or co-authored 4 textbooks, has published over 450 peer reviewed manuscripts and lectures internationally on orthopedic examination and treatment.
Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations
Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery
·
2016 - Present
Orthopaedic Surgery, Physical Therapy,
Orthopaedic Surgery
Professor in Population Health Sciences
·
2020 - Present
Population Health Sciences,
Basic Science Departments
Member in the Duke Clinical Research Institute
·
2016 - Present
Duke Clinical Research Institute,
Institutes and Centers
Recent Scholarly Works
Manual therapy treatment mechanisms are complex: Challenges and a call to action.
Journal article Complement Ther Med · September 2026 Treatment mechanisms reflect the underlying processes or pathways through which a treatment or intervention produces its effects on an outcome. For force-based manipulations (which include manual therapies), treatment mechanisms have been measured in multi ... Full text Link to item CiteWhy are treatment effects so small in musculoskeletal interventions? Part II: variability in clinical translation.
Journal article J Man Manip Ther · August 2026 Full text Link to item CiteWhy are treatment effects so small in musculoskeletal interventions? Part I: methodological and measurement considerations.
Journal article J Man Manip Ther · August 2026 Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Navigator-Assisted Non-Pharmacologic Pain Relief for Veterans with Back Pain
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute · 2026 - 2031Force-Based Manipulations Research Network
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by University of Alabama at Birmingham · 2022 - 2027Outcomes of Faculty Residencies: A multi-site mixed-methods investigation of key interested parties
ResearchConsultant · Awarded by Foundation for Physical Therapy · 2025 - 2026View All Grants
Education
Texas Tech University of Health Science, School of Nursing ·
2003
Ph.D.
Maryville College ·
1990
B.S.