About

Joy Goodwin grew up in rural Ohio and attended college in North Carolina. Her love of theater and film drew her to New York City, where she began her career in live TV production, rising through the ranks at ABC to write and direct sports documentaries. After publishing her book, The Second Mark, she became a theater critic and reporter, covering the New York stage for The New York Times, The New Yorker, and others. She later served as Head of Feature Film Development at Plum Pictures, co-producing six Sundance films and executive-producing a Fox Searchlight feature. As a screenwriter, she has received awards from the 2021 Writers Lab, 2021 Tribeca Film Festival, 2020 Film Independent Screenwriting Lab, 2020 Sloan Film Fund, and the 2019 Austin Film Festival. She wrote the feature MABEL for director Nicholas Ma, produced in 2023, and has developed screenplays with notable directors such as Debra Granik and Carl Franklin. Currently, she has a book in TV development with Skydance Media. Joy has held various jobs including corn farmer, Olympics reporter, hotel desk clerk in Italy, piano player, organizer for a cab drivers’ union, and modern dance critic. She has taught writing at several universities, including UNC, Hunter College, and Duke, and previously chaired MFA screenwriting programs at UNCSA and Western Colorado University. She is currently the Director of the Screenwriting Minor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where she is a Professor of the Practice.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Physical therapy
• Physical medicine and rehabilitation
• Anatomy
• Surgery
• Physics
• Structural engineering
• Orthodontics
• Engineering
• Geology

Selected publications

• Validation Testing of a New Crutch Tip Biofeedback Device for Prescribed Lower Extremity Weight-Bearing

  Journal of Acute Care Physical Therapy · 2023

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Medicine
  • Physical therapy
  • Physical medicine and rehabilitation

  Introduction: Modified weight-bearing recommendations are commonly prescribed after surgical intervention for injuries to the lower extremity to reduce the risk of nonunion and delayed healing associated with load bearing through the injured limb and to combat the deleterious effects of immobility. The physical therapist (PT) in the acute care setting is likely to instruct patients after lower extremity injury in weight-bearing-restricted ambulation. A new device is now available for use in the training of weight-bearing status. The study examines whether the ComeBack Mobility crutch tip reporting weight-bearing on the lower extremity is a reliable and valid tool in determining force when compared with the gold standard force plate measurement of lower extremity weight-bearing. Review of Literature: Previous studies have shown that patients are often not able to adequately learn or adhere to restrictive weight-bearing modifications. This may be due to an inability to provide immediate and ongoing feedback on weight-bearing. The new ComeBack Mobility crutch tip system is now available for the acute care PT to use in instruction and for patients to receive real-time feedback throughout their rehabilitation process. Subjects: A sample of convenience of 6 able-bodied PTs was used. Methods: Each subject performed 30 trials of axillary crutch-assisted weight-bearing ambulation using the new device. The weight-bearing reported by the device was compared with the weight-bearing measured through force plates via correlations, t tests, and Bland-Altman plot. Results: The new device demonstrated moderate-good reliability in the measurement of non-weight-bearing and 50% partial weight-bearing in trials completed. Discussion and Conclusion: The ComeBack Mobility crutch tip system could be useful and should be considered for clinical use as a reliable and valid tool in providing auditory feedback for compliance to a prescribed weight-bearing protocol. The system could be useful in the training of patients in the first use of crutches such as prior to discharge from an acute care hospital. Further research is needed with clinical populations as well as with varied weight-bearing protocols.

  PublisherDOI

• Associations Among Eccentric Hamstrings Strength, Hamstrings Stiffness, and Jump-Landing Biomechanics

  Journal of Athletic Training · 2020 · 27 citations

  • Medicine
  • Orthodontics
  • Physical medicine and rehabilitation

  CONTEXT: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk can be assessed from landing biomechanics. Greater hamstrings stiffness is associated with a landing-biomechanics profile consistent with less ACL loading but is difficult to assess in the clinical setting. Eccentric hamstrings strength can be easily evaluated by clinicians and may provide a surrogate measure for hamstrings stiffness. OBJECTIVE: To examine associations among eccentric hamstrings strength, hamstrings stiffness, and landing biomechanics linked to ACL injury risk. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Research laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A total of 34 uninjured, physically active participants (22 women, 12 men; age = 20.2 ± 1.6 years, height = 171.5 ± 9.7 cm, mass = 67.1 ± 12.7 kg). INTERVENTION(S): We collected eccentric hamstrings strength, active hamstrings stiffness, and double- and single-legged landing biomechanics during a single session. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Bivariate associations were conducted between eccentric hamstrings strength and hamstrings stiffness, vertical ground reaction force, internal knee-extension moment, internal knee-varus moment, anterior tibial shear force, knee sagittal-plane angle at initial ground contact, peak knee-flexion angle, knee frontal-plane angle at initial ground contact, peak knee-valgus angle, and knee-flexion displacement using Pearson product moment correlations or Spearman rank-order correlations. RESULTS: We observed no association between hamstrings stiffness and eccentric hamstrings strength (r = 0.029, P = .44). We also found no association between hamstrings stiffness and landing biomechanics. However, greater peak eccentric strength was associated with less vertical ground reaction force in both the double-legged (r = -0.331, P = .03) and single-legged (r = -0.418, P = .01) landing conditions and with less internal knee-varus moment in the single-legged landing condition (r = -0.326, P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: Eccentric hamstrings strength was associated with less vertical ground reaction force during both landing tasks and less internal knee-varus moment during the single-legged landing but was not an acceptable clinical estimate of active hamstrings stiffness.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Gait Biomechanics Linked To Post-traumatic Osteoarthritis Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Are Improved With Vibration

  Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · 2020-07-01

  article

  PURPOSE: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) incurs a high risk of post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis (PTOA). Aberrant gait biomechanics contribute to PTOA and are attributable in part to quadriceps dysfunction. Vibration improves quadriceps function following ACLR, but its effects on gait biomechanics are unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of whole body vibration (WBV) and local muscle vibration (LMV) on gait biomechanics in individuals with ACLR. METHODS: 75 volunteers with primary unilateral ACLR (72% females; age 21 ± 3 yr; time since ACLR 27 ± 16 mo) were randomized to WBV, LMV, or Control interventions. WBV and LMV were applied 6 x 1 minute (30Hz, 2g). Walking biomechanics were assessed prior to and following the interventions. Outcomes included the peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) and its loading rate, peak internal knee extension and valgus moments, and peak knee flexion and varus angles during the first 50% of stance. vGRF magnitude and rate were normalized to body weight (BW) and moments were normalized as % body weight∗height (%BW∗Ht). ACLR limb change scores (post-pre) for each outcome were compared across groups via one-way ANCOVA controlling for gait speed, time since ACLR, and baseline values. RESULTS: Change scores did not differ across groups for peak knee flexion (p = 0.374) or varus (p = 0.801) angles, vGRF (p = 0.656), or internal valgus moment (p = 0.866). However, changes in vGRF loading rate differed across groups (p = 0.024), with a significant decrease in the LMV group (-3.6 BW/s) that was greater than the changes in the WBV (-0.3 BW/s; p = 0.035) and Control (0.5 BW/s; p = 0.010) groups. Additionally, the change in peak internal extension moment differed across groups (p = 0.016), with a significant increase in the WBV group (0.27 %BW∗Ht) that was greater than the change in the Control group (-0.17 %BW∗Ht; p = 0.005) but not the LMV group (0.01 %BW∗Ht; p = 0.101). CONCLUSIONS: Lower knee extension moments and greater loading rates during gait have been linked to declines in joint health following ACLR. WBV acutely increased the peak knee extension moment and LMV decreased loading rates. These data suggest that vibration has the potential to mitigate aberrant gait biomechanics, and may represent an effective approach for mitigating PTOA risk following ACLR.

  PublisherDOI

• Vibration improves gait biomechanics linked to posttraumatic knee osteoarthritis following anterior cruciate ligament injury

  Journal of Orthopaedic Research® · 2020 · 19 citations

  • Medicine
  • Physical medicine and rehabilitation
  • Physical therapy

  Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) incurs a high risk of posttraumatic knee osteoarthritis (PTOA). Aberrant gait biomechanics contribute to PTOA and are attributable in part to quadriceps dysfunction. Vibration improves quadriceps function following ACLR, but its effects on gait biomechanics are unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) and local muscle vibration (LMV) on gait biomechanics in individuals with ACLR. Seventy-five volunteers (time since ACLR 27 ± 16 months) were randomized to WBV, LMV, or Control interventions. Walking biomechanics were assessed prior to and following a single exposure to the interventions. Outcomes included pre-post change scores in the ACLR limb for the peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) and its loading rate, peak internal knee extension (KEM) and abduction moments, and peak knee flexion and varus angles. LMV produced a significant decrease in the vGRF loading rate (-3.6 BW/s) that was greater than the changes in the WBV (-0.3 BW/s) and Control (0.5 BW/s) groups. Additionally, WBV produced an increase in the peak KEM (0.27% BW × Ht) that was greater than the change in the Control group (-0.17% BW × Ht) but not the LMV group (0.01% BW × Ht). Lower KEM and greater loading rates have been linked to declines in joint health following ACLR. WBV acutely increased the peak KEM and LMV decreased loading rates. These data suggest that vibration has the potential to mitigate aberrant gait biomechanics, and may represent an effective approach for reducing PTOA risk following ACLR.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• PSU24 DEVELOPMENT OF COMORBIDITY SCORE FOR PATIENTS UNDERGOING MAJOR SURGERY

  Value in Health · 2020-05-01

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Effects of a knee valgus unloader brace on medial femoral articular cartilage deformation following walking in varus-aligned individuals

  The Knee · 2019-07-21 · 5 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• NEUROMECHANICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO LOWER EXTREMITY STIFFNESS DURING RUNNING AND HOPPING IN HEALTHY RUNNERS

  Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) · 2019-08-08

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Lower extremity stiffness (KLeg) describes how subjects attenuate load during ground contact while completing dynamic tasks. Alterations in KLeg are associated with increased risk for lower extremity injury. Previous data suggests that lesser mobility during a clinical exam is associated with greater KLeg in healthy runners. The purpose of our study was to analyze the neuromechanical contributions to KLeg during running and hopping in healthy runners. Additionally we analyzed the relationship between running and hopping while also examining the feasibility of utilizing a waist-mounted accelerometer to estimate KLeg in a clinical setting. We analyzed 70 healthy runners with a 2 session cross-sectional study. We collected musculotendinous stiffness of the ankle plantarflexors and knee extensors in session 1. In session 2, we collected KLeg during self-selected running as well as single leg hopping at 3 frequencies (1.5 Hz, self-selected, 3.0 Hz). We also collected waist-mounted accelerations as well as muscle activation of the ankle plantarflexors and knee extensors. We found that at self-selected frequencies and higher, greater KLeg during single leg hopping is significantly associated with greater ankle plantarflexor musculotendinous stiffness, greater ankle plantarflexor muscle activation and greater hopping frequency. Greater KLeg during running is significantly associated with greater knee extensor musculotendinous stiffness, lesser hip internal range of motion and greater running velocity. We found that subjects who demonstrated greater KLeg during single leg hopping also demonstrated greater KLeg during running however this significant relationship was only minimal. Finally, our waist-mounted accelerometer significantly overestimated KLeg across all hopping frequencies. Out study found that active muscle contraction and greater musculotendinous stiffness of the ankle plantflexors and knee extensors are associated with greater KLeg during hopping and running, respectively. These may serve as rehabilitative targets to alter KLeg in the clinical setting. Additionally, assessing KLeg via hopping and with a waist-mounted accelerometer does not accurately reflect KLeg during running determine via motion capture. Additional studies should be completed to improve the clinical assessment of KLeg to reduce the occurrence of lower extremity injuries.

  PublisherDOI

• Somatosensory Function Influences Aberrant Gait Biomechanics Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

  Journal of Orthopaedic Research® · 2019-10-14 · 20 citations

  articleOpen access

  Osteoarthritis is common following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ALCR), and aberrant gait biomechanics are considered a primary contributor. Somatosensory dysfunction potentially alters gait biomechanics, but this association is unclear. Therefore, the purposes of this investigation were to compare somatosensory function between limbs and evaluate associations between somatosensory function and gait biomechanics linked to osteoarthritis development in individuals with ALCR. Seventy-three volunteers with ALCR participated. Gait biomechanics (peak vertical ground reaction force magnitude and loading rate, peak internal knee extension and valgus moments, peak knee flexion and varus angles, and quadriceps/hamstrings co-activation) were assessed as subjects walked at their preferred speed. The somatosensory function was assessed via joint position sense error (knee flexion) and vibratory perception threshold (femoral epicondyles, malleoli, and first metatarsal). Though somatosensory function did not differ between the ACLR and contralateral limbs, poorer joint position sense in the ACLR limb was associated with lower loading rates and internal knee extension moments, and greater co-activation. Poorer vibratory perception at the medial and lateral malleoli and first metatarsal head in the ACLR limb was associated with lower loading rates, greater internal knee valgus moments and varus angles, and greater co-activation. Poorer vibratory perception at the medial malleolus and first metatarsal head in the contralateral limb was associated with greater peak knee varus angles and internal knee valgus moments. These results suggest that future research evaluating rehabilitation approaches for improving somatosensory function is warranted as a potential approach for restoring normal gait biomechanics and reducing osteoarthritis risk. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 38:620-628, 2020.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Vibratory stimuli improve gait biomechanics linked to post-traumatic osteoarthritis in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

  Osteoarthritis and Cartilage · 2019-04-01

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Co-activation during gait following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

  Clinical Biomechanics · 2019-05-09 · 42 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• J. Troy Blackburn

  Center for Health, Exercise and Sport Sciences

  13 shared

• Brian Pietrosimone

  Duke University

  11 shared

• Chris Johnston

  10 shared

• Jeffrey T. Spang

  6 shared

• Derek R. Dewig

  Fairmont State University

  4 shared

• Vladimir Kushnir

  3 shared

• Paul R. Tarnasky

  Methodist Dallas Medical Center

  2 shared

• Riad R. Azar

  Jefferson College

  2 shared

Awards & honors

• 2021 Writers Lab Award
• 2021 Tribeca Film Festival Award
• 2020 Film Independent Screenwriting Lab Award
• 2020 Sloan Film Fund Award
• 2019 Austin Film Festival Award