About us

This group aims to enable active living across the life span for healthy ageing, focussing on rehabilitation for people with musculoskeletal, neurological and respiratory conditions. Our interdisciplinary research involves close collaboration with colleagues in Engineering, Medicine, Primary Care, Psychology, and the Institute for Life Sciences.

Understanding the physiological and biomechanical mechanisms associated with normal and impaired function and recovery are key to achieving our objectives. Patient and public involvement (PPI) is central to all our research and ensures we continue to study what matters most to patients and our work translates to clinical practice.

Our three groups focus on:

• Active living technologies research (led by Maria Stokes) Programmes include movement screening and exercise programmes for joint health to prevent injury and osteoarthritis (led by Maria Stokes), foot and ankle research (led by Cathy Bowen) self-management (led by Jo Adams and Sara Demain), and communication and decision making (led by Lisa Roberts).
• Neurorehabilitation research (led by Jane Burridge) specialises in the development, evaluation and clinical application of novel approaches to rehabilitation therapies and technologies. Programmes include: balance, falls and mobility (led by Ann Ashburn); Maximising rehabilitation engagement (led by Sara Demain) and upper limb neurorehabilitation (led by Ann-Marie Hughes)
• Respiratory research (led by Anne Bruton) involves two programmes on: Nonpharmacological management (led by Anne Bruton) and lung imaging to understand structure and function (led by Joy Conway).

Allied Health Research Network

We engage actively in the Allied Health Research Network to support clinicians to take part in and utilise research in their practice.

Our group leads the Southern Central Hub of the Network promoting clinician led research.