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Dr Ruth Turk GradDipPhys, MSc, PhD

Lecturer / Clinical Academic Lecturer Intern

Dr Ruth Turk's photo

Dr Ruth Turk is a Lecturer within Health Sciences, University of Southampton and Deputy Programme Lead for the MPhil/PhD programme. Ruth’s clinical and published expertise is in neurological rehabilitation, specifically the use of technologies for clinically applicable assessment tools and rehabilitation interventions, and the mechanisms of sensory-motor recovery following stroke.

Wearable sensors can provide information about amount and quality of arm movement, giving feedback to patients and providing them with a powerful incentive to aid their recovery from stroke.

2012 to present - Lecturer in Physiotherapy in Health Sciences, with a special interest in neurological rehabilitation.

2003 - 2012 - Research Fellow including 2008 - 2011, Dunhill Medical Trust PhD Research Fellowship, Health Sciences, University of Southampton,

Projects included: Quantitative measures of arm impairment and functional activity post-stroke; the use of Assistive Technologies in Rehabilitation following Stroke; motivating mobility of the arm using interactive systems; Bion implanted FES system for post-stroke arm rehabilitation.

2004 - 2005 - Teaching Fellow, School of Health Professions and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Southampton

1998 - 2002, Senior Physiotherapist, Neurological and specialist Stroke service, Surrey and Borders NHS Trust

1994 - 1998, Physiotherapist and Management Advisor, Veterans International, Cambodia

1991 - 1994, Physiotherapist, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital

Research interests

Research in rehabilitation technologies for use as clinically applicable assessment tools and interventions.

The use of neuromechanical methods and signal processing to measure wrist sensory-motor control and identify mechanisms of upper limb recovery post-stroke.

Using qualitative methods to explore barriers to the use of technologies and the therapeutic assessment process in stroke rehabilitation.

Research group

Active Living for Health

Research theme

Active Living

PhD Supervision

I am currently supervising one PhD student undertaking a longitudinal study entitled ‘Prediction of upper limb recovery post-stroke using wrist motor impairments'.

MPhil/PhD Research

My PhD was entitled ‘Neuromechanical measurement of motor impairments in relation to upper limb activity limitations after stroke'.

Supervised by: Prof. Jane Burridge, Dr. David Simpson and Prof. Valerie Pomeroy.

Funded by: the Dunhill Medical Trust / British Geriatric Society

Research Projects

I am currently developing a grant proposal aimed at measuring upper limb movement in the home environment using body-worn sensors.

Recent Key Projects:

Quantitative measures of impairment and how they relate to function in the older adult post-stroke, Dunhill Trust / British Geriatric Society

Following a stroke many people have difficulty moving their arm and hand and this has a great impact on their independence and ability to perform everyday tasks. In this project we are identifying effective ways to measure this and examining how they relate to loss of function.

Development of an integrated service model incorporating innovative technology for the rehabilitation of the upper limb following stroke, (Assistive Technologies in Rehabilitation Following Stroke (ATRAS)

This programme of research sought to significantly improve rehabilitation of the hand and arm following a stroke by investigating the use of assistive technologies to maximise recovery of function.

Motivating Mobility: Interactive Systems to promote Physical Activity and Leisure for people with limited mobility

This multi-centre interdisciplinary project sought to explore how best to use novel arrangements of interactive and communication technologies for recovery of upper limb function post-stroke.

Our Theme: Active Living
Our Group: Active Living for Health

Research project(s)

Development and validation of a reliable instrumented version of Trunk Impairment Scale

Research into improving the assessment of how well someone can move their trunk after a stroke, with the use of wearable sensors.

Feasibility of trunk training post stroke using video games

Assessing muscle tone in patients with neurological conditions

This collaborative project with Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana is examining the robustness of the MyotonPRO device to measure muscle tone, and monitor effects of physiotherapy treatments in stroke and Parkinson’s disease patients in a clinical setting in Africa.

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Articles

Conferences

Module coordinator for neurology for the Principles of Physiotherapy Practice and Clinical Management modules for undergraduate and MSc pre reg. physiotherapy students.

Dr Ruth Turk
Health Sciences Student Office University of Southampton Highfield Southampton SO17 1BJ

Room Number: 67/4015

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