RESEARCH UPDATE
Scotland‑ New Scotland Collaborative Meeting
Scotland - New Scotland Initiative
The Scotland-New Scotland Panel (from left) Gregor Smith, Cheryl Kozey, Stewart Mercer, Renee Lyons and John Gillies. (Jacquie Gahagan photo)
Dr. Cheryl Kozey in her role as Associate Dean Research hosted the first meeting of the newly formed Scotland-New Scotland Initiative in late September, which grew out of previous discussions in Scotland with members from Dalhousie University and the Nova Scotia Health Authority. The goal of this inaugural meeting was to share knowledge about the organisation of primary care services and ongoing changes and challenges in both jurisdictions. These discussions are pertinent to the physiotherapy community as we move forward with the development of integrated, collaborative primary care models. Learn more about this exciting initiative...
National Osteoarthritis Researchers Meet at Dalhousie
Gait Net OA
The Gait Net OA was a joint effort with the University of British Columbia, Waterloo and Western Ontario, hosted by the IMPACT Team at Dalhousie (PT Faculty include Cheryl Kozey, Derek Rutherford and Rebecca Moyer) in late October through a CIHR and Arthritis Society grant as well as University and Industry support. The meeting brought together researchers, trainees, and support staff from 9 Universities plus clinicians, consumers, members of the Arthritis Society, and industry partners. It was clear from the meeting that an urgent need exists for effective tools and guidelines to improve OA management for consumers, primary care providers and specialists and that gait analysis offers objective metrics around joint and muscle function that could aid in clinical decision making and evidence based management approaches. Of note is that Robbie MacDonald (PT class of 2001) presented at the meeting on his experience with a gait assessment tool that he uses to aid in his clinical practice. For more information...
EXTENDING OUR REACH
By Derek Rutherford
Research initiatives in the School of Physiotherapy have been extending our reach. Faculty work not only in the three world-class research laboratories housed in the School but also spread their expertise to surrounding Health Centers and the local community. Noteably, in addition to the initiatives featured above, is our newest research faculty member, Dr. Rebecca Moyer who continues to work with an advanced team of imaging experts from the Paracelsus Medical University in Salzburg, Austria; a collaboration built on her post-doctoral work at Western University. Dr. Gail Dechman, our cardio-pulmonary researcher on faculty is a co-investigator on a study that spans 10 sites across four countries, investigating the impact of balance training for fall reduction in people with COPD. Not only is Gail a local investigator in this multi-national study, but also the physiotherapy department at Colchester East Hants Hospital is our local partner and physiotherapist Amanda Garvie provides the balance training intervention. To further provide examples, Dr. Katherine Harman is involved with a national strategic plan for improving pain education within Canadian physiotherapy programs with the aim to develop a more detailed curriculum guideline on pain education and to help guide national regulators and accreditors in their evaluation of physiotherapy students and programs. This builds directly from Dr. Harman’s program of research. While your physiotherapy faculty at Dalhousie University is working to make Nova Scotia a place where world-leading research is conducted, our hand are always extended.
Listed below is an overview of the publications/presentations and other scholarly activities of the School of Physiotherapy faculty, incurred since the last newsletter.
Stillwell, P, Harman, K, (2017). ‘I didn’t pay her to teach me how to fix my back’: a focused ethnographic study exploring chiropractors’ and chiropractic patients’ experiences and beliefs regarding exercise adherence. J Can Chiropr Assoc; 61(3):291-230
Peter Stilwell, P., Hayden, JA., Des Rosiers, P., Harman, K, French, SD., Curran, JA., Hefford, W. (2017). A Qualitative Study of Doctors of Chiropractic in a Nova Scotian Practice- Based Research Network: Barriers and Facilitators to the Screening and Management of Psychosocial Factors for Patients With Low Back Pain. J Manipulative Physiol Ther ;xx:1-9)
Moyer R, Ikert K, Long K, Marsh J. (2017). The Value of Preoperative Exercise and Education for Patients Undergoing Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JBJS reviews. Dec 1;5(12):e2.
Birmingham TB, Moyer R, Leitch K, Chesworth B, Bryant D, Willits K, Litchfield R, Fowler PJ, Giffin JR. (2017). Changes in biomechanical risk factors for knee osteoarthritis and their association with 5-year clinically important improvement after limb realignment surgery. Osteoarthr Cartilage. Dec 1;25(12):1999-2006.
Ospina M, Michas M, Deuchar L, Leigh R, Bhutani M, Rowe B, Marciniuk D, Goodridge D, Dechman G, Bourbeau J, Balter M, Camp P, Hernandez P, Goldstein R, Stickland M. (2018). Development of a Patient-Centered, Evidence- and Consensus-Based Discharge Care Bundle for Patients with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. BMJ Open. IN PRESS.
Beauchamp MK, Brooks D, Ellerton C, Lee A, Alison J, Camp PG, Dechman G, Haines K, Harrison SL, Holland AE, Marques A, Moineddin R, Skinner EH, Spencer L, Stickland MK, Xie F, Goldstein RS. (2017). Pulmonary Rehabilitation with Balance Training for Fall Reduction in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc;6;e228.
Moreside, JM, Wong, I, Rutherford, DJ, (2018). Altered Erector Spinae activity and trunk motion occurs with moderate and severe unilateral hip OA. IN PRESS. Journal of Orthopaedic Research.