School of Allied Health
Permanent link for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10292/10495
The School of Allied Health encompasses Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Occupational Therapy, and Rehabilitation.
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Item Prognosis in Entry-Level Physiotherapy Programs: An Australian and New Zealand Framework for Developing Knowledge and Skills for Musculoskeletal Practice(Elsevier BV, 2026-05-07) Mullen, Nicholas; Ashby, Samantha; Beales, Darren; Bisset, Leanne; Forbes, Roma; Ford, Jon; Hing, Wayne; Jones, Mark; Kennedy, Ewan; Leahy, Edmund; Milanese, Steve; Reid, Duncan; Saraceni, Nic; Osmotherly, PeterQuestion: How should prognosis in relation to musculoskeletal disorders be incorporated into the curriculum of entry-level physiotherapy programs within Australia and New Zealand? Design: Consensus group methodology using the nominal group technique. Participants: Twelve members considered experts in the fields of musculoskeletal physiotherapy and entry-level education in Australia and New Zealand were invited to participate. Method: The nominal group technique method implemented involved three specific stages. In stage one members were provided with pre-reading material related to the topic of prognosis. They were instructed to generate ideas and feedback related to this material. Stage two involved an online consensus group meeting to discuss the ideas and feedback generated from the pre-reading material. Consensus statements were also generated within this meeting. Stage three involved rounds of iterative feedback and refinement of the consensus statements. Results: Four consensus statements were generated including the definition of prognosis; the purpose of learning about prognosis; recommendations for incorporating prognosis into entry-level curriculum; and what elements of prognosis should be taught and assessed. Conclusion: Prognosis is a complex but essential concept to incorporate within entry-level physiotherapy curriculum. Entry-level physiotherapy programs should be explicit in the teaching and assessment of the knowledge and skills relating to prognosis. This framework may assist educators in incorporating prognostic content throughout their curriculum.Item Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Outcomes in Workers’ Compensation Patients Following Knee Surgery(Elsevier BV, 2026-05-06) Xia, Weisi; Mullen, Michaela; Johnstone, Ryan; Devane, Peter; Reid, DuncanBackground: An increasing volume of orthopaedic procedures are being performed worldwide, particularly in the working age population. Workers’ compensation (WC) is an insurance framework designed to support workers who are injured or become injured and has been associated with poor outcomes following a number of orthopaedic procedures. This systematic review aims to investigate post-operative outcomes in WC compared with non-workers’ compensation (NWC) patients following knee arthroplasty and arthroscopy. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. MEDLINE, EMBASE and Google Scholar databases were assessed from inception to 9th August 2025. Meta-analysis of WC undergoing knee arthroplasty was performed using Review Manager v5.4.1 using a random effects model. Results: An initial 513 records were initially identified. Eight retrospective observation studies were included, consisting of five studies investigating arthroplasty and three studies investigating knee arthroscopy. Meta-analysis of the arthroplasty studies showed a significantly reduced Knee Society knee (MD = -16.14, P=0.002) and function (MD = -12.08, P<0.00001) scores, reduced range of motion (MD = -5.99, P=0.0002) and increased complications (OR = 5.83, P=0.03) in the WC group. There were reduced return to work rates or prolonged time off work. Moderate to high individual risk of bias were evident in the reviewed studies. Conclusion: WC status is associated with poorer Knee Society scores, reduced range of motion and increased complications following knee arthroplasty. However, the strength of evidence is low to moderate with serious biases with caution advised on its interpretation.Item Australian Podiatry Research in Gerontology: A Bibliometric Analysis(Wiley, 2026-04-30) Menz, Hylton B.; Azhar, Ameer Nor; Bergin, Shan M.; Tehan, Peta E.; Carroll, MatthewBackground: To conduct a bibliographic analysis of English language research pertaining to gerontology by Australian researchers. Methods: A Scopus database search was conducted to identify all Australian gerontology articles published by podiatric authors in English from 1970 to 2024. Bibliometric analysis was performed using an open‐source tool based on the R language. Citations,journals, authors, institutions, and countries were described. Publications were manually categorised according to research type,level of evidence and funding source. Results: The search strategy yielded 81 eligible articles, which received a total of 5024 citations and were published by 174authors in 39 journals. The most frequent journal was Gait and Posture (12 articles; 15%), and the most published institution was La Trobe University (affiliation of 102 authors). Most of the Australian gerontology articles published by podiatrists focussed on aetiology (n = 48; 59%) and only six articles (7%) provided level I evidence. Thirty articles (37%) reported no research funding. Conclusion: Gerontology remains an underrepresented focus within Australian podiatry research. Despite attracting relatively high citation rates, this field suffers from chronic underfunding and limited research capacity. Investing in dedicated funding and expanding the gerontology research workforce within podiatry is essential to drive innovation, address the growing needs of an ageing population, and strengthen the evidence base for clinical care.Item Evaluation of the Usability of and Engagement With an Osteoarthritis e-Learning Program Developed for Healthcare Professionals(Elsevier BV, 2026-04-03) Gray, B; Kobayashi, S; Bowden, JL; Hinman, RS; Bennell, K; Burgess, A; Briggs, AM; Duong, V; Barton, C; French, H; Cunningham, J; Slater, H; O'Brien, D; Persaud, J; Gallardo, N; Allen, K; Hamilton, DF; Holden, MA; Huffman, KF; Miller, KA; Quicke, J; Skou, ST; Tan, BY; Toomey, C; van der Esch, M; Hunter, DJ; Eyles, JObjective: This study aimed to describe the development and evaluation of an OA eLearning program for healthcare professionals. The evaluation objectives were to measure the usability of, and engagement with, this program and assess the perceived feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness and user satisfaction among OA healthcare professionals. Methods: A feasibility study was conducted, involving registered healthcare professionals, who regularly manage people with OA. Following baseline questionnaires, participants were asked to complete at least four OA eLearning modules over 10 weeks, followed by a 23-item evaluation questionnaire. The primary outcomes were usability and engagement with the OA eLearning program. Secondary outcomes included feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and satisfaction. Results: The 31 eligible participants reflected a broad range of professional experiences, nationalities and settings. Program usability, engagement with content, navigation, presentation and overall satisfaction were rated as either very good or good by at least 84% of participants. Participants considered the program to be acceptable, feasible, and appropriate, with some areas for improvement in navigating the program. Conclusions: The OA eLearning program shows promise in supporting healthcare professionals to deliver evidence-based care. While the findings from this study will inform a randomised trial, the OA eLearning program is well positioned to enhance clinical education and practice.Item Home-based Respiratory-gated Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Rheumatoid Arthritis—A Feasibility Study(Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2026-03-23) Parikh, Ankit; Lewis, Gwyn; GholamHosseini, Hamid; Ng, Kristine Pek Ling; Kluger, Michal; Almesfer, Faisal; Chang, Wee Leong; Rice, DavidIntroduction/objectives: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the joints, causing pain, inflammation, and long-term joint damage. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a promising non-pharmacological intervention for managing pain and inflammation, particularly when delivered in the exhalation phase of respiration. However, until now, the lack of portable equipment has meant the respiratory phase effects have not been evaluated outside of the laboratory or in a home setting. The primary goal of this study was to determine the feasibility of a future clinical trial of home-based respiratory-gated taVNS in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: This was a single-arm, non-randomised feasibility trial involving 12 individuals with active rheumatoid arthritis. Participation involved 12 respiratory-gated taVNS sessions at home and three laboratory visits for outcome assessments (day 1, day 8, and day 15). Feasibility outcomes focused on recruitment rate, intervention adherence, acceptability questionnaires, and adverse events. In addition, outcome measures related to pain, psychological distress, and key inflammatory biomarkers were assessed. Results: Feasibility outcomes demonstrated an acceptable recruitment rate, high adherence (90% session completion), excellent usability (9/10), and acceptability (average score 66%, general score 87%), with no severe treatment-emergent adverse events. While single-armed and not powered to determine efficacy, medium to large pre- to post-intervention reductions in pain interference, grip pain intensity, psychological distress, and tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels were observed, with minimal changes in other outcomes. Conclusion: An adequately powered, randomised controlled trial of home-based respiratory-gated taVNS in people with rheumatoid arthritis is feasible and safe. Key Points: To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the feasibility of homebased respiratory-gated (RG) transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Feasibility outcomes demonstrated high adherence and excellent usability ratings with few treatment-emergent adverse events reported. Home-based RG taVNS using the developed system is safe and feasible to evaluate in an adequately powered, controlled trial.Item Healthcare Provider Perspectives of Various Signs and Symptoms for Diagnosing Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Results of an International, Multidisciplinary Survey(Wiley, 2025-12-03) Burn, Lance; Rujeedawa, Tanzil; Lalkhen, Abdul; Martin, Allan; MacDowall, Anna; Kwon, Brian K; Zipser, Carl M; Treanor, Caroline; Anderson, David B; Martin-Moore, Esther; Guest, James; Harrop, James S; Milligan, Jamie; Furlan, Julio C; Margetis, Konstantinos; Wood, Lianne; Onofrei, Ligia V; Vialle, Luiz R; Ito, Manabu; Kotter, Mark; Fehlings, Michael G; Lee, Michael WY; Hutton, Mike; Harel, Noam Y; Yurac, Ratko; Chauhan, Rohil; Dugan, Sheila; Kalsi-Ryan, Sukhvinder; Stacpoole, Sybil; Blizzard, Tammy; Boerger, Timothy F; Solberg, Tore K; Lantz, Justin M; Davies, Benjamin; Tetreault, LindsayIntroduction/Aims: Diagnosis of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is frequently delayed. A lack of awareness and standardized screening criteria have been identified as major contributors. The objective of this study was to conduct a survey of international experts to determine the value of various signs and symptoms in diagnosing patients with DCM. This study forms part of a three-step initiative that aims to develop pragmatic screening criteria for DCM. Methods: An open voluntary English-language Likert scale survey was disseminated among international networks of experts in DCM. Respondents were asked to rank each sign or symptom on a scale of 0 (not important at all) to 10 (extremely important); a mean value of ≥ 6.5 was set a priori as the threshold to consider a feature as having significant diagnostic value. Results: Fifteen symptoms and 12 signs were ranked as having significant diagnostic value. The most highly ranked symptoms are primarily related to abnormalities of the upper limb, hand function, and gait. The top-rated signs included pathological reflexes as well as impairment of motor function, gait, and coordination. Features ranked as significant were largely consistent across professions, levels of experience, and continental regions. Discussion: The integration of expert stakeholder opinion with evidence from existing literature strengthens the clinical framework for identifying key clinical features of DCM. These 27 features will be discussed at an international consensus meeting to establish a standardized clinical screening toolkit that can be used by frontline healthcare professionals to detect patients with DCM.Item Advancing Standardisation of Motor-cognitive Dual Task Walking Assessments: A Scoping Review of Methodological Practices in Healthy Older Adults(BMC, 2026-03-16) Olsen, Sharon; McLaren, Ruth; Scrooby, Aidan; Shaikh, Nusratnaaz; Henare, Dion; Taylor, Denise; Chaudhary, ShikhaBackground: Dual task (DT) assessments evaluating walking combined with a cognitive task are valuable tools for testing functional capacity and monitoring age-related decline. Despite this, motor-cognitive DT assessments are underutilised in clinical practice. This has been attributed in part to methodological challenges, including heterogeneity in DT measurement protocols and poor reliability of outcome measures. To address these barriers, this scoping review systematically identified motor-cognitive DT walking assessments used with healthy older adults and examined current practice in reporting and standardisation. The purpose was to inform the refinement of DT assessments to enhance their precision and reproducibility, facilitating their future integration into routine clinical practice. Method: A systematic search of five electronic databases identified studies that investigated motor-cognitive DT walking assessments in community-dwelling, cognitively healthy older adults. The reporting and standardisation of measurement procedures was extracted using the COSMIN framework. The findings were analysed descriptively. Results: The review included 38 studies investigating a walking motor task combined with a variety of cognitive tasks. The most common walking tasks were unidirectional gait, the timed up and go (TUG), or walking and turning tasks. The most prevalent cognitive tasks included serial subtraction, animal naming, and reciting alternate alphabet letters. There was substantial variability in the administration of DT assessments and no studies fully reported the procedures for set up, test performance, and data collection. Of particular concern was the poor reporting of general task instructions, task prioritisation, and practice trials. Conclusion: The review identified a lack of standardisation in DT walking measurement procedures, which likely contributes to measurement variability and limits clinical replication. Given that measurement variability inherent in single task assessments is compounded when motor and cognitive tasks are combined, it is critical to address these sources of inconsistency to ensure DT measures detect and accurately reflect true performance changes. Recommendations are made to improve standardisation of DT measurements with the aim of facilitating their broader adoption and implementation in clinical practice.Item The Impact of Balance Exercise on Brain Age and Brain Morphometry: Insights From MRI Analysis(Springer, 2026-01-22) Narula, Varima; Taylor, Denise; McLaren, Ruth; Taylor, Rachael L; Mahon, Susan; Smith, Paul F; Chaudhary, Shikha; Winton, Roger W; Fernandez, Justin; Shim, Vickie; Wang, AlanPhysical exercise is known to delay the cognitive decline in the elderly. However, the effect of low-impact balance exercises such as yoga or Tai chi has not been explored in detail. This cross-sectional observational study used brain magnetic resonance imaging data to quantify and compare various brain structures between neurologically healthy adults aged between 55 and 65, divided into Control Group and Balance Exercise (BE) Group based on the self-reported balance exercise status. Various brain attributes such as brain age, cortical and subcortical volume, thickness, surface area, and mean curvature were extracted and computed using machine learning algorithm software like brainageR and FreeSurfer. Clinical functional assessments (balance, vestibular and cognitive measures) were also conducted for the participants. Statistical analyses were performed to determine any differences between the groups at a significance level of 5%. The BE group showed statistically significantly higher values for the right caudal anterior cingulate thickness, left and right superior temporal volume, left entorhinal volume and mean curvature, left frontal pole thickness, left superior temporal area and left inferior temporal thickness. A statistically significant cluster after correction for multiple comparisons was found in the left rostral middle frontal gyrus with a higher volume for BE group. Clinical functional assessments (balance, vestibular and cognitive) and brain age differences were nonsignificant. The significant brain regions in the BE group are involved in memory, cognition, focus, planning, language and auditory processing, decision making, emotional regulation and mental health and could be responsible for protecting and delaying the cognitive declines in the elderly.Item Incidence and Outcomes of Major Trauma in New Zealand: Findings From a Feasibility Study of New Zealand's First National Trauma Registry(New Zealand Medical Association, 2019-05-03) Czuba, KJ; Kersten, P; Anstiss, D; Kayes, NM; Gabbe, BJ; Civil, I; Kool, B; Terry, G; Smith, GA; Rohan, M; Vandal, AC; Siegert, RJAIMS: The aim of the study was to pilot the feasibility of long-term outcomes data collection from adult major trauma survivors in New Zealand. This initial paper aims to characterise the New Zealand major trauma population in terms of long-term disability and functional outcomes after major trauma. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of adults who had survived major trauma was conducted between June 2015 and December 2016 at two major trauma centres in Auckland. RESULTS: Of 256 trauma referrals, 112 (44%) were confirmed eligible and consented. One hundred completed the survey at six months and 83 at 12 months. A majority of the study sample were male (72%), under 65 years (84%), with a disproportionally higher number of Māori in the sample (23%). At six months post-injury, the majority of participants were categorised as experiencing either moderate disability (37%) or good recovery (42%). Half of the participants experienced moderate pain at both 6 and 12 months post-injury (50% and 52% respectively), and problems with their usual activities at six months post-injury (51%). CONCLUSIONS: Most study participants made a good recovery, but there was still a large group of people experiencing disability, pain and not in paid employment at 12 months post-injury.Item Whakawhiti Kōrero, a Method for the Development of a Cultural Assessment Tool, Te Waka Kuaka, in Māori Traumatic Brain Injury(Wiley, 2015-10-21) Elder, Hinemoa; Kersten, PaulaThe importance of tools for the measurement of outcomes and needs in traumatic brain injury is well recognised. The development of tools for these injuries in indigenous communities has been limited despite the well-documented disparity of brain injury. The wairua theory of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Māori proposes that a culturally defined injury occurs in tandem with the physical injury. A cultural response is therefore indicated. This research investigates a Māori method used in the development of cultural needs assessment tool designed to further examine needs associated with the culturally determined injury and in preparation for formal validation. Whakawhiti kōrero is a method used to develop better statements in the development of the assessment tool. Four wānanga (traditional fora) were held including one with whānau (extended family) with experience of traumatic brain injury. The approach was well received. A final version, Te Waka Kuaka, is now ready for validation. Whakawhiti kōrero is an indigenous method used in the development of cultural needs assessment tool in Māori traumatic brain injury. This method is likely to have wider applicability, such as Mental Health and Addictions Services, to ensure robust process of outcome measure and needs assessment development.Item Accelerating Diagnosis of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy Through Improved Education: A Mixed-methods Study Protocol From Myelopathy.org RECODE-DCM to Define Stakeholders, Knowledge Requirements and an Optimal Intervention Strategy(BMJ, 2026-03-24) Veremu, Munashe; Deakin, Naomi; Chauhan, Rohil V; Lantz, Justin M; Toumbas, Georgios; Tabrah, Julia; Kumar, Vishal; Zipser, Carl M; Plener, Joshua; Ammendolia, Carlo; Anderson, David B; Dos Santos Rubio, Ellianne J; Tetreault, Lindsay; Parnaik, Rahul; Rodrigues-Pinto, Ricardo; Ong'wen, Otieno Martin; Sarewitz, Ellen; Sadler, Iwan; Roberts, Theresa; Langridge, Neil; Swait, Gabrielle; Hadfield-Law, Lisa; Draper-Rodi, Jerry; Wood, Lianne; Stacpoole, Sybil; Ganau, Mario; Baig, Shehla; Bateman, Antony; Demetriades, Andreas K; Peul, Willem Cornelis Wilco; Davies, BenjaminINTRODUCTION: Outcomes for degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) patients are limited by delayed and missed diagnoses, driven in part by poor professional awareness. Despite DCM being the most common cause of adult spinal cord injury, it remains under-recognised and undertaught in clinical education. Lessons from other common pathology like stroke and acute myocardial infarction highlight the potential of education to improve early diagnosis. This study will develop a professional education strategy to improve early DCM diagnosis. It will define key audiences and identify an effective delivery method, laying the groundwork for a sustained, targeted intervention. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The study aims to define who needs to know about DCM, what they need to know and how they can learn it. This will be carried out in three phases: phase 1-who and what: to establish the target population and to define core competencies for the educational intervention; phase 2-how: to create and review the educational intervention; phase 3-evaluation: to test whether the framework is an improvement to existing strategies. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is in place from the University of Cambridge (HBREC.2024.24). Results from the study will be disseminated through scientific publication, conference presentation, blog posts and podcasts. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023461838.Item Allied Health Activity: The Challenges of Legitimising and Prioritising Meaningful Work(Physiotherapy New Zealand, 2026-03-21) McNicholl, Seamus G; Reid, Duncan; Bright, FelicityWith growing service demand and constrained budgets, allied health services across New Zealand hospitals are focused on prioritising high-impact and high-value care. To inform understandings of what constitutes “high-value care”, this study aimed to identify what allied health service activities are valued in a New Zealand District Health Board (DHB) setting. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the perceptions of patients (n = 2), allied health staff (n = 4), and managers (n = 3) within one DHB as an exemplar. Following transcription, the data were analysed using conventional content analysis. There were differing perspectives between each participant group on high-value allied health care. Important allied health workplace activities were grouped into three categories: building relationships, providing meaningful allied health care, and backstage workplace activity. This research reveals the differences in perspective between what patients value and what organisations value. This tension may mean that allied health professionals struggle to prioritise and legitimise those aspects of care that matter most to patients.Item Challenges and Opportunities of General Practitioners and Physiotherapists Managing Return to Play Following Sports Related Concussion: A Qualitative Study(Physiotherapy New Zealand, 2026-03-21) Hancock, Colin; Chua, Jason; Theadom, Alice; Reid, DuncanPhysiotherapists in Aotearoa New Zealand, face challenges implementing evidence-based practice (EBP) for non-ambulatory children with cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities (NACCPID) working within Hoffman’s model of EBP. Key challenges in the evidence component include limited NACCPID specific research. This project aims to review the literature on physiotherapy interventions for school-aged NACCPID to inform clinical practice and identify areas for future research within the Aotearoa New Zealand context. An integrative review was conducted, following Kutcher and LeBaron’s (2022) method. A systematic search, conducted in 2023, yielded 2,240 articles that were narrowed to 24 after applying inclusion criteria. Coding and thematic analysis were conducted in NVivo 12 following content analysis methods. Final codes were organised within the Te Whare Tapa Whā framework through collaborative review with a cultural advisor. This enabled a holistic view of health, addressing physical, mental, social, and spiritual wellbeing, incorporating Māori perspectives. Ten themes were generated relating to physiotherapy interventions for NACCPID: 1) individual needs; 2) self-esteem and positive emotions; 3) body systems; 4) optimising ability to move the body; 5) using the body to perform a task; 6) collaboration; 7) (in)dependence; 8) participation and inclusion; 9) resourcing; and, 10) accessible environments. Notably, power wheelchair training appears to have significant beneficial effects across all aspects of health, and it is important that the child and families’ individual needs, wants, likes, circumstances, and values are considered when choosing an intervention.Item 4DFlowNet: Super-resolution 4D Flow MRI Using Deep Learning and Computational Fluid Dynamics(Frontiers Media S.A., 2020-05-04) Ferdian, E; Suinesiaputra, A; Dubowitz, DJ; Zhao, D; Wang, A; Cowan, B; Young, AA4D flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an emerging imaging technique where spatiotemporal 3D blood velocity can be captured with full volumetric coverage in a single non-invasive examination. This enables qualitative and quantitative analysis of hemodynamic flow parameters of the heart and great vessels. An increase in the image resolution would provide more accuracy and allow better assessment of the blood flow, especially for patients with abnormal flows. However, this must be balanced with increasing imaging time. The recent success of deep learning in generating super resolution images shows promise for implementation in medical images. We utilized computational fluid dynamics simulations to generate fluid flow simulations and represent them as synthetic 4D flow MRI data. We built our training dataset to mimic actual 4D flow MRI data with its corresponding noise distribution. Our novel 4DFlowNet network was trained on this synthetic 4D flow data and was capable in producing noise-free super resolution 4D flow phase images with upsample factor of 2. We also tested the 4DFlowNet in actual 4D flow MR images of a phantom and normal volunteer data, and demonstrated comparable results with the actual flow rate measurements giving an absolute relative error of 0.6–5.8% and 1.1–3.8% in the phantom data and normal volunteer data, respectively.Item Recognising the Silent Squeeze: Why Physiotherapists Should Pay Attention to Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy [Editorial](Physiotherapy New Zealand, 2026-03-21) Chauhan, Rohil V; Segar, Anand H; Rice, David; White, Steven GItem Physiotherapy Interventions for School-aged Non-ambulatory Children With Cerebral Palsy Combined With Intellectual Disability – An Integrative Review(Physiotherapy New Zealand, 2026-03-21) Adams, Karen; Hill, Julia; Adlam, Marni; Blamires, JuliePhysiotherapists in Aotearoa New Zealand, face challenges implementing evidence-based practice (EBP) for non-ambulatory children with cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities (NACCPID) working within Hoffman’s model of EBP. Key challenges in the evidence component include limited NACCPID specific research. This project aims to review the literature on physiotherapy interventions for school-aged NACCPID to inform clinical practice and identify areas for future research within the Aotearoa New Zealand context. An integrative review was conducted, following Kutcher and LeBaron’s (2022) method. A systematic search, conducted in 2023, yielded 2,240 articles that were narrowed to 24 after applying inclusion criteria. Coding and thematic analysis were conducted in NVivo 12 following content analysis methods. Final codes were organised within the Te Whare Tapa Whā framework through collaborative review with a cultural advisor. This enabled a holistic view of health, addressing physical, mental, social, and spiritual wellbeing, incorporating Māori perspectives. Ten themes were generated relating to physiotherapy interventions for NACCPID: 1) individual needs; 2) self-esteem and positive emotions; 3) body systems; 4) optimising ability to move the body; 5) using the body to perform a task; 6) collaboration; 7) (in)dependence; 8) participation and inclusion; 9) resourcing; and, 10) accessible environments. Notably, power wheelchair training appears to have significant beneficial effects across all aspects of health, and it is important that the child and families’ individual needs, wants, likes, circumstances, and values are considered when choosing an intervention.Item Reliability of Ankle Dorsiflexor Muscle Strength, Rate of Force Development, and Tibialis Anterior Electromyography After Stroke(F1000 Research Ltd, 2026-03-04) Olsen, Sharon; Taylor, Denise; Niazi, Imran Khan; Mawston, Grant; Rashid, Usman; Alder, Gemma; Stavric, Verna; Nedergaard, Rasmus Bach; Signal, NadaBackground Measures of hemiparetic ankle dorsiflexor muscle strength and rate of force development (RFD) are often used to determine the efficacy of rehabilitation interventions after stroke. However, evidence supporting the reliability of these measures is limited. This brief report provides a secondary analysis investigating the between-session reliability of isometric ankle dorsiflexor muscle strength, rate of force development (RFD), and tibialis anterior electromyography (TA EMG), in people with chronic stroke. Method Participants (n=15) completed three maximal isometric contractions of the ankle dorsiflexor muscles as fast as possible using a rigid dynamometer. Tests were repeated seven days later. Outcomes included ankle dorsiflexor isometric maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), RFD in the first 200ms (RFD200ms), time to reach 90% MVC, and peak TA EMG. Data were analysed for 13 participants using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and standard error of the measure percentage (SEM%). Results Reliability was higher when analysing the mean of three trials rather than the best of three trials. There was excellent reliability for isometric dorsiflexor MVC (ICC 0.97 [95% CI 0.92, 0.99], SEM% 7%). However, for other outcomes, while the ICC indicated good reliability, the lower bound of the 95% confidence interval of the ICC fell in the moderate range for TA EMG (ICC 0.86 [95% CI 0.60, 0.96], SEM% 25%) and time to reach 90% MVC (ICC 0.80 [95% CI 0.53, 0.93], SEM% 23%) and in the poor range for dorsiflexor RFD200ms (ICC 0.79 [95% CI 0.48, 0.92], SEM% 24%). Conclusion The findings raise concerns about the reliability of measures of rapid force production in the dorsiflexor muscles after stroke. Given the functional significance of the ankle dorsiflexors, larger studies should be conducted to further investigate these concerns and explore reliable methods for measuring rapid force production in the hemiparetic dorsiflexor muscles.Item The Immediate Effect of Lateral Wedging on First Metatarsophalangeal Joint Kinematics and Centre of Pressure(Elsevier BV, 2026-03-11) Jackson, Aaron; Sheerin, Kelly; Yoon, SangHoon; Wyatt, Hannah; Reid, Duncan; Carroll, MatthewBackground Lateral wedges are often prescribed to increase the first metatarsophalangeal joint (MPJ) range of motion or alter the centre of pressure (COP) in the foot. This study explored the effect of lateral wedge design and placement on first MPJ extension and COP during walking and running gait. Methods A randomised crossover design was used and 24 healthy participants ran and walked in 10 insole conditions comprising differing combinations of inclination, placement and contour. First MPJ extension and foot COP were examined. Time-series data were analysed across the stance phase using statistical parametric mapping. Results Lateral wedges significantly reduced first MPJ extension during both walking (p < 0.001; 100% of stance) and running (p = 0.004; 14–72%, and p = 0.017; 76–99% of stance). Similarly, lateral wedge placement reduced first MPJ joint extension during walking (p < 0.001; 100% of stance) and running (p = 0.003; 13–69%, and p = 0.012; 78–100%). Full-length or 6° lateral wedges shifted the COP medially relative to the midline of the foot (p = 0.01). Compared to sham, lateral wedges placed on contoured insoles exhibited a smaller reduction in first MPJ during walking (p = 0.008) and shifted the COP medially during both walking (p < 0.001) and running (p = 0.020). Conclusion Where the intention of using lateral wedging is to shift the COP medially, these data indicate that a wedge which is of higher inclination (6°) or spanning the full-length of the insole, should be used. Conversely, if the goal is to reduce extension at the first MPJ, these findings suggest that both 3° and 6° inclination wedges are suitable, with either forefoot or full-length applications proving effective.Item Australian Podiatry Research in Paediatrics: A Bibliometric Analysis(Wiley, 2026-03-12) Banwell, Helen A; Tehan, Peta; Carroll, Matthew; Williams, Cylie MBackground The purpose of this study was to undertake a bibliographic analysis of foot and lower leg research relating to paediatric podiatry by Australian or affiliated Australian authors. Methods The Scopus database search was conducted to identify all foot and lower limb research articles involving an Australian cohort of participants, published by Australian authors, or those affiliated with Australian institutions, pertaining to paediatric podiatry, in English from 1970 to 2024. We used bibliometric analysis through an open‐source tool based on the R language. We described citations, journals, authors and institutions; countries and publications were manually categorised according to research type, level of evidence and funding source. Results The search strategy yielded 280 eligible articles, which received a total of 8331 citations and were published by 793 authors in 104 journals. The most frequent journal was Gait & Posture (35 articles; 12%), and the most published institution was the University of Sydney (170 affiliations). Most of the Australian paediatric articles published focused on detection, screening and diagnosis ( n = 70, 25%) and only 33 articles (12%) provided Level I evidence. Seventy‐three paediatric articles (25%) received Category 1 funding; 154 articles (55%) reported no research funding. Conclusion Paediatric podiatry research represents 17% of Australian foot and lower limb research. Despite the smaller population base, paediatric research attracts a high level of engagement, moderate citation rates and low funding rates when compared to adult population studies. Paediatric podiatry research is primarily produced via Level 3 evidence. This highlights the need for an increase in the robustness of research methodologies in paediatric podiatry research to strengthen the quality and applicability of evidence informing clinical care for children and adolescent populations.Item Enabling Action: Re-envisaging Education of Health Professionals in Aotearoa New Zealand(Sage, 2022-07-30) Shaw, S; Atkins, D; Hoskyn, K; Stretton, T; Hamer, HHealth care in Aotearoa New Zealand is changing with the aim of becoming truly universal. Development of a new curriculum model in the education of health professionals can aid this goal through increased focus on community needs and flexibility for multiple health professional registrations. Universal health care and disability support is promoted as a defining feature of Aotearoa New Zealand, yet inequities are blatantly evident, with increasing calls for equity. Complexity of the issue and the multitude of stakeholders favour action research founded on Vision Matāuranga, a problem-solving philosophy based on the innovation potential of Māori knowledge, resources and people. Action research embraces collaboration with stakeholders to identify and implement solutions. Government ministries determine policy, with Responsible Authorities accrediting educational institutions, which in turn provide educational programs. Changing what and how students learn can increase their understanding of equity and community needs when they become practitioners, with the voice of service users being paramount.