Our research

Active Living and Rehabilitation: Aotearoa New Zealand (ALARA) is a multidisciplinary research group at AUT, comprised of researchers, academics and clinicians who have a research interest in individuals, communities and populations living well through activity and rehabilitation.

Our current projects

Reviewing IFOMPT’s Educational Standards and International Monitoring process: A member survey and review

Principal Investigator: A/Prof. Richard Ellis
Research Team: Laura Finucane, A/Prof. Paolo Sanzo, Renée de Ruijter, Pierre Röscher, Dr. Euson Yeung, A/Prof. Steve Milanese, Prof. Gwen Jull, Dr. Irene Zeng, Ingrid du Toit

A New Zealand origin, omega-3 rich food for reducing markers of inflammation

Principal Investigator: Dr David Musson (University of Auckland)
Research Team: A/Prof. Richard Ellis, Dr. Andrea Braakhuis (University of Auckland), Dr. Dorit Naot (University of Auckland), Prof. Antoine Nordez (University of Nantes, France)
Funders: National Science Challenges, MBIE

The association between dynamic plantar pressure and sonographic evidence of metatarsophalangeal joint synovitis in people with rheumatoid arthritis

Principal Investigator: Dr Sarah Stewart
Research Team: Belinda Ihaka, Libby Anderson, Prof. Catherine Bowen (University of Southampton)
Funders: Arthritis New Zealand, ALARA, School of Clinical Sciences (AUT)

The experience of people with gout on the impact of gout flare triggers: a qualitative interview study

Principal Investigator: Dr Sarah Stewart
Research Team: Dr Mike Frecklington, Belinda Ihaka, Julia Rennie, Prof. Nicola Dalbeth (University of Auckland)
Funders: Arthritis New Zealand, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences (AUT)

Patient and Physiotherapist Experiences and Perceptions of Rehabilitation Following Total Knee Arthroplasty in New Zealand: A Qualitative Enquiry

Principle investigator: Bronwyn Harman
Research team: Dr Nicola Saywell, Associate Professor Gwyn Lewis, Dr Felicity Bright
Funder: Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, AUT

Exploring the medium to long term well-being of people with post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis following anterior cruciate ligament injury in Aotearoa New Zealand (Phase I)

Principle investigator: Dr Daniel O’Brien
Research team: Associate Professor Richard Ellis, Professor Duncan Reid, Tammi Wilson-Uluinayau, Dr Martin Rabey and Associate Professor Jackie Whittaker (University of BC, Canada)
Funder: Arthritis New Zealand

Developing a Short OA Guidebook for Aotearoa New Zealand

Principle investigator: Dr Daniel O’Brien
Research team: Blake Francis, Dr Ivana Nakarada-Kordic, Associate Professor Richard Ellis, Cassie Khoo, Jess Cahn, Bobbie-Jo Wilson, Dr Jennifer Baldwin (University of Newcastle, Australia), Dr Jonathan Quicke (Keele University, UK)
Funder: AUT

Partnering together to explore the tailored implementation of the F-words for Child Development at an organizational level: A pilot hybrid type III mixed-methods case evaluation

Principle investigator: Dr Julia Hill and Dr Margaret Jones (AUT)
Research team: Dr Andrea Cross (McMaster University, Canada), Professor Peter Rosenbaum (McMaster University, Canada)
Funder: Canchild Canada, Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapy for Tamariki/Children, Greenlane, Auckland

Using the Movement ABC-2 to evaluate new entrant school-children’s developmental movement skills in an Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) school

Principle investigators: Dr Julia Hill and Dr Margaret Jones (AUT)
Funder: Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, AUT

Comparing ultrasound imaging assessment of femoral condyle articular cartilage morphology to histopathologic grading of osteoarthritis: a cadaveric study

Principle investigator: Associate Professor Richard Ellis
Research team: Dr Daniel O’Brien, Dr Sue McGlashan (University of Auckland)

Understanding musculoskeletal physiotherapy practice in Aotearoa New Zealand

Principle investigator: Associate Professor Richard Ellis
Research team: Dr Daniel O’Brien, Jill Caldwell, Tammi Uluinayau-Wilson

Development of a New Zealand osteoarthritis patient education guidebook

Principle investigator: Dr Daniel O’Brien
Research team: Associate Professor Richard Ellis, Lucy Metcalfe, Associate Professor Peter Larmer, Ivana Nakarada-Kordic (Good Health Design, AUT), Professor Stephen Reay (Good Health Design, AUT), Dr Jonathan Quicke (Keele University, UK), Dr Jennifer Baldwin (University of Newcastle, Australia)
Funder: Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, AUT

Simultaneous measurement of median nerve excursion, stiffness and strain: an in-vivo ultrasound imaging study with shear-wave elastography

Principle investigator: Associate Professor Richard Ellis
Research team: David Lalor, Professor Peter McNair (AUT), Professor Antoine Nordez (University of Nantes, France)
Funder: New Zealand Manipulative Physiotherapists Association