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

Our publications

We are actively publishing our research findings nationally and internationally.

Our findings

Aotearoa Osteoarthritis Guidebook

We were heavily involved in the design and publication of the Aotearoa Osteoarthritis Guidebook.

Read the book