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 by theme

Which healthcare practitioners refer patients with LBP for imaging? What criteria are used to decide on or justify the referral: A mixed methods analysis

Principal Investigator: Dr. Julia Hill
Research Team: Associate Prof. Nicola Saywell, Luke Tanner

Developing a Short OA Guidebook for Aotearoa New Zealand

Principal 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

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

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

Understanding musculoskeletal physiotherapy practice in Aotearoa New Zealand

Principal investigator: Associate Professor Richard Ellis
Research team: Dr Daniel O’Brien, Jill Caldwell, Tammi Uluinayau-Wilson
Funder: New Zealand Manipulative Physiotherapists Association

Development of a New Zealand osteoarthritis patient education guidebook

Principal 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

Correlation between shear-wave elastography and strain measurements applied to neural and tendon tissues: a cadaveric study

Principal Investigator: A/Prof. Richard Ellis
Research Team: Prof. Stéphane Sobczak (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada), A/Prof. Sue McGlashan (UoA), Dr. David Musson (UoA), Prof. Antoine Nordez (University Nantes, France)

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, Prof. Gwen Jull, Dr. Irene Zeng
Funders: New Zealand Manipulative Physiotherapists Association (NZMPA) and Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences (AUT)

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)

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

Principal investigator: Bronwyn Harman
Research team: Dr Nicola Saywell, Associate Professor Gwyn Lewis, Dr Felicity Bright
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

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

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

Principal 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

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 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)

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)

Principal 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

Reducing the burden of post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis following anterior cruciate ligament rupture in Aotearoa New Zealand (Phase II: Stakeholder perspectives)

Principal investigator: Dr. Daniel O’Brien
Research Team: A/Prof. Richard Ellis, Prof. Duncan Reid, Tammi Wilson-Uluinayau, Dr. Martin Rabey (Curtin University, Australia) and A/Prof. Jackie Whittaker (University of BC, Canada).
Funder: Arthritis New Zealand

Community of practice co-creation of a life-span approach to managing ACL injury (Phase III)

Principal investigators: Dr. Daniel O’Brien and A/Prof. Richard Ellis
Research Team: Prof. Duncan Reid, Tammi Wilson-Uluinayau, Dr. Martin Rabey (Curtin University, Australia), Dr. Paul Monk (UoA), Dr. Sarah Ward (UoA), Dr. Stephanie Filbay (University of Melbourne, Australia), and A/Prof. Jackie Whittaker (University of BC, Canada).

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

Principal 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

Living with a significant knee injury following a Rugby or Netball event in Aotearoa NZ: a survey

Principal investigator: Prof. Duncan Reid
Research Team: Dr. Daniel O’Brien, Dr. Sarah Ward (UoA), A/Prof. Richard Ellis, Dr. Martin Rabey (Curtin University, Australia), Dr. Stephanie Filbay (University of Melbourne, Australia), Tammi Wilson-Uluinayau
Funder: Arthritis New Zealand

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