Current Projects

Our current research projects include:

2022-2023. Work-related well-being in the UK Physiotherapy Workforce: a survey and qualitative study. UH Team: Assoc Prof Catherine Minns Lowe (Project Lead), Dr Nicola Heneghan, Andrea Moulson, Dr Anthony Herbland, Prof Karen Beeton. CSP Collaborators: Meredith Newman, Natasha Owusu. Funded by UH policy funding from Research England.

2022-2023. Actegy project – title to be confirmed. UH Team: Assoc Prof Catherine Minns Lowe, Dr Binoy Kumaran, Prof Karen Beeton

Four funded scoping reviews to inform the development of collaborations and grant applications (for completion July 2023).

Previous Projects

2021-2022. KNOWBEST: The KNOWledge, BEhaviours and Skills required of the modern physioTherapy graduate including the future role of practice based learning. Dr Catherine Minns Lowe (Project Lead), Dr Nicola Heneghan, Dr Anthony Herbland, Dr Karen Atkinson, Prof Karen Beeton. Funded by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.  https://www.health.herts.ac.uk/elearning/knowbest/


2022. The development of a Toolkit to inform and promote the use of Simulation as an adjunct to physiotherapy practice. Funded by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Team: Dr Nicola Heneghan, Prof Karen Beeton, Dr Catherine Minns Lowe plus external experts. Funded by the CSP.


An Actegy project which included researching the:

  • optimization of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) parameters for lower limb blood flow and associated physiological responses.
  • effect of an eight-week treatment programme using foot electrical muscle stimulator (EMS) on physical function and leg symptoms in community dwelling older adults.
  • effect of foot electrical muscle stimulator (EMS) on leg blood flow and leg swelling in community dwelling older adults.

UH Team: Prof Tim Watson, Dr Binoy Kumaran, Prof Karen Beeton, Assoc Prof Catherine Minns Lowe


Surveys, including a survey exploring LGBTQ+ inclusion and visibility within an Undergraduate Physiotherapy Programme, a survey exploring physiotherapy practice for inflammatory back pain and a survey exploring UK physiotherapy practice for the assessment and management of breathing dysfunction in musculoskeletal conditions.


Contributing evidence-based chapters to support clinical practice for clinical textbooks on pain and physiotherapy practice.


An evaluation of the impact of introducing a musculoskeletal physiotherapy practitioner role into the Emergency Department of an acute hospital.


Qualitative studies exploring preparation for private practice, nutrition in care homes, rehabilitation after lower limb amputation and experiencing treatment for anterior knee pain.


Reviews, including a meta-ethnography of using peer review processes to improve health care, a narrative review of imaging methods to quantify glenoid and numeral bone loss, a systematic review of the diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests and reported subjective symptoms of Morton’s Neuroma and a systematic review to evaluate whether neurodynamic treatment techniques are effective in improving pain, disability & physical function when used in the conservative management of cervical radiculopathy.