Dr Melanie Farlie is a Senior Lecturer in Monash University's Department of Physiotherapy. Mel is an educator, physiotherapy researcher and developer of the Balance Intensity Scale.

In part 2 of this four-part series, Mel demonstrates the process of reading, interpreting and understanding qualitative research. Mel refers to a study by Katherine Lawler and colleagues. Access the study here: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2024.2343822

In this episode:

• 0:00 Introduction to the episode
• 3:19 Example of the methods of a qualitative study
• 5:00 When is qualitative research the best approach to answer a research question?
• 8:00 Explaining the qualitative methods that were used and relating these methods to what you do in the clinic, e.g. during a subjective assessment or patient interview
• 11:15 How qualitative data can be collected and analysed – exploring and explaining phenomena, understanding the context of the study and introducing the concepted of transferability
• 18:50 Summary and final thoughts

Coming up next in part 3 of the series, we will discuss how to appraise the quality of the study.

Read more about Dr Melanie Farlie here: https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/melanie-farlie

We discussed the Balance Intensity Scale: https://rb.gy/cwcfmz

Follow Physio Foundations and Perraton Physio at our website www.Perraton.Physio or the Perraton Physio LinkedIn page.

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This is a discussion aimed at health professionals and health professional students. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.

Dr Melanie Farlie is a Senior Lecturer in Monash University's Department of Physiotherapy. Mel is an educator, physiotherapy researcher and developer of the Balance Intensity Scale.

In this four-part series, Mel introduces qualitative research, provides examples of how you can read and understand qualitative research, explains how you can search for, and evaluate the quality of, qualitative research, and discusses how qualitative research can influence your clinical practice.

Part 1 of this four-part series is an introduction to qualitative research for students and clinicians.

In this episode:

• 0:00 Introduction to Mel and the four-part series
• 2:00 What is qualitative research and why is it important in physiotherapy?
• 3:25 How is qualitative research different from qualitative research?
• 5:35 What are some barriers for clinicians to engage with qualitative research?
• 7:35 Key terminology you need to be familiar with, e.g. reflexivity – being aware of your influence on the research process. Transferability – can the findings be transferred to other similar contexts?
• 13:45 How can clinicians get started with using qualitative research? Don't just read the abstract, read the methods. Look for systematic reviews of qualitative research
• 16:50 Summary – qualitative research can be very useful when it is transferable to your clinical practice. Jump in and start reading

In part 2 we will explore a recently published qualitative study and how this research's findings may apply to clinical practice.

Read more about Dr Melanie Farlie here: https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/melanie-farlie

We discussed the Balance Intensity Scale: https://rb.gy/cwcfmz

Follow Physio Foundations and Perraton Physio at our website www.Perraton.Physio or the Perraton Physio LinkedIn page.

Visit our YouTube channel for more: https://www.youtube.com/@PerratonPhysio

Follow @PerratonPhysio on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and Linked In.

This is a discussion aimed at health professionals and health professional students. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.

Tim is a consultant physiotherapist and managing director of Melbourne CBD Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine Clinic, in Melbourne, Australia. In this episode, Tim summarised his approach to rehabilitation for people with ACL injuries and ACL reconstruction.

In this episode:

• 0:00 About this episode and welcome Tim
• 2:20 Tim’s background and interests
• 6:33 Why are ACL injuries such a big problem?
• 10:00 How do you manage ACL injuries in the clinic?
• 15:45 Operative and non-operative pathways – it’s not always a black and white decision. ACL healing and long-term outcomes – watch this space.
• 20:22 Meniscal integrity and knee stability, early knee rehabilitation goals and exercises
• 32:00 Isometric and pulsing exercises with a metronome, preparing the motor system for locomotion and confidence in higher load situations
• 34:50 Confidence and fear of movement
• 37:00 Objective measures of function and strength – dynamometry and force plates
• 42:00 Return to sport testing – force plate variables and testing. Don’t forget the ankle plantarflexors

Thanks Tim for a great conversation. Read more about Tim here: https://melbournecbdphysio.com.au/our-clinic/

Tim talked about this website: https://www.aclreferencevalues.nl/

Physio Foundations Podcast Summaries: You can find articles based on Physio Foundations podcast episodes at www.Perraton.Physio or on the Perraton Physio LinkedIn page.

Visit our YouTube channel for more: https://www.youtube.com/@PerratonPhysio

Follow @PerratonPhysio on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and Linked In.

This is a discussion aimed at health professionals and health professional students. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.

Professor Terry Haines is the Head of the School of Primary and Allied Health Care at Monash University. In this episode we discussed Terry’s journey from graduate physiotherapist to research leader, and how clinicians can solve problems with research.

In this episode:

• 0:00 About this episode and welcome Terry
• 3:17 What gets you out of bed in the morning?
• 7:40 How did you get started in research?
• 13:13 What are the key areas for physiotherapy research?
• 18:25 How can students and clinicians get involved in research?
• 29:15 The most important knowledge and skills for physiotherapists – be prepared to have a go

Read more about Terry here: https://www.monash.edu/medicine/spahc/about-us/school-staff/thaines

Physio Foundations Podcast Summaries: You can find articles based on Physio Foundations podcast episodes at www.Perraton.Physio or on the Perraton Physio LinkedIn page.

Visit our YouTube channel for more: https://www.youtube.com/@PerratonPhysio

Follow @PerratonPhysio on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and Linked In.

This is a discussion aimed at health professionals and health professional students. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.

Michelle joined me to discuss her research in hip and knee osteoarthritis and how we can apply this research in the clinic. Thanks Michelle for a great conversation.

In this episode:

• 0:00 About this episode and welcome Michelle
• 11:00 Summary of hip and knee osteoarthritis research and the role of sleep in musculoskeletal health
• 17:30 Are higher or lower loads responsible for changes in cartilage in the knee? Knee adduction moments, muscle strength, braces and orthotics.
• 23:00 Loading and the multifactorial nature of pain in osteoarthritis, changing the narrative of how osteoarthritis is described
• 32:30 Resources for managing sleep for people with musculoskeletal conditions
• 40:40 Women and girls in STEM, challenges faced and the BrainSTEM program

Physio Foundations Podcast Summaries: You can find articles based on Physio Foundations podcast episodes at www.Perraton.Physio or on the Perraton Physio LinkedIn page.

Visit our YouTube channel for more: https://www.youtube.com/@PerratonPhysio

Follow @PerratonPhysio on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and Linked In.

This is a discussion aimed at health professionals and health professional students. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.

Associate Professor Laura Diamond is a biomedical engineer and researcher interested in hip biomechanics and osteoarthritis. In this episode we discussed Laura’s research into the role of the deep hip muscles during functional activities and what her findings may mean for rehabilitation of people with hip pain. Thanks Laura for a great conversation.

In this episode:

• 0:00 About this episode and welcome Laura
• 5:45 Laura’s research in hip and knee biomechanics and muscle activation
• 9:15 What happens if you contact the deep hip muscles to the maximum amount? Redirecting the hip contact force in the acetabulum.
• 14:50 Do people with pain or joint pathology have difficulty generating force in the deep hip muscles?
• 19:20 Do we need to change the language from ‘stabilising the hip’ to ‘changing the loading of the hip’? The importance of having enough cartilage loading
• 22:00 Strategies for changing hip joint loading – cues during walking
• 36:00 What does the future hold? Technology and wearables

You can find the papers discussed in this episode here: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=aAGSJHUAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra

Connect with Laura via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-diamond-8b0bb8135/?originalSubdomain=au

We discussed this episode of the Physio Network podcast (but don’t leave here until you subscribe!): https://www.podbean.com/media/share/dir-siwxj-1dcf0dfd?utm_campaign=w_share_ep&utm_medium=dlink&utm_source=w_share

Physio Foundations Podcast Summaries: You can find articles based on Physio Foundations podcast episodes at www.Perraton.Physio or on the Perraton Physio LinkedIn page.

Visit our YouTube channel for more: https://www.youtube.com/@PerratonPhysio

Follow @PerratonPhysio on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and Linked In.

This is a discussion aimed at health professionals and health professional students. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.

Emma Williams is an Australian Army Officer and uniformed physiotherapist. In this episode, Emma discusses her career pathway from university to the military and her work with military personnel in Australia and overseas.

In this episode:

• 0:00 About this episode and welcome Emma
• 4:00 Pathway into the military through a military scholarship, what is it like working as a physio in the army?
• 13:05 Strategies for building rapport and gaining trust
• 17:00 Common injuries in the army – MTSS, ankle sprains, balancing injury prevention and surveillance with the need to develop toughness
• 22:00 Physical performance standards
• 25:20 What injuries do military personnel get and what are the trends in activities and causative factors?
• 33:00 What are the upsides and benefits of working in the military as a physio? Travel, free healthcare, getting paid to exercise
• 38:50 Making decisions under pressure
• 44:00 Baptism of fire and the valley of despair– developing confidence, humility and other life skills - foundational skills as a health professional

Emma was recently featured in the Australian Physiotherapy Association’s magazine InMotion. Read the article here: https://australian.physio/inmotion/salute-physio-front-line

Connect with Emma via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-williams-b5367262/?originalSubdomain=au

Physio Foundations Podcast Summaries: You can find articles based on Physio Foundations podcast episodes at www.Perraton.Physio or on the Perraton Physio LinkedIn page.

Visit our YouTube channel for more: https://www.youtube.com/@PerratonPhysio

Follow @PerratonPhysio on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and Linked In.

This is a discussion aimed at health professionals and health professional students. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.

Thihan is a highly experienced Sports Physiotherapist who has held roles with the Melbourne Renegades, Bangladesh Cricket, Hampshire Cricket, and most recently as the Rehabilitation Manager for the Sri Lankan Cricket Team. Thihan is also one of the hosts of the Physio Social Club Podcast.

In this episode, we took a tangent from cricket, and discussed Thihan’s recent leg injury and his experiences with injury, surgery and rehabilitation. Thihan offered very interesting insights into the experience of having a serious injury and surgery in a developing country, reflections on the real experience of a lengthy rehabilitation, and advise for students and new graduate physios for prioritising their assessment and management. There is a lot in this episode! Thanks Thihan for a great conversation.

In this episode:

• 0:00 About this episode and welcome Thihan
• 3:05 Thihan’s injury – fractured tibia and fibula. There was no pain until after the surgery – reflecting on when pain is not associated with pathology
• 5:30 The experience of having surgery in a developing country
• 9:30 How did you process the experience? Shared decision making with the surgeon
• 12:23 ‘Letting go’, controlling what you can control and allowing people to do their job
• 14:40 Fracture healing, pain management, IV paracetamol, risks of compartment syndrome, experience of having an epidural
• 20:50 Waking up halfway through orthopaedic surgery! (not as bad as it sounds)
• 25:45 Being present and taking things one step at a time. It’s hard to think about the bigger picture as a patient. Meet the person where they are
• 31:40 Being proactive in your own rehabilitation. Lessons for practitioners
• 36:35 How can students keep things simple and be effective? Have a system and a structure to your assessment that you can repeat until you learn the patterns. Know why you are asking questions.
• 42:40 What is your job as a sports physio? How is this similar to hospital-based work?
• 47:30 How do you stay motivated during long-term rehab?
• 50:30 Goals in long-term rehab can often be impairment goals, e.g. ankle dorsiflexion range of motion, because this helps you visualise progress
• 53:40 Maintaining a positive mindset during the rehab journey
• 55:30 Empathy – 'get in the hole' with the patient / person
• 59:00 Summary – the secret to long-term success is to engage with the process of your rehab (or learning), review and repeat throughout your career.

Read more about Thihan here: https://thecricket.physio/about

The Physio Social Club podcast: https://physiosocialclub.com/about

Read Thihan’s Linked In posts related to his injury, surgery and rehab here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thihanchandramohan/?originalSubdomain=au

Physio Foundations Podcast Summaries: You can find articles based on Physio Foundations podcast episodes at www.Perraton.Physio or on the Perraton Physio LinkedIn page.

Visit our YouTube channel for more: https://www.youtube.com/@PerratonPhysio

Follow @PerratonPhysio on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and Linked In.

This is a discussion aimed at health professionals and health professional students. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.