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Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 479 5235
Email
cathy.chapple@otago.ac.nz
Position
Senior Lecturer
Qualifications
PhD M Manip Phty PGrad Dip Manip Phty BSc(Hons) Grad Dip Phty
Research summary
Osteoarthritis, physiotherapy management of musculoskeletal conditions, manual therapy
Teaching
  • Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy
  • Clinical skills
  • Patient-centred care
  • Undergraduate and Postgraduate teaching
  • PhD/Masters/Honours research supervision
Memberships
  • Executive Committee of the New Zealand Manipulative Physiotherapists Association
  • Physiotherapy New Zealand
  • CHARR (Centre for Health Activity and Rehabilitation Research)
  • Pain at Otago Research Theme
  • OARSI (OsteoArthritis Research Society International)
Clinical
Musculoskeletal clinical practice

Research

My main research focus is on the physiotherapy management of knee osteoarthritis (OA). I currently hold the Stanley Paris Research Fellowship that is funding a fully powered RCT investigating the optimal frequency of manual therapy for people with knee OA. Research projects are:

  • Investigating exergaming as an intervention for people with knee OA
  • The effectiveness of combining physiotherapy with anti-inflammatory medication for people with knee OA
  • The role of splinting for people with thumb OA

Other research interests explore clinical questions that have the potential to directly influence physiotherapy practice and patient care. They include:

  • The role of the cervical spine in headache and concussion
  • Stratified care for the management of low back pain (STarT Back)
  • Acupuncture for the management of low back pain

Previous research has included the physiotherapy management of hip and knee OA (MOA trial), the incremental effects of manual therapy and booster sessions in addition to exercise for people with knee OA, and pre-habilitation for people with hip OA.

Research findings were translated into practice with the development, implementation and evaluation of “The Joint Clinic” – a physiotherapy-led service in a New Zealand hospital for people with hip and knee OA.

Additional details

I supervise PhD, Masters and Honours students, and welcome enquiries from prospective research students interested in the management of people with OA, manual therapy and physiotherapy management / stratified care for people with low back pain.

Publications

Tan, H., Tumilty, S., Chapple, C., Liu, L., Othman, R., & Baxter, G. D. (2023). Acupoints sensitization in people with and without chronic low back pain: A matched-sample cross-sectional study. Journal of Back & Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 31(1), 137-146. doi: 10.3233/BMR-210297 Journal - Research Article

Wang, S., Chapple, C., Farrell, G., Quinn, D., Tumilty, S., & Ribeiro, D. C. (2023). Dosage of joint mobilization for the management of patients with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain: A scoping review. Musculoskeletal Science & Practice. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2023.102903 Journal - Research Other

Law, C., Ribeiro, D. C., Mani, R., Zeng, J., Chapple, C., & Wang, S. (2023). Reliability and validity of the Brief Pain Inventory Short-Form in individuals with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain. Proceedings of the New Zealand Manipulative Physiotherapists Association (NZMPA) Biennial Conference. (pp. 29). Retrieved from https://www.nzmpa.org.nz Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Farrell, G., Bell, M., Chapple, C., Kennedy, E., Sampath, K., Gisselman, A. S., … Katare, R., & Tumilty, S. (2023). Autonomic nervous system and endocrine system response to upper and lower cervical spine mobilisation in healthy male adults: A randomized crossover trial. Proceedings of the New Zealand Manipulative Physiotherapists Association (NZMPA) Biennial Conference. (pp. 17). Retrieved from https://www.nzmpa.org.nz Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Wang, S., Chapple, C., Farrell, G., Quinn, D., Tumilty, S., & Ribeiro, D. C. (2023). Scoping review for dosage of joint mobilization for the management of patients with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain. Proceedings of the New Zealand Manipulative Physiotherapists Association (NZMPA) Biennial Conference. (pp. 15). Retrieved from https://www.nzmpa.org.nz Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

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