Red X iconGreen tick iconYellow tick icon

Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 479 5235
Email
cathy.chapple@otago.ac.nz
Position
Associate Professor
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 and Manual Physiotherapy
  • Clinical skills / Patient-centred care
  • Undergraduate and Postgraduate teaching
  • PhD/Masters/Honours research supervision
Memberships
  • Co-chair: New Zealand Manual and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapists Association
  • NZ representative to International Federation of Manual and Musculoskeletal Physical Therapists (IFOMMPT)
  • Physiotherapy New Zealand (PNZ)
  • CHARR (Centre for Health Activity and Rehabilitation Research)>/li>
  • Pain at Otago Research Theme
  • OARSI (OsteoArthritis Research Society International)
  • PNZ representative to Arthritis New Zealand
Clinical
Musculoskeletal clinical practice

Research

My main research focus is on the physiotherapy management of osteoarthritis (OA), particularly knee OA, but also hip and thumb OA.

I have conducted several clinical trials for people with knee OA to explore manual therapy and various forms of exercise therapy, including exergaming. Recently completed trials include:

  • Investigating frequency of manual therapy for people with knee OA: the Opti-OK trial
  • Investigating exergaming as an intervention for people with knee OA
  • The role of splinting for people with thumb OA

A current feasibility study funded by HRC is:

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
  • Mobilisation with movement for people with shoulder pain

A new direction of research is exploring teaching of spinal manipulation techniques using video and on-line resources, and promoting translation of manipulation from classroom to practice, funded by a Stanley Paris Fellowship (2025).

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 for musculoskeletal conditions, and physiotherapy management / stratified care for people with low back pain.

Publications

Alam, S., Hargest, C., Ribeiro, D. C., Mani, R., & Chapple, C. (2025). Effect of manual therapy on gait biomechanics in people with knee osteoarthritis: A protocol. New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy, 53(1), (pp. S16-S17). doi: 10.15619/ncjp.v53i1.478 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Tan, H., Tumilty, S., Chapple, C., Huang, G., & Baxter, G. D. (2025). Sensitized-points acupuncture versus routine integrative acupuncture for chronic low back pain: A randomized-controlled feasibility study. Journal of Back & Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/10538127241289343 Journal - Research Article

Farrell, G., Chapple, C., Kennedy, E., Sampath, K., Spontelli Gisselman, A., Cook, C., Reily-Bell, M., Katare, R., & Tumilty, S. (2024, July). Autonomic nervous system and endocrine system response to upper or lower cervical spine mobilisation in males with persistent post-concussion symptoms: A proof-of-concept trial. Poster session presented at the 12th World Conference of the International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapists (IFOMPT): Crossing Bridges, Basel, Switzerland. Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Chapple, C., Tumilty, S., Widyastuti, N., Samaranayaka, A., Pryymachenko, Y., & Abbott, H. (2024). Frequency of manual therapy for people with knee osteoarthritis: The Opti-OK trial. Musculoskeletal Science & Practice, 72, (pp. 13). doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2024.103127 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Farrell, G., Chapple, C., Kennedy, E., Reily-Bell, M., Sampath, K., Spontelli Gisselman, A., … Katare, R., & Tumilty, S. (2024). Autonomic nervous system and endocrine system response to upper or lower cervical spine mobilization in males with persistent post-concussion symptoms: A proof-of-concept trial. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, 32(6), 602-618. doi: 10.1080/10669817.2024.2363018 Journal - Research Article

Back to top