Contact Details
- Phone
- +64 3 479 5425
- leigh.hale@otago.ac.nz
University Links
- Position
- Professor
- Qualifications
- BSc (Cape Town), MSc (Physio) (Witw), PhD( Witw), FNZCP
- Research summary
- Physiotherapy and rehabilitation
- Teaching
- Neurorehabilitation
- Disability awareness
- Supported Self-Management
- Thesis supervision (masters and PhD)
- Memberships
- Honorary Fellow of Physiotherapy New Zealand
- Trustee of Neuromuscular Research New Zealand
- Editorial Board of: Humanities in Rehabilitation; Archives of Rehabilitation Research and Clinical Translation; Journal of Physiotherapy Practice and Rehabilitation; South African Journal of Physiotherapy
- Member of the Advisory Board for the Faculty of Health Sciences, National University of Malaysia (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia)
Research
Leigh primarily researches in the area of community-based physiotherapeutic rehabilitation, falls prevention and supported self-management for people living with lifelong health conditions and/or disability, such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, dementia, and learning disabilities, diabetes; and in aged care. Her research uses both quantitative and qualitative methodologies and focuses on how physiotherapists can enable and support people to optimally live healthy and engaging lives.
My current research interests include:
- Supported self-management for people living with lifelong conditions
- Community falls prevention programmes for older adults
- Falls prevention
- Exercise and physical activity in people with long term conditions, particularly Multiple Sclerosis, Stroke, Parkinson's Disease, and Alzheimer's disease
- The use of virtual reality in upper limb stroke rehabilitation
- Disability awareness
- Upper limb stroke rehabilitation
- Valuing support workers and caregivers