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Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 479 7222
Email
emily.gray@otago.ac.nz
Position
Senior Lecturer, Associate Dean of Admissions
Qualifications
BPhty PGDipSportsMed PGCert Higher Education PhD
Research summary
Supporting physical activity engagement during early recovery after heart attack and heart surgery
Teaching
  • Cardiopulmonary physiotherapy
  • Undergraduate physical activity (including exercise prescription) for physiotherapy practice
  • Use of simulation to prepare students for clinical practice in the inpatient / hospital setting
Memberships
  • PNZ Cardiorespiratory Special Interest Group member
  • Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ), Cardiac Rehabilitation working group member
  • Heart Otago Steering Group
Clinical
Acute care / inpatient settings, and cardiac rehabilitation

Research

As a cardiorespiratory physiotherapist and researcher Emily is passionate about empowering people to engage in physical activity, particularly those who have recently had a heart attack or undergone heart surgery. Key areas of interest are ensuring that cardiac rehabilitation services are accessible, as well as being person and whānau centered.

Emily’s research also focuses on looking for innovative ways to incorporate self-management support principles into acute care management and cardiac rehabilitation. Emily values collaboration with end users, including patients and their whānau, and health care professionals to ensure that interventions are designed to meet the needs of patients and can be implemented in the clinical and real-world setting.

Current research projects

  • The safety and patient perceived acceptability of upper limb resistance exercise following cardiac surgery

Recent research projects

  • Perceptions and experiences of returning to sport after a heart attack
  • Health professionals' perceptions and experiences of supporting people to return to sport after a heart attack
  • Perspectives and experiences of informal caregivers of supporting their spouse or family / whānau member to engage in physical activity following hospital discharge after cardiac surgery

Publications

Gray, E. (2025, May). A paradigm shift in sternal precautions: Are we there yet? Verbal presentation at the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting, Rotorua, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Gray, E. (2025, October). New Zealand health professional's knowledge and confidence in implementing “Keep your move in the tube”. Verbal presentation at the Australian Physiotherapy Association Scientific Conference (APASC), Adelaide, Australia. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Gray, E., Draper, O., Diedrichs-Farnan, Z., Rossiter, S., & Hale, L. (2025). Cardiac rehabilitation service delivery in New Zealand: A national survey. Heart, Lung & Circulation, 34(Suppl. 2), (pp. S38). doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2025.04.032 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Boyd, J. K., Rhodes, S., & Gray, E. A. (2025). The perspectives and experiences of physiotherapists on implementing self-management support in inpatient hospital settings. Physiotherapy Research International, 30, e70020. doi: 10.1002/pri.70020 Journal - Research Article

Bennett, E., Devan, H., Hale, L., & Gray, E. (2025). Evaluation of the quality and self-management related content of websites promoting physical activity engagement after myocardial infarction or cardiac surgery: A scoping review. Heart & Lung, 69, 94-110. doi: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2024.09.015 Journal - Research Other

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