Susan Loris Hillier

• University of South Australia

Primary objective: The purpose of this study was to explore how 'quality' is understood for traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation from the perspectives of the rehabilitation recipients, their families and the providing clinicians. Research design: A participatory study using a mixed-methods, triangulation design. Methods: The study invol...

Introduction Having a lower extremity amputation is a life‐changing decision for people living with a diabetes‐related foot ulcer. Although previous research has described both positive and negative lifestyle and function outcomes of diabetes‐related amputations, limited research has been conducted on the decision‐making processes leading up to the...

Background: Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) have difficulty learning and performing movements, often requiring increased feedback. Technology may be useful for delivering augmented feedback. Co-design methodology for developing therapeutic interventions has become popular in healthcare, including for technology in rehabilita...

Introduction Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) have difficulties with learning and performing physical tasks. It is well known that task-specific practice is effective in improving motor skills. Additional feedback during practice may function as a quality improvement mechanism and therefore enhance motor skill outcomes. Aims...

Abstract There is a growing interest in the clinical application of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS). However, its effect on cortical excitability, and whether this is modulated by stimulation duration, remains unclear. We evaluated whether taVNS can modify excitability in the primary motor cortex (M1) in middle-aged and old...

Purpose: Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is an emerging non-invasive neuromodulation therapy. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic use of taVNS, optimal stimulation parameters, effective sham protocols, and safety. Methods: A scoping review was conducted. Five databases and grey literature were searched. The data...

Purpose: To map and summarise available literature on the effectiveness or other benefits of group- and individual-based interventions provided for adults living with stroke or ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in the community. Material and methods: The review was conducted based on JBI methodology and reported using Preferred Reporting Items for S...

Implementation of evidence-informed rehabilitation of the upper limb is variable, and outcomes for stroke survivors are often suboptimal. We established a national partnership of clinicians, survivors of stroke, researchers, healthcare organizations, and policy makers to facilitate change. The objectives of this study are to increase access to best...

Engaging children with CP (cerebral palsy) in meaningful therapy or exercise can be difficult, despite the merits of the intervention, the potential therapeutic benefits that accompany compliance, and the best intentions of family and rehabilitation specialists to motivate and encourage the child. However, serious games (SG) are highlighted as a re...

Introduction: Stroke in Regional Australia may have worse outcomes due to difficulties accessing optimal care. The South Australian Regional Telestroke service aimed to improve telestroke neurologist access, supported by improved ambulance triage. Objective: To assess stroke care quality and patient mortality pre- and postimplementation of a vas...

Within the vast majority of qualitative health research involving Indigenous populations, Indigenous people have been marginalised from research conceptualisation and conduct. This reflects a lack of regard for Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing, has served to perpetuate deficit narratives of Indigenous peoples’ health and wellbeing, and...

Background and Objective Acquired brain injury (ABI) can result in considerable life changes. Having choice and control over daily life is valued by people following ABI. This meta‐synthesis will analyse and integrate international research exploring perspectives of choice and control in daily life following ABI. Methods Databases were searched fr...

Purpose To summarise body awareness assessment tools and interventions relevant for stroke rehabilitation using a framework that categorises key body awareness constructs, disorders and impairments. Materials and methods Online electronic databases and trial registries were searched from inception until July 2021, in addition to hand searching ref...

Background: Stroke in Regional Australia may have worse outcome due to difficulties accessing optimal care. The South Australian Regional Telestroke project aimed to improve telestroke neurologist access, supported by improved ambulance triage. Aims: To assess stroke care quality and patient mortality pre- and postimplementation date 4 June 2018. M...

Objectives To: (1) outline the research produced using linked data from the Registry of Senior Australians (ROSA) which informed the recommendations from Australia’s Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (delivered February 2021); (2) describe the Australian Government Aged Care Roadmap Reforms (announced May 2021) resulting from the r...

Background: For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, the premature burden of cardiovascular disease is affecting their capacity to fulfil roles in society, and promote the health and wellbeing of future generations. In Australia, there is limited understanding of the difference in primary preventive cardiovascular care experienced by women...

Objective To investigate whether cognitive reserve modifies the relationship between functional connectivity, lesion volume, stroke severity and upper-limb motor impairment and recovery in stroke survivors. Methods Ten patients with first-ever ischemic middle cerebral artery stroke completed the Cognitive Reserve Index Questionnaire at baseline. U...

Approximately one-third of stroke survivors experience post-stroke depression. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the prefrontal cortex has shown promise as a treatment for depression with few side effects and high tolerability. However, previous post-stroke depression trials have not considered the effect of lesion location, th...

In promoting positive cardiovascular health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, there is a need to ensure provision of high-quality risk assessment and management in primary healthcare settings. There is some evidence of gender gaps for Australian women in the provision of cardiovascular risk assessment and management; however, there...

Background Impairments in body awareness are common after stroke and are associated with decreased participation and performance in everyday activities. Objectives To explore the feasibility and safety of a body awareness program after stroke, and identify the preliminary efficacy of class-based lessons compared to home-based lessons on sensation,...

To assess the effects of consumer engagement in health care policy, research and services. We updated a review published in 2006 and 2009 and revised the previous search strategies for key databases (The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; MEDLINE; EMBASE; PsycINFO; CINAHL; Web of Science) up to February 2020. Selection criteria include...

Movement-based mindfulness interventions (MBI) are complex, multi-component interventions for which the design process is rarely reported. For people with stroke, emerging evidence suggests benefits, but mainstream programs are generally unsuitable. We aimed to describe the processes involved and to conduct a formative evaluation of the development...

Rationale and Aims The prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMSP) is high and rising. The multidimensional impact of CMSP on individuals necessitates multidisciplinary evidence-based strategies to prevent and manage chronic pain. Primary health care (PHC) is the first point of care in many healthcare systems and evidence implementation at th...

Background Appropriate sleep and physical activity are known to be important for positive neuroplastic changes in the brain and therefore may affect stroke recovery. Objective To investigate the relationship between sleep and participation in different intensity levels of physical activity; to investigate the convergent validity of a commercially...

Background: Body awareness (BA) is a process that involves sensory awareness originating from the body's physiological states, processes and actions, and is shaped by one's attitudes, perceptions, beliefs and experience of social and cultural context. Impairments in body awareness after stroke are believed to be common and may be an important influ...

Objective: The objective of this scoping review was to capture the reported definitions for the subtypes of neglect post stroke and map the range of assessment tools employed for each neglect subtype. Methods: EMBASE, Emcare, Medline, and psychINFO were searched from database inception. Searching included all allied terms and mesh headings for stro...

Objectives It is unclear how acute care influences patient outcomes in those who receive rehabilitation. We aimed to determine the associations between acute stroke therapies, outcomes during inpatient rehabilitation and self-reported outcomes at 90-180 days after stroke. Materials and Methods Patient-level data from adults with acute stroke regis...

Background. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereinafter respectfully termed Aboriginal) people have a greater incidence of stroke at a younger age than non-Indigenous people in Australia. The needs and preferences of Aboriginal people for rehabilitation and longer-term support remain largely unknown. Objectives: To identify the long-term reh...

Objectives: Ankle-Foot orthoses are used to minimize the impact of weakness in ankle dorsiflexion muscles. The study on different orthotic types defines the optimal design, which effectively improves the users’ mobility. This study investigated the potential benefits and risks of a Dictus-band (flexible orthotic), compared with a thermoplastic (fix...

Objective Despite high incidence of depression after stroke, few trials have investigated the therapeutic efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Here, we aimed to evaluate clinical benefit of delivering a higher dose of rTMS compared to previous stroke trials. Secondary aims were to document adverse effects and investigate...

We present information on acute stroke care for the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia using data from the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR). The first case of COVID-19 in Australia was recorded in late January 2020 and national restrictions to control the virus commenced in March. To account for seasonal effects of stroke a...

Background Preserved integrity of the corticospinal tract (CST) is a marker of good upper-limb behavior and recovery following stroke. However, there is less understanding of neural mechanisms that might help facilitate upper-limb motor recovery in stroke survivors with extensive CST damage. Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate r...

Background Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ perspectives of health and cultural wellbeing encapsulate the spiritual, social and environmental health of individuals, their communities and country. Strategies designed to reduce the cardiovascular burden of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people often fail to consider their unique...

Background To assess the effects of consumer engagement in health care policy, research and services. Methods We updated a review published in 2006 and 2009 and revised the previous search strategies for key databases (The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; MEDLINE; EMBASE; PsycINFO; CINAHL; Web of Science) up to February 2020. Sele...

The Feldenkrais method (FM) is a process that uses verbally and manually guided exploration of novel movements to improve individuals’ self-awareness and coordination. This paper reviews recent literature evaluating the therapeutic value of the FM for improving balance, mobility, and coordination and its effectiveness for management of chronic pain...

The aim of this study was to describe and undertake an initial evaluation of a student-led assessment service for children with possible motor-skill difficulties. A secondary analysis of cross-sectional descriptive clinical data collected from 2015 to 2016 was undertaken. Children ( N = 102) were assessed in preschools by physiotherapy students (su...

Background. Resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) is a developmental priority for stroke recovery. Objective. To determine whether (1) RSFC differs between stroke survivors based on integrity of descending motor pathways; (2) RSFC is associated with upper-limb behavior in chronic stroke; and (3) the relationship between interhemispheric RSFC...

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability. It is a complex and largely heterogeneous condition. Prognosis for variations in impairment and recovery following stroke continues to be challenging and inaccurate, highlighting the need to examine the influence of other currently unknown variables to better predict and understand interindividual...

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of physical disability in childhood, with the condition affecting both motor and sensory function. Most children with CP favour their dominant upper limb during activities of daily living, resulting in a learned non-use phenomenon for their non-dominant (ND) limb, and consequently, decreased...

Background: Interventions that enable people to remain in their own home as they age are of interest to stakeholders, yet detailed information on effective interventions is scarce. Our objective was to systematically search and synthesise evidence for the effectiveness of community-based, aged care interventions in delaying or avoiding admission t...

Background Stem cell research holds the potential for a paradigm shift in the management of diseases such as stroke. Patient and public involvement in research (PPIR) can bring a focus to issues of clinical relevance and accelerate translation to real‐world clinical practice. Objective A qualitative thematic analysis of the perspectives of stroke...

Background: Clinical guidelines produced in developed nations may not be appropriate in resource-constrained environments, due to differences in cultural, societal, economic and policy contexts. The purpose of this article is to describe an innovative and resource-efficient method to develop a clinical practice guideline (CPG), using the CPG conte...

In this paper, we present a hybrid exoskeletal-soft glove for the application of on-axis angle sensors that can be placed close to the center of rotation of the digit joints. 3D printed exoskeletal digit segments that run medially on most digits connect to low friction bearings. Exoskeletal segments and bearings provide rigid fixation points for a...

This poster presents preliminary baseline and 3-month follow-up data from a larger observational cohort study assessing the association between cognitive reserve and motor, cognitive and psychological outcomes and recovery at 3, 6, and 12 months following stroke. There was a trend for the higher cognitive reserve group to demonstrate better outcome...

Background Transcranial electrical stimulation is a promising technique to facilitate behavioural improvements in neurological and psychiatric populations. Recently there has been interest in remote delivery of stimulation within a participant’s home. Objective The purpose of this review is to identify strategies employed to implement and monitor...

Background: Reduced sensation is experienced by one in two individuals following stroke, impacting both the ability to function independently and overall quality of life. Repetitive activation of sensory input using active and passive sensory-based interventions have been shown to enhance adaptive motor cortical plasticity, indicating a potential m...

Background: Left/right judgement (LRJ) of body parts is commonly used to assess the ability to perform implicit motor imagery and the integrity of brain-grounded maps of the body. Clinically, LRJ are often undertaken using a mobile tablet, but the concurrent validity and reliability of this approach has not yet been established. Objectives: To eval...

This review focused on understanding the operationlisation of brain and cognitive reserve across 264 included studies. While the majority of reserve research has assessed the concepts utility in those with neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease, a growing body of literature has assessed the influence of cognitive reserve acros...

Objective: To systematically search the literature and construct a meta-synthesis of how choice and control are perceived by people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Data sources: Medline, Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, Cochrane, EMBASE, HealthSource, ProQuest, PsychInfo, SAGE, and SCOPUS were searched from 1980 until September 2018 including all...

Objective To identify factors associated with receiving acute goal‐directed treatment, being assessed for ongoing rehabilitation, and receiving post‐acute rehabilitation after having a stroke. Design Retrospective analysis of National Stroke Audit data for patients with acute stroke treated at Australian hospitals during 1 September 2014 – 28 Febr...

This scoping review aimed to examine the conceptual and psychometric properties of reserve measurements across healthy adults and in those with a broad range of neurological conditions. Recommendations from the review aim to facilitate choices regarding reserve measurement, ease comparison across studies, and draw conclusions regarding the conceptu...

Following an initial stroke, approximately two in five people will experience another stroke within 10 years. Recurrent strokes are often more severe and fatal. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) that use movement to focus attention, such as yoga and tai chi, may offer a lifestyle strategy in addition to standard rehabilitation options, for mod...

Background: There is no 'gold-standard' for the evaluation of dexterity for the health professional or podiatrist populations. This has resulted in a broad array of generalised tests to evaluate dexterity. Thus, the aim was to determine which objective generalised dexterity tests are best suited to evaluating dexterity in a podiatry student popula...

Objectives To examine economic evaluation studies of stem cell therapies (SCTs) in neurological disorders and to provide an overview of the quality of the economic evidence available on this topic. Methods The review examined studies that performed an economic evaluation of the use of stem cells in adult patients with neurological diseases and tha...

Background: Foot orthoses are routinely used to treat plantar fasciopathy in clinical practice. However, minimal evidence exists as to the effect of both truly custom designed foot orthoses, as well as that of the shoe the foot orthoses are placed into. This study investigated the effect of wearing custom foot orthoses and new athletic footwear on...

Background: Stroke can have devastating consequences for an individual's quality of life. Interventions capable of enhancing response to therapy would be highly valuable to the field of neurological rehabilitation. One approach is to use noninvasive brain stimulation techniques, such as transcranial direct current stimulation, to induce a neuropla...

BACKGROUND Stroke can have devastating consequences for an individual’s quality of life. Interventions capable of enhancing response to therapy would be highly valuable to the field of neurological rehabilitation. One approach is to use noninvasive brain stimulation techniques, such as transcranial direct current stimulation, to induce a neuroplast...

Upper limb function was investigated in children with ADHD using objective methods. We hypothesised that children with ADHD exhibit abnormal dexterity, force application during manipulation of a novel object, and movement rhythmicity. Two groups of age- and gender-matched children were investigated: 35 typically developing children (controls, 10.5...

Background: Approximately two out of three people with stroke experience gait problems. Trunk movement control and symmetry is an important prerequisite for functional walking gait. Movement control, measured objectively as kinematics during walking gait, is rarely investigated. Objective: To describe the three-dimensional (3D) kinematics of the tr...

In the podiatric medicine profession, there are a variety of manual tasks that require precision and skill beyond what would be usually expected in everyday living. It is the expectation of employers, regulatory bodies, and the public that graduating podiatric physicians sufficiently meet certain minimum competencies for that profession, including...

Background Although it is broadly accepted that clinicians should endeavour to reassure patients with low back pain, to do so can present a significant clinical challenge. Guidance for how to provide effective reassurance is scarce and there may be a need to counter patient concerns arising from misinterpretation of spinal imaging findings. ‘GLITtE...

GLITtER framework for clinicians

Take home information resource

Recommended minimum dataset for low back pain research

Letter to General Practitioner

Final patient eligibility checklist

Outcome measures (1): Pain and Disability NRS & Reassurance Questions

Outcome measures (2): Participant Experience Questionnaire & Healthcare Utilisation Questions

PurposeTo develop and test a standardised method of interpreting spinal imaging findings in a manner designed to reassure patients with low back pain and promote engagement in an active recovery. MethodsA five-phase development and testing process involved collaborative working party contributions, informal and formal appraisal of the intervention...

Background Low back pain clinical practice guidelines consistently recommend against the routine ordering of spinal imaging; however, imaging is frequently requested in primary care, without evidence of benefit. Imaging reports frequently identify degenerative features which are likely to be interpreted as ‘abnormal’, despite their high prevalence...

Description of the manipulations

Questionnaire and virtual patient scenarios

Primary outcome—Back-Related Perceptions (BRP)

Background Degrees in health disciplines need a balance of theoretical knowledge and sufficient clinical practice to meet registration requirements, in particular those requiring specialist skills such as the use of scalpels and other small instruments, such as podiatry. However, despite this requirement there is a scarcity of literature and resear...

Stem cells have demonstrated encouraging potential as reparative therapy for patients suffering from post-stroke disability. Reperfusion interventions in the acute phase of stroke have shown significant benefit but are limited by a narrow window of opportunity in which they are beneficial. Thereafter, rehabilitation is the only intervention availab...

Background Inequities in accessing inpatient rehabilitation after stroke have been reported in many countries and impact on patient outcomes. Objective To explore variation in international recommendations regarding which patients should receive inpatient rehabilitation after stroke and to describe reported access to rehabilitation. Methods A sco...