Sheffield Hallam University Physiotherapy Clinic

Stephen May is a Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy in the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing. His first degree was in English Literature, graduating from Oxford University in 1979. He qualified as a physiotherapist in 1990 from the Leeds School of Physiotherapy, and gained a MSc in Health Services Research and Health Technology Assessment in 1998 from Sheffield University. Prior to his appointment at Sheffield Hallam University, Stephen worked as a physiotherapist in Chesterfield PCT. Whilst there he helped expand the physiotherapy service into primary care, introduced evidence-based guidelines and routine use of outcome measures, created an orthopaedic screening service and conducted audit and research. Stephen achieved a Diploma in Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy in 1995, and after several years involvement with the McKenzie Institute International co-authored with Robin McKenzie several books on this approach to musculoskeletal problems. In 2006 a Fellowship was conferred on Stephen by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists for his contribution to physiotherapy. In 2008 he was awarded a PhD by previous publications entitled 'Development of Aspects of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy', which included the three books and eleven peer-reviewed publications. His research interests are focussed on aspects of musculoskeletal physiotherapy, especially relating to Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy. Current work includes reliability studies on the use of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy in extremity musculoskeletal problems. Stephen has been involved in a number of publications, including three books on Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy that are used internationally, and several chapter in internationally available books. He has published over 20 articles in peer reviewed journals. These include explorations of patient satisfaction, clinical audit, secondary reviews from randomised controlled trials and a number of systematic reviews.

Dr Sue Mawson is a Reader in the Centre for Health and Social Care Research. She joined the university in November 1991 to undertake a funded Doctorate in the area of Stroke rehabilitation. This research, completed in 1997, was jointly funded with the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Dr Mawson qualified as a Physiotherapist working predominantly in adult and child neurological rehabilitation. She is Research Lead for the Professional Services Directorate at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals representing the Allied Health Professionals at both a local and national level. Before being appointed by Sheffield Hallam University Dr Mawson worked in South Africa and in the UK developing her clinical expertise in paediatric neurology undertaking both the basic and advanced Neuro-Developmental Therapy courses run in the USA. In 1989 she began her research training and became involved for the first time in the TELER method of measurement. This method gave her the ability to quantify many aspects of her clinical and research outcomes and has resulted in an expertise in measurement theory. Dr Mawson’s research focuses on improving the quality of life of people with neurological problems, particularly through exploration of the effectiveness of rehabilitative interventions. Her particular area of interest has been in the quantification of patient centred goals working with the TELER methods of outcome measurements to developing valid and reliable ways of demonstrating efficient and effective intervention strategies. She is a partner in the SMART trial, funded by a grant of £700 000 from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. It is investigating the benefits of technology for rehabilitation of people who have had a stroke. Dr Mawson is also a partner in The NeXOS study funded by NEAT to develop an intelligent exoskeleton for the remote rehabilitation of spinal injury and knee replacement patients. She is currently undertaking an RCT into the effects of [Treatment name removed] A as an adjunct to physiotherapy for the management of upper limb spasticity in stroke patients. Dr Mawson currently has four PhD students working in the area of neurological and musculoskeletal rehabilitation and measurement.