Sureeporn Uthaikhup

Professor Gwendolen Jull’s work aims to enhance the understanding of the pathophysiological features in the motor, sensorimotor and sensory systems in neck disorders (in particular cervicogenic headache and whiplash associated disorders), to enhance clinical differential diagnosis, to develop novel strategies for the prevention and management of neck pain and to understand the mechanisms of efficacy of interventions for neck pain. The work has a particular applied clinical focus and involves a multidisciplinary team. A priority goal is the translation of the research into clinical practice for community benefit..

 

In the past 10 years, the work in the Cervical Spine and Whiplash Unit has led to discoveries which are shaping the clinical examination of the cervical region, the classification of neck disorders and conservative management of neck pain. Research into muscle function and sensorimotor function in association with neck disorders has laid the foundation for research based approaches to therapeutic exercise in the prevention and rehabilitation of neck disorders. Clinical trials have been undertaken or are in progress to test the effectiveness of the approach in cervicogenic headache, whiplash associated disorders and neck pain. This work has been influential nationally and internationally in changing professional’s clinical practice. Community interest in outcomes and education is high as demonstrated by the uptake of the Whiplash Injury Recovery - a Self-Management Guide, a UQ/Motor Accident Insurance Commission initiative, where from October 2005 until present, 9,500 booklets have been distributed to patients and practitioners and there have been over 37,500 hits on the MAIC website for on-line downloads of the booklet.

 

Gwen has a strong international reputation and has presented over 40 keynote or invited lectures at international conferences in the last 10 years. She regularly provides clinical professional development courses to health professionals nationally and internationally. She is an internationally respected leader in rehabilitation of musculoskeletal pain, as evidenced by honoured member status of several national and international societies, including the Australian Physiotherapy Association, American Academy of Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapists, International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapists and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Australia. Gwen has published 200 works including peer reviewed papers, books and book chapters. She co-edited the 2^nd and 3^rd editions of the pre-eminent international text on musculoskeletal physiotherapy, Grieve’s Modern Manual Therapy, Elsevier UK and is the co-editor of Manual Therapy the international journal of musculoskeletal therapy. Gwen has received over Aus$9 million in research grants from the NHMRC, ARC and other sources.

Amiri M, Jull G, Bullock-Saxton J, Darnell R, Lander C (2007) Cervical musculoskeletal impairment in frequent intermittent headache. Part 2: Subjects with multiple headaches. Cephalalgia 27(8): 891-898.

Falla D, Jull G, Hodges P. (2007) Training the cervical muscles with prescribed motor tasks does not change muscle activation during a functional activity. Manual Therapy [Epub ahead of print, Aug 24^th].

Falla D, Jull G, Russell T, Vicenzino B, Hodges P (2007) The effect of different neck exercise regimes on control of sitting posture in patients with chronic neck pain. Physical Therapy 87(4):408-17.

Jull G, Sterling M, Kenardy J, Beller E (2007) Does the presence of sensory hypersensitivity influence outcomes of physical rehabilitation for chronic whiplash? - A preliminary RCT. Pain 129(1-2):28-34.

O’Leary S, Jull G, Kim M, Vicenzino B (2007) Specificity in retraining cranio-cervical flexor muscle performance. Journal of Sports and Physical Therapy 37(1): 3-9

Johnston V, Jimmieson N, Souvlis T, Jull G (2007) Interaction of psychosocial risk factors explain increased neck problems among female office workers Pain 129(3):311-320

O’Leary S, Falla D, Jull G, Vicenzino B (2007) Muscle specificity in tests of cervical flexor muscle performance. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology. 17(1):35-40.

Jull G, Falla D, Treleaven J, Hodges P, Vicenzino B (2007) Retraining cervical joint position sense: the effect of two exercise regimes. Journal of Orthopaedic Research 25(3):404-412.

Elliott J, Jull G, Noteboom JT, Galloway G, Darnell R, Gibbon W (2006) Fatty infiltration in the cervical extensor muscles in persistent whiplash associated disorders (WAD): an MRI analysis Spine 31(22):E847-855.