I am a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Clinical Therapies at the University of Limerick. My current research interests include 1) the biomechanical analysis of movement in different populations, 2) the evaluation of rehabilitation programmes including: fall prevention programmes in older adults and novel exercise programmes for people with Parkinson’s disease and people with chronic neck pain.

Current Projects:

Work package lead on the E-NOFALLS European Network for FALL Prevention, Intervention and Security (E-NOFALLS: http://e-nofalls.eu, 18 partners from 10 EU countries) Thematic Network.

A multi-centered trial registered with clinical trails.gov: Shanahan J, Clifford A.M and Bhriain Ni O, Volpe D. Morris ME. (2013)“A randomized controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of set dancing for people with Parkinson's disease”: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01939717?term=set+dancing&rank=2

Together with colleagues from the ECE department, I am designated an inventor of a therapeutic device for neck pain (FLEXOR): European patent number 13195184.0-1654. This is the product of an interdisciplinary project that was supported by Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Fund. A PhD which is currently underway is exploring the effectiveness of exercise for chronic neck pain.

Publications

Hughes, K., Salmon, N., Galvin, R., Casey, B., Clifford, A.M. (2018). Interventions to improve adherence to exercise therapy for falls prevention in community-dwelling older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. Age and ageing. afy164. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afy164

Carroll, L.M., Volpe, D., Morris, M.E., Saunders, J., Clifford, A.M. (2017). Aquatic Exercise Therapy for People With Parkinson Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial'. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation. 98 (4): 631-638. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2016.12.006

Shanahan, J., Morris, M.E., Bhriain, O.N., Volpe, D., Lynch, T., Clifford, A.M. (2017). Dancing for Parkinson Disease: A Randomized Trial of Irish Set Dancing Compared With Usual Care. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 98 (9): 1744-1751. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2017.02.017

O’Connor A., McGarr, O., Cantillon, P., McCurtin, A., Clifford, A. (2017). Clinical Performance Assessment Tools in Physiotherapy Practice Education; A Systematic Review'. Physiotherapy. 104 (1): 46-53.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2017.01.005

Ross, C.A., Clifford, A., Louw, Q.A. (2017). Factors informing fear of reinjury after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Physiotherapy Theory And Practice. 33 (2): 103-114. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593985.2016.1271847