Biography

Kieran graduated from University College Dublin in 1999. In 2004 he completed an MSc in Manipulative Therapy at Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia. In 2008 he was awarded specialist member status by the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists. He joined the University of Limerick in 2005. His research interests are musculoskeletal pain and injury, low back pain in particular. He completed his PhD on low back pain in 2012, funded by the Health Research Board. From 2016-2019, he moved to Qatar to head up a spinal pain centre at Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, a FIFA- and IOC-accredited centre. He returned to UL in 2019. He was awarded the 2021 President's award for research excellence and impact at UL. His research on LBP was chosen as an exemplar of research impact at UL (http://www.ul.ie/research/sites/default/files/Case-back-pain-web.pdf). He was nominated by the Faculty of Education and Health Sciences within UL for the 'Outstanding Early Career Researcher' award at UL in 2015. He has been short-listed on three occasions for the teaching excellence award at UL, and received a national ‘Teaching Hero' award in 2021. He is currently involved in several research projects relating to musculoskeletal pain, nationally and internationally. He is the Physiotherapy Lead within Allied Health, and Course Director for the (pre-registration) MSc in Physiotherapy.

Research Interests

Musculoskeletal pain and injury, in particular low back pain
Bio-psycho-social models of care for persistent pain

Professional Activities

Education

  • 2012 University of Limerick - PhD
  • 2012 University of Limerick - Postgraduate Certificate - Teaching & Learning in Higher Ed
  • 2004 Curtin University of Technology - M.Sc.
  • 1999 NUI, Dublin - BSc (Physiotherapy)

Award

  • 2008 - Specialist member status of the ISCP (Musculoskeletal)

Employment

  • 2005 University Of Limerick - Lecturer

Association

  • 2001 Member, Irish Society of Orthopaedic Medicine
  • 1999 *Member, Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists
  • 1999 *, New Zealand Society of Physiotherapists
  • 1999 Clinical Interest Group of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists, Chartered Physiotherapists in Manual Therapy

Peer Reviewed Journals

2023

Cognitive functional therapy with or without movement sensor biofeedback versus usual care for chronic, disabling low back pain (RESTORE): a randomised, controlled, three-arm, parallel group, phase 3, clinical trial

Kent P.;Haines T.;O'Sullivan P.;Smith A.;Campbell A.;Schutze R.;Attwell S.;Caneiro J.P.;Laird R.;O'Sullivan K.;McGregor A.;Hartvigsen J.;Lee D.C.A.;Vickery A.;Hancock M. (2023) Cognitive functional therapy with or without movement sensor biofeedback versus usual care for chronic, disabling low back pain (RESTORE): a randomised, controlled, three-arm, parallel group, phase 3, clinical trial. Lancet :1866-1877

2020

The importance of sleep in dance

O'Sullivan K.;Cahalan R.;Thomson B.L. (2020) The importance of sleep in dance. Complete Irish Dancer: Optimization Of Health And Performance In Irish Dancers :135-151

2020

Injury management, recovery and return

Cahalan R.;O'Sullivan K. (2020) Injury management, recovery and return. Complete Irish Dancer: Optimization Of Health And Performance In Irish Dancers :173-186

2019

"Sit Up Straight": Time to Re-evaluate.

Slater D;Korakakis V;O'Sullivan P;Nolan D;O'Sullivan K; (2019) "Sit Up Straight": Time to Re-evaluate.. The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy

2019

Physiotherapist perceptions of optimal sitting and standing posture

Korakakis, V;O'Sullivan, K;O'Sullivan, PB;Evagelinou, V;Sotiralis, Y;Sideris, A;Sakellariou, K;Karanasios, S;Giakas, G (2019) Physiotherapist perceptions of optimal sitting and standing posture. AMSTERDAM : ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV Musculoskeletal Science And Practice :24-31

2019

RESTORE-Cognitive functional therapy with or without movement sensor biofeedback versus usual care for chronic, disabling low back pain: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Kent P;O'Sullivan P;Smith A;Haines T;Campbell A;McGregor AH;Hartvigsen J;O'Sullivan K;Vickery A;Caneiro JP;Schütze R;Laird RA;Attwell S;Hancock M; (2019) RESTORE-Cognitive functional therapy with or without movement sensor biofeedback versus usual care for chronic, disabling low back pain: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.. BMJ open

2019

Training load and baseline characteristics associated with new injury/pain within an endurance sporting population: a prospective study

Johnston, Richard and Cahalan, Roisin and Bonnett, Laura and Maguire, Matthew and Nevill, Alan and Glasgow, Philip and O’Sullivan, Kieran and Comyns, Thomas (2019) Training load and baseline characteristics associated with new injury/pain within an endurance sporting population: a prospective study. International journal of sports physiology and performance :590-597

2018

An evaluation of two types of exercise classes, containing shoulder exercises or a combination of shoulder and thoracic exercises, for the treatment of nonspecific shoulder pain: A case series

Barrett, E;Conroy, C;Corcoran, M;Sullivan, KO;Purtill, H;Lewis, J;McCreesh, K (2018) An evaluation of two types of exercise classes, containing shoulder exercises or a combination of shoulder and thoracic exercises, for the treatment of nonspecific shoulder pain: A case series. PHILADELPHIA : HANLEY & BELFUS-ELSEVIER INC Journal Of Hand Therapy :301-307

2016

Comparative Effectiveness of Conservative Interventions for Nonspecific Chronic Spinal Pain: Physical, Behavioral/Psychologically Informed, or Combined? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

O'Keeffe, M,Purtill, H,Kennedy, N,Conneely, M,Hurley, J,O'Sullivan, P,Dankaerts, W,O'Sullivan, K (2016) Comparative Effectiveness of Conservative Interventions for Nonspecific Chronic Spinal Pain: Physical, Behavioral/Psychologically Informed, or Combined? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. The journal of pain : official journal of the American Pain Society :755-774

2016

Physiotherapists report improved understanding of and attitude toward the cognitive, psychological and social dimensions of chronic low back pain after Cognitive Functional Therapy training: a qualitative study

Synnott, A,O'Keeffe, M,Bunzli, S,Dankaerts, W,O'Sullivan, P,Robinson, K,O'Sullivan, K (2016) Physiotherapists report improved understanding of and attitude toward the cognitive, psychological and social dimensions of chronic low back pain after Cognitive Functional Therapy training: a qualitative study. Journal Of Physiotherapy :215-221

2016

Comparative effectiveness of conservative interventions for non-specific chronic spinal pain: Physical, behavioural/psychologically informed or combined? A systematic review and meta-analysis

O'Keeffe M, Purtill H, Kennedy N, Conneely M, Hurley J, O'Sullivan P, Dankaerts W, O'Sullivan K. (2016) Comparative effectiveness of conservative interventions for non-specific chronic spinal pain: Physical, behavioural/psychologically informed or combined? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal Of Pain

2015

Individualised cognitive functional therapy compared with a combined exercise and pain education class for patients with non-specific chronic low back pain: study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial

O'Keeffe, M,Purtill, H,Kennedy, N,O'Sullivan, P,Dankaerts, W,Tighe, A,Allworthy, L,Dolan, L,Bargary, N,O'Sullivan, K (2015) Individualised cognitive functional therapy compared with a combined exercise and pain education class for patients with non-specific chronic low back pain: study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial. BMJ open

2015

Individualised cognitive functional therapy compared with a combined exercise and pain education class for patients with non-specific chronic low back pain: study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

O'Keeffe, M., Purtill, H., Kennedy, N., O'Sullivan, P., Dankaerts, W., Tighe, A., Allworthy, L., Dolan, L., Bargary, N. and O'Sullivan, K. (2015) Individualised cognitive functional therapy compared with a combined exercise and pain education class for patients with non-specific chronic low back pain: study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial.. Bmj Openbmj Open :1-10

Books

This author has not written any publications of this type yet.

Book Chapters

2017

A cautionary tale.

O'Sullivan, K (2017) A cautionary tale.. : elsevier Brukner & Khan's Clinical Sports Medicine

Edited Books

This author has not written any publications of this type yet.

Other Journals

Conference Publications

2009

MACP Conference

O'Sullivan, K; Galleotti, L; Dankaerts, W; O'Sullivan, P; O'Sullivan, L (2009) MACP Conference. :S231-

2006

Emirates Physiotherapy Conference

Dr. Peter O Sullivan, Dr. Wim Dankaerts, Dr. Angus Burnett, Garreth Farrell,Evonne Jefford, Clare Naylor, Kieran O Sullivan (2006) Emirates Physiotherapy Conference. :N/A-N/A

2006

MACP conference

Mairead Conneely, Kieran O Sullivan, Dr. Stephen Edmondston (2006) MACP conference. :N/A-N/A

Conference Contributions

This author has not written any publications of this type yet.

Published Reports

Editorials

Book Reviews

This author has not written any publications of this type yet.

Other Publications

2009

An investigation of the activation of the subdivisions of gluteus medius during isometric hip contractions. Proceedings of the 27th International Society of biomechanics in Sports (ISBS) Conference, Limerick, Ireland. P878.

O'Dwyer, C; Sainsbury, D; O'Sullivan, K (2009) An investigation of the activation of the subdivisions of gluteus medius during isometric hip contractions. Proceedings of the 27th International Society of biomechanics in Sports (ISBS) Conference, Limerick, Ireland. P878..