GCU lecturer first MSK physio in Scotland to clinch NHS research fellowship

Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) lecturer Chris Clifford is delighted at becoming the first musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapist to be awarded an NHS Research Scotland (NRS) Career Researcher Fellowship.

The Physiotherapy Lecturer in the School of Health and Life Sciences’ Department Physiotherapy and Paramedicine said this will allow him to build on his recently completed PhD research into a common musculoskeletal condition.

Chris is a musculoskeletal physiotherapist who teaches two days a week at GCU and is a clinician with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for three days.

The three-year fellowship award will pay for Chris to spend one day a week researching pain at the side of the hip, termed as greater trochanteric syndrome or gluteal tendinopathy.

This condition predominantly affects middle-aged and older females. Over one-third of individuals continue to experience pain after one year, although the final study in Chris’ PhD found that this may be as high as 70%.

Pain associated with gluteal tendinopathy can affect a person’s ability to perform basic activities of daily living while also having a negative impact on sleep, work and participation in sport. Quality of life scores are similar to those with severe hip osteoarthritis.

Physiotherapy is currently the first-line treatment for this condition and exercise programmes which specifically target the gluteal tendons at the side of the hip are effective for 50-80% of individuals.

Chris said these figures highlight that a significant number of people are currently living with chronic pain and disability secondary to this condition and it is currently unclear why some do not improve with exercise.

He added: “Patients with gluteal tendinopathy often have certain clinical characteristics which may contribute to poorer treatment outcome. However, the prevalence of such characteristics including physical activity level, obesity, diabetes and mental health is frequently not reported.

“Participants in research trials are often grouped together and complete an identical exercise programme despite having very different characteristics. For the first time this study will attempt to demonstrate that subgroups exist for this condition, informing physiotherapists that there are different presentations which may also require alternative treatments to exercise.

“Although this study won’t provide definitive answers on treatment for this condition, we would expect the findings to inform future study design and randomised controlled trials which will be required to investigate the effectiveness of targeted treatment based on the subgroups we identify.

“The fellowship has been running since 2015 and I am the first musculoskeletal physio in Scotland to receive this award. This will allow me protected time as an independent researcher, investigating a condition that was the focus of my PhD, enabling to build on my previous work.”

The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) allocates £12.7million per annum to health boards through its NRS Researcher Support budget to pay for staff to conduct research. The aim is to strengthen the research culture in the NHS and to increase capacity in areas that are either aligned to research excellence, either locally or nationally, or areas where the potential exists to develop research.

Chris is part of the Research Centre for Health (ReaCH) team which makes a direct and significant contribution to Sustainable Development Goal 3 – good health and wellbeing – issued by the United Nations in 2015 as a blueprint for peace and prosperity across the planet.