Jacky Heemskerk

Jacky Heemskerk serves as a Lecturer and Researcher at Leiden University of Applied Sciences, where she is embedded within the Self-Management research group for Physiotherapy and Movement Care. With over 11 years of clinical experience in primary care physiotherapy, she now focuses on guiding student development while researching community-based movement solutions.

Her educational background includes:

• Physiotherapy training at Leiden University of Applied Sciences
• Master's degree in Manual Therapy at SOMT (Social Medicine), Amersfoort

Her research centers on creating movement-friendly living environments through urban design interventions. The flagship project 'Making Boskoop's city center Greener and Healthier Together' exemplifies her approach of transforming community spaces to naturally integrate physical activity into daily routines. This work bridges clinical physiotherapy with public health by examining how environmental modifications can promote preventative health behaviors.

As an educator, she emphasizes personal and professional student development within physiotherapy training. Her research group provides the institutional framework for investigating self-management strategies and movement care in real-world community contexts, particularly focusing on how urban environments influence physical activity patterns.