معرفی
Amanda Clifford is Professor in Physiotherapy at the University of Limerick's School of Allied Health, where she also serves as a Member of both the Ageing Research Centre and the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre. Her academic career spans clinical practice, research leadership, and educational innovation in rehabilitation sciences.
Her research focuses on designing and evaluating interventions to optimize health and prevent falls in older people and those with Parkinson's disease, with particular emphasis on technology-enhanced rehabilitation and arts-based health interventions, especially music and dance therapies. She also investigates pedagogical approaches in higher education and lower limb injury management. Her work bridges clinical practice with academic research, maintaining strong connections to European collaborative networks.
Analysis of her recent publications reveals a clear trend toward community-based interventions for older adults, with increasing focus on intergenerational dance programs and technology-assisted rehabilitation. Her research output has grown substantially since 2011, with notable publications in 2024 demonstrating continued leadership in systematic reviews, feasibility trials, and scoping studies in rehabilitation science.
- BSc in Physiotherapy (1999)
- Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice (2006)
- PhD (2008)
- European patent 13195184.0-1654 for FLEXOR therapeutic device
Professor Clifford has served as Course Director for both the BSc and graduate entry MSc in Physiotherapy programs at UL. Her research is supported by international collaborations, including European networks ProFouND and E-NOFALLS, and she has published protocols for multi-centered trials registered with ClinicalTrials.gov. She previously served on the joint steering committee for the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP-AHA).
Her laboratory work centers on the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre, with ongoing projects examining community-based exercise for chronic pain management and music/dance interventions for older adults. Current research includes the ComEx Pain trial for older adults with musculoskeletal pain and studies on intergenerational dance programs' impact on health outcomes.
