Carmen Caeiro

Carmen Caeiro is a Professor and Coordinator in Physiotherapy at the Health School of Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal (IPS), where she leads the Physiotherapy undergraduate program and chairs the Scientific Council. She holds a PhD in Physiotherapy from the University of Brighton (UK) and has extensive postgraduate training in healthcare education, pain management, and medical humanities. Dr. Caeiro is a leading researcher in chronic pain (particularly low back pain and fibromyalgia), patient-centered care, and healthcare implementation science, coordinating projects like SPLIT and MyBack. She is an active member of the Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC) and has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications. Her work integrates qualitative research with clinical practice, emphasizing patient narratives and interdisciplinary approaches. Current projects include eHealth solutions for fibromyalgia self-management (Selfie Project) and behavior-change informed exercise programs for low back pain prevention.

• Education: PhD in Physiotherapy (2017), multiple postgraduate certificates in pain science, medical humanities, and healthcare education
• Research Focus: Chronic pain management, stratified care models, patient-clinician communication, and health humanities

Her research spans 15+ peer-reviewed articles/year since 2019, with recent emphasis on implementation barriers/facilitators for evidence-based physiotherapy programs. Notable collaborations include the University of Lisbon's SHARE project and FCT-funded studies on exercise adherence. Teaching innovations include narrative reasoning courses using arts/literature to develop empathetic clinical practice.