Chris Littlewood BHSc (Hons), MSc, Dip. MDT, FHEA

HEDS, ScHARR
The University of Sheffield
Regent Court
30 Regent Street
Sheffield
S1 4DA
UK

Office: 2030

Tel: (+44) (0)114 222 0888
Fax: (+44) (0)114 272 4095

E-mail: c.littlewood@sheffield.ac.uk

Biography

I joined ScHARR in 2011 and in August of that year was awarded a National Institute for Health Research Doctoral Research Fellowship. Prior to this I was employed as a Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy at Sheffield Hallam University. I have previously worked as a physiotherapist in the NHS and private sector.

I am currently undertaking a PhD relating to the assessment and management of rotator cuff disorders.

Research interests

To date my research has largely focused upon the assessment and management of lumbar spine and shoulder disorders. I have been involved in systematic reviews in these areas and maintain a keen interest in the development of systematic review methodology.

Teaching interests

My teaching interests lie in systematic review methods, mixed methods research and critical appraisal.

I currently co-supervise one PhD student, Thamer Altaim, who is working on measurement of outcome in the area of low back pain.

Professional activities

I am a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and also the McKenzie Institute Mechanical Diagnosis & Therapy Practitioners (MIMDTP) Clinical Interest Group. I am also a peer reviewer for the International Journal of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation, BMJ Open and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Current projects

• A mixed methods study to evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness of a self-managed exercise programme versus usual physiotherapy for chronic rotator cuff disorders: the SELF study.
• Self-managed loaded exercise versus usual physiotherapy for rotator cuff tendinopathy: a pilot study.
• Epidemiology of musculoskeletal shoulder disorders in the general population: a systematic review.
• Developing the SELF study: A patient and public involvement event.

Key publications

• Littlewood C, Ashton J, Mawson S, May S, Walters S (In Press). A mixed methods study to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a self-managed exercise programme versus usual physiotherapy for chronic rotator cuff disorders: protocol for the SELF study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders.
• Littlewood C (In Press). Contractile dysfunction of the shoulder (rotator cuff tendinopathy): an overview. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy.
• Littlewood C, Lowe A, Moore J (2012). Rotator cuff disorders: A survey of current UK physiotherapy practice. Shoulder & Elbow 4:64-71.
• Littlewood C, Chance-Larsen K, May S, Sturrock B (2011). Exercise for rotator cuff tendinopathy: A systematic review. Physiotherapy (doi:10.1016/j.physio.2011.08.002).
• Littlewood C, Chance-Larsen K, May S, Sturrock B (2011). The quality of reporting might not reflect the quality of the study: Implications for undertaking and appraising a systematic review. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy (In Press).
• Littlewood C (2011). The RCT means nothing to me! Manual Therapy 16:614-617.
• McLean S, Burton M, Bradley L, Littlewood C (2010). Interventions for enhancing adherence with physiotherapy: A systematic review. Manual Therapy 15(6):514-21.
• May S, Chance-Larsen K, Littlewood C, Lomas D, Saad M (2010). The reliability of physical examination tests used in assessment of shoulder patients – a systematic review. Physiotherapy 96(3):179-90.
• Littlewood C, May S (2007). Measurement of range of movement in the lumbar spine - what methods are valid? A systematic review. Physiotherapy 93(3):201-11.
• Littlewood C, May S, (2007). A Contractile Dysfunction of the Shoulder. Manual Therapy.12, p. 80-83.
• May S, Littlewood C, Bishop A (2006). Reliability of procedures used in the physical examination of non-specific low back pain: a systematic review. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy 52(2):91-102.