Research Group

Health, Exercise and Active Lifestyle (HEAL)

Three men in red t-shirts running along a path

Healthy lives, for life

In an increasingly busy world, how can we encourage active lifestyles and improve health outcomes?

Our group has an established reputation in producing theoretical and applied research relating to health, exercise and activity. Our research examines what is happening now and investigates how we can inform and drive progress in health behaviours.

Particular areas we focus on include:

  • Paediatric health and fitness
  • Green exercise
  • Ageing including - physical activity for health, gait and falls prevention
  • Workplace health
  • Physiotherapy assessment, interventions and outcomes

Related courses

PhD Health and Physical Activity

PhD Health and Exercise Sciences

 

Our papers

2021

2020

2019

Our academics

Dr Jo Barton

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Research interests: Green Exercise – how our environment can shape behavioural choices and facilitate physical activity; physiological, psychological and biochemical effects of exercising in different environments, during and recovery from exercise; connection to nature across the whole life course pathway; evaluation of community nature-based health interventions targeting vulnerable groups.

Professor Andrew Bateman

School of Health and Social Care, University of Essex

Dr Aleksandra Birn-Jeffery

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Dr Andrew Brinkley

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Dr Henry Chung

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Dr Nicholas Clark

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Research interests: Knee and ankle injury control (prevention, acute care, rehabilitation) in agility-sport athletes; knee and ankle post-trauma osteoarthritis control (prevention, mitigation) in agility-sport athletes; sensorimotor control of functional joint stability (proprioception, neuromuscular control) and lower limb biomechanics; sex differences in sensorimotor control of joint stability and lower limb injury predisposition; injury control and human performance optimisation in the tactical athlete (military, police, emergency services).

 Jacalyn Clarke

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Research interests: Physiotherapy; exercise buddies and health promoters with community groups; living with long term conditions.

 Izzie Easton

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Research interests: Rehabilitation and health promotion in people living with chronic respiratory disease; Physiotherapy within and following admission to critical care; dog ownership and its impact on the health and welfare/wellbeing of both dogs and their owners.

Dr Paul Freeman

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Professor Jo Jackson

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Research interests: Older people, ageing and frailty; obesity; neurological rehabilitation; Physiotherapy education.

Dr Catherine Kerr

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Dr Bernard Liew

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Research interests: Musculoskeletal pain disorders; neuromechanics and motor control; statistical and machine learning; causal analysis.

Dr Ruth Lowry

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Research interests: Understanding the influence of the personal Social Support Networks on active living; promotion of active living for people living with dementia and their carers; the psychosocial benefits of rock drumming (Autism Spectrum Disorder and Dementia); the health and social benefits of involvement in Community Men’s Sheds; Community Health Intervention Evaluations (co-production).

Dr Adrian Mallows

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Research interests: Tendinopathy; therapeutic alliance; prognostics.

Dr Bradley Neal

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Dr James Pethick

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Research interests: Physical activity and ageing; motor control and functional activities.

Dr Anna Pettican

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Professor Gavin Sandercock

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Dr Matthew Taylor

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Research interests: Gait analysis; motion capture; ageing and biomechanics; functional movement biomechanics.

Dr Sally Waterworth

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Dr Carly Wood

School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex

Research interests: The role of exercise in modifying psychophysiological stress responses; Green Exercise for the prevention and treatment of ill-health; interventions for increase physical activity in children and young people.

How we started the green exercise revolution

Green exercise was born at the University of Essex 14 years ago. Our pioneering green exercise research has captured the interest of people around the world.

Find out more