Graduate (PhD) Student, KITE/Toronto Rehabilitation Institute
Supervisor: Dr. Avril Mansfield

Research Highlights
Impaired balance is one of the primary contributors to increased risk of falls post-stroke. To detect balance impairments and to develop a customized plan of care for every individual with stroke, standardized balance assessments should be incorporated into the clinical management of this population. Force plate-based balance measures have been frequently used in research and clinical practice; however, their measurement properties have not been comprehensively studied within the sub-acute phase of stroke recovery, when patients’ medical statuses change quickly. My research focuses on the standardized application of force plate-based balance measures in stroke. I am exploring the reliability and validity of these force plate-based balance measures, as well as their responsiveness to change. Understanding the specific balance problems affecting individuals with stroke through a standardized balance assessment will inform better rehabilitation practices.

Keywords: Balance, Neurorehabilitation, Postural Stability, Falls

What sparked your interest in science or in your specific research area?
As an internationally educated physiotherapist, I have always observed how research findings can change and improve the quality of clinical care, and ultimately, patients’ quality of life. This has always been one of the main factors that led me to pursue my education and enter research. It is so exciting when I think the research that I am conducting will eventually help clinicians in clinical decision-making in terms of designing effective treatments and examining patients.

What are your career aspirations or plans for post-training at UHN?
My plan is to start my postdoctoral research training after completing my PhD. I would love to teach and conduct research in neuroscience and neurorehabilitation-related topics. I believe that a postdoctoral fellowship is a necessary step that will help me prepare myself for entering the academic field as a confident and independent researcher and university professor.

Selected Scholarships:

1. 2019 – 2020: Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Student Scholarship ($2,000.00)
2. 2018 – 2019: Queen Elizabeth II/Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario Graduate Scholarships in Science and Technology ($15,000)
3. 2018 – 2019: Peterborough K.M. HUNTER Charitable Foundation Graduate Awards ($10,000)

Selected Publications:

Mansfield A., Schinkel-Ivy A., Danells C., Aqui A., Aryan R., Biasin L., DePaul V., Inness E. (2017). Does perturbation training prevent falls after discharge from stroke rehabilitation? A prospective cohort study with historical control. Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases. 26(10): 2174–80.

Collaborate: