Measuring quality of movement
Lieke Dekkers, physical therapy lecturer and researcher in neurorehabilitation at HAN University of Applied Sciences, earned her PhD at Radboud University for her research: The art of observing the moving child.
Observable Movement Quality (OMQ) scale
Physiotherapists lacked a suitable, valid method for measuring quality of movement. During her PhD research, Lieke Dekkers determined the psychometric characteristics in the Observable Movement Quality (OMQ) scale, a scale developed in Radboudumc.
Thanks to this research, physical therapists now have access to a validated final product that can be used in the professional field and in education. The instrument allows physiotherapists to determine the quality of movement in children regardless of age or diagnosis.
Learning to observe movement
A second aim of the research was to establish how physical therapy students learn to observe movement and how to best facilitate this learning.
A qualitative study was conducted to determine educational design principles. This led to recommendations for developing a curriculum for learning to observe movement.
Download the PhD dissertation ‘The art of observing the moving child’ in pdf.
Link between education, practice and research
Lieke Dekkers: ‘We involved students in gathering the data for the project and also investigated how they learn. The research results are directly used in the Bachelor in Physical Therapy (Dutch-taught), Master in Neurorehabilitation and Innovation (Dutch-taught) and the Master in Paediatric Physical Therapy at Utrecht University of Applied Sciences’.
Knowledge and insights from the project contribute to improving units of study in allied health. When it comes to practice-based research, students and lecturers can:
- participate in scientific research themselves
- contribute to development, implementation and evaluation of research results
- in this way make a connection between research and practice
Lieke Dekkers
Due to the coronavirus, the PhD defense took place online during a video conference. The promotor, professor M. Nijhuis-van der Sanden, presented the certificate to Lieke Dekkers at her front door.
The PhD was supervised by:
Promotors: Prof. M. Nijhuis-van der Sanden and Prof. P. van der Wees, professors in Allied Health Sciences, a collaboration between the IQ healthcare and Rehabilitation departments at Radboudumc and HAN.
Co-promotors: Dr. A. Janssen, Dr. B. de Swart, HAN professor in Neurorehabilitation.
Lieke Dekkers received an NWO 2014 PhD grant for lecturers to fund the research project. She conducted the research in collaboration with Radboudumc, departments of Rehabilitation, Pediatric Pysical Therapy, IQ-Healthcare and the HAN Research Group in Neurorehabilitation.
