Dr Matthew Willett MSc, MMACP, BPHTY, HCPC, MCSP

Dr Matthew Willett

School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
Lecturer in Neuromusculoskeletal Physiotherapy

Contact details

Telephone
+44 (0)121 415 8591
Email
m.j.willett.1@bham.ac.uk
Address
School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Matthew Willett is a lecturer in physiotherapy with a research interest in pain mechanisms, sports medicine, and patient physical activity behaviours. He is the programme lead of the MSc Exercise and Sports Medicine (Football), and contributes to the musculoskeletal teaching across several post graduate programmes offered within the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences.

Qualifications

  • MSc Advanced Manipulative Physiotherapy, University of Birmingham, 2014
  • Member of Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists, 2012
  • Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, 2005
  • Registered with the Health Professions Council, 2005
  • Bachelor of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, New Zealand, 2003.

Biography

Matthew is a New Zealand trained physiotherapist with extensive musculoskeletal experience clinically, working with athletes in elite sport and pitch side, through to chronic pain patients and sedentary populations.

Matthew began lecturing part-time in 2011 and began teaching at the University of Birmingham in 2015. The teaches primarily on post graduate modules, including the MSc Exercise and Sports Medicine (Football), Advanced Manipulative Physiotherapy, and Pre-registration programmes.

Matthew is research active, with a specific interest in with a special interest in the physiological and psychosocial aspects of pain, sports medicine and systematic research methodology. Matthew’s Doctoral research focuses on Interventions that modify the Physical Activity behaviours of chronic pain patients.

Teaching

Postgraduate supervision

Matthew is interested in supervising MSc dissertation projects which fall within the following areas:

  • Psychosocial and neurophysiological aspects of pain syndromes, especially neuropathic and central sensitisation pain mechanisms
  • Interventions which optimise patient physical activity behaviours
  • Primary studies on sporting populations
  • Systematic review methodology.

Research

Research interests:

  • Neurophysiological and psychosocial aspects of pain.
  • Psychosocial interventions and their effects on the physical activity behaviours of patients.
  • Sports medicine.

Other activities

Matthew combines his teaching and research with clinical work as an extended scope practitioner specializing in triage, injection therapy, and the rehabilitation of sports injuries and chronic pain patients.

Publications

  • Willett, M., Siebertz, M. Petzke, F. Erlenwein, J. Rushton, A.B. Soldini, E. Barbero, M. Falla, D. (2019). The extent of pain is associated with signs of central sensitization in patients with hip osteoarthritis. Pain Practice.
  • Willett, M. Duda, J.D. Fenton, S. Greig, C. Rushton, A. (2019) Barriers and Facilitators to recommended physical activity in lower-limb osteoarthritis: Protocol for a qualitative study exploring patients and physiotherapist perspectives using the theoretical domains framework and behaviour change taxonomy. BMJ Open; 9: e029199. doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2019-029199.
  • Willett M, Duda J, Fenton S, Gautrey C, Greig C, Rushton A (2019). Effectiveness of behaviour change techniques in physiotherapy interventions to promote physical activity adherence in lower limb osteoarthritis patients: a systematic review. PlosOne. 14(7): e0219482.
  • Polgass, G. Burrows, A. Willett, M. (2019) Impact of a modified progressive Copenhagen adduction exercise programme on hip adduction strength and post exercise muscle soreness in professional footballers. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine; 5: e000570. doi:10.1136/ bmjsem-2019-000570.
  • Constantine, E. Taberner, M. Richter, C. Willett, M. Cohen, D.D. (2019) Isometric Posterior Chain Peak Force Recovery Response Following Match-Play in Elite Youth Soccer Players: Associations with Relative Posterior Chain Strength. Sports 2019, 7(10), 218; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7100218
  • Willett, M. Duda, J. Gautrey, C. Fenton, S. Greig, C. Rushton, A. (2017) Effectiveness of behavioural change techniques in physiotherapy interventions to promote physical activity adherence in patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review protocol. BMJ Open 7: e015833. doi: 015810.011136.

Willett, M. Duda, J. Gautrey, C. Fenton, S. Greig, C. Rushton, A. (2017) Effectiveness of behavioural change techniques in physiotherapy interventions to promote physical activity adherence in patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review protocol. BMJ Open.;7(6):e015833. doi: 10.1136.