Dr Helen Oakes

I qualified as a Physiotherapist in 1997 from University College London and completed an MSc in Manipulative Physiotherapy in 2003 at the University of Brighton. Prior to starting at Canterbury Christ Church University I worked for East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust for 28 years in a variety of roles. For the last 14 years of clinical practice I worked as an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist specialising in spinal conditions and chronic pain. In 2024 I completed my PhD at Canterbury Christ Church University in Sport and Exercise Science. The title of my PhD was 'Development and feasibility of a swimming programme as a rehabilitation modality for people with chronic low back pain: A mixed methods project.' I have had a keen interest in research for many years; in the past alongside my NHS clinical work I have also worked as a research assistant and a clinical editor for a peer review journal. I am a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists.

I am module lead for the Human Science and Clinical Skills Assessment and Reasoning modules for the BSc Physiotherapy course. I also teach on the Physiotherapy Assessment and Reasoning and Person Centred Rehabilitation Planning module for the MSc Physiotherapy course. Whilst working as an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust I set up and led an MSK skills education programme, delivering education sessions to all bands of therapy staff alongside my Advanced Practice colleagues. I have supervised several NIHR funded Integrated Clinical Academic Programme students at the University of Kent.

Do you want to pursue a research degree? Are you interest in the field of chronic low back pain management or related topics? Then I would be pleased to hear from you. I am currently supervising one MSc and one PhD student.

My main area of research for the last 9 years has involved exploring swimming as a rehabilitation modality for people with chronic low back pain. During my PhD I undertook a mixed methods project exploring and developing a swimming programme for people with chronic low back pain. I have published three papers from my PhD and presented the findings at national and international conferences. My research helped inform a Swim England leaflet advising on 'Musculoskeletal Conditions and Swimming'. Since 2012 I have been awarded over £40,500 in research funding.

Publications

Oakes, H., Stephensen, D., Mills, H. and De Vivo, M. (2025) ‘Learning to swim with back pain: a qualitative study of swimmers with chronic low back pain’, International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 20(1), p.2474357.

Oakes, H., De Vivo, M., Stephensen, D. and Mills, H. (2024) ‘Survey of the Barriers, Enablers, and Preferences to Swimming for People With Chronic Low Back Pain’, The Journal of Aquatic Physical Therapy, 32(2), pp.16-24.

Oakes, H., de Vivo, M., Stephensen, D. and Mills, H. (2024) ‘The development of a swimming programme for people with chronic low back pain using a modified Delphi technique’, Physiotherapy, 123, p.e202.Oakes, H., de Vivo, M., Mills, H. and Stephensen, D. (2024) ‘Barriers, Enablers, and Preferences to Swimming for People with Chronic Low Back Pain’, Physiotherapy, 123, p.e28.

Oakes, H., De Vivo, M., Mills, H. and Stephensen, D. (2023) ‘Recommending swimming to people with low back pain: A scoping review’, Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 36, pp.274-281

Oakes, H., De Vivo, M., Stephensen, D. and Mill, H. (2021) ‘Managing flare ups: The experience of a group of swimmers with persistent low back pain’, Physiotherapy, 114, S1, e220-e221

Watts, C., Creasey, M., Oakes, H. and Relwani, J. (2021) ‘A physiotherapy led service improvement project for people attending the emergency department with traumatic anterior shoulder dislocations’, Physiotherapy, 113, S1, e112

Oakes, H., DeVivo, M., Mills, H. and Stephensen, D. (2020) ‘Do people with long-term pain swim? Understanding participation using the active lives survey’, Physiotherapy 113 supplement 1, E11

Oakes, H. and Bassett, P. (2015) ‘A comparative study investigating the effect of group acupuncture versus individual targeted acupuncture on reducing pain in individuals with low back pain’, Acupuncture in Physiotherapy, Autumn Edition, pp.37-48

Cairns, M. and Oakes, H. (2014) ‘Final report on the standardized data collection tool for the audit of acupuncture treatment for low back pain’, Journal of the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists, Spring, pp.65-70

Oakes, H. (2009) ‘Orthopaedic shoulder clinic diagnosis and treatment plan audit’, Clinical Governance: An International Journal, 14(2), pp.126-133

I review and edit information leaflets for the charity 'Arthritis UK', review abstracts for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy annual conference and peer review for several journals. I am a member of an interprofessional 'Aquatics Vision' group which is undertaking work to support people with health conditions access swimming, aquatic therapy and aquatic exercise.