Centre Co-director: Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabilitation Research
Professor Marietta van der Linden (MSc, PhD) is a Senior Research Fellow in the Dietetics, Nutrition & Biological Sciences, Physiotherapy, Podiatry & Radiography Division. She is also co-director of Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabilitation Research (CHEARR).
- Overview
- Research Interests
- Research Publications
- Funded Projects
- Teaching & Learning
I am Human Movement Scientist (Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam) by training and obtained my PhD in Bioengineering, University of Strathclyde. For the last 25 years I have been involved in applied research mostly related to assistive technology (e.g. Functional Electrical Stimulation) and physical activity & exercise (e.g. RaceRunning /Frame Running) for people living with long-term conditions such as cerebral palsy and Multiple Sclerosis. I am involved in supervision of PhD studies relevant to my research areas and act as both internal and external examiner for doctoral studies. I regularly review grant applications for both national and international grant bodies.
Since 2019 I am co-director of the Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabilitation Research.
Affiliations/Memberships to Other Organisations:
- Clinical Motion Analysis Society UK
Research/Knowledge Exchange Centre Membership:
-
- Full member of Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabilitation Research
Over the past 10 years, II have attracted research funding from different sources which includes commercial funding and funding from a range of international (La Fondation Mortrice), national (MS Society UK) and local (Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation, James and Grace Anderson trust fund) charities. Most recently, as part of a research group led by Kings College London, our MS research group is involved in a systematic review into the evidence of non-pharmacological interventions to treat fatigue in people with MS. Funded by the MS Society.
Active Research Interests:
- Multiple Sclerosis: Gait analysis, Functional Electrical Stimulation, Ankle Foot Orthosis, Exercise, fatigue and fatigability
- Cerebral Palsy: Gait analysis, Functional Electrical Stimulation, Ankle Foot Orthosis, Physical Activity, and Exercise, RaceRunning (BikeRunning), transition from paediatric to adult services
Research Methods:
- Instrumented gait analysis (3D gait analysis, electrogoniometry), accelerometry to assess daily physical activity
- Systematic review of evidence of psychometric properties of outcome measures of physical function
Research Grants & Contracts Funding:
ML van der Linden, F Coutts (QMU) , J Yirrell, J Herman (RHSC). Centre for Integrated Health Care Research, 2006 (one year) Orthotic management for children with cerebral palsy: tuning of the Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) foot wear combination using objective assessment aids. Amount: £14,280
LG Salisbury (Edinburgh University), J Shiels (Astley Ainslie Hospital), ML van der Linden (QMU) Centre for Integrated Health Care Research. 2006 (one year). An exploratory pilot study to investigate the clinical effect of functional electrical stimulation (FES) in the acute phase of in-patient stroke rehabilitation. Amount : £9,160
ML van der Linden, RW Nutton, F Wade, JF Keating (orthopaedic surgeons, Royal Infirmary Edinburgh), FJ Coutts, PA Roche (QMU) DePuy UK Ltd. 2007 (three years),
A randomised controlled trial to compare the functional outcome between the PFC Sigma fixed bearing Posterior Cruciate Ligament preserving implant with the PFC Sigma posterior stabilised mobile bearing implant. Randomised controlled trial to compare the speed of recovery and functional outcome following total knee replacement (TKR) using a Quadriceps Sparing (minimally invasive) approach to the knee against a standard medial parapatellar surgical exposure'. Prospective, double blind randomised controlled trial to compare an uncemented (Corail, DePuy) with a cemented (Exeter, Stryker) Total Knee Arthroplasty for displaced subcapital hip fractures.  £266,502
TH Mercer, ML van der Linden (QMU) J Hooper, P Cowan (NHS Lothian)Multiple Sclerosis Society, PhD studentship :2009- (three years). The effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) on walking performance, fatigue, activity of daily living (ADL) and quality of life in people with MS. £94,005.
ML van der Linden, TH Mercer  2009-(one year). The impacts of core stability exercise (Pilates) on posture, pain, function and quality of life in wheelchair-users with Multiple Sclerosis, a feasibility study.Amount £ 37,987
ML van der Linden, T Mercer (QMU), J Robb, A Richardson (NHS Lothian) La Fondation Mortrice (France) 2010 (one year) Title: The effects of a pragmatic, community-based, exercise therapy intervention on physical fitness, habitual physical activity, self-esteem and Quality of Life in young people with Cerebral Palsy. Amount: €35,000 (approx. £29,725)
ML van der Linden, T Mercer (QMU), J Robb, A Richardson (NHS Lothian). James and Grace Anderson Trust Fund.2010 (one year) The effects of a pragmatic, community-based, exercise therapy intervention on physical fitness, habitual physical activity, self-esteem and Quality of Life in young people with Cerebral Palsy. £29,147
ML van der Linden, Julie Hooper (NHS Lothian). Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation
2013 (one year) Provision of Functional Electrical Stimulation for people with MS who experience foot drop £7969
ML van der Linden, Mairi McCrae, Cathleen Hunter (NHS Lothian). Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation  2015 (one year) Physical Activity for young people with Cerebral Palsy. : £13,642.00
R Moss-Morris (King’s College London), T Mercer (QMU), ML van der Linden, S Thomas (University of Bournemouth), Claire White (King’s College London)MS Society (UK) : October 2015 (one year) Which treatments are effective for fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS): A systemic review with process and meta-analyses.  £79,964
I contribute to the teaching at QMU by supervising pre-reg and post reg MSc Physiotherapy
