University of South Australia Physiotherapy Clinic
t (08) 8302 2541
e physiotherapyclinic@unisa.edu.au
Location UniSA City East campus Level 8, Centenary Building (Room C8-40) Corner of North Terrace and Frome Road Adelaide SA 5000
Clinic hours Monday-Friday, 8:00am-3:30pm
Dr Walters is the Program Director for the Undergraduate and Graduate Entry Physiotherapy programs at UniSA. She is an alumna of both the University of South Australia and LaTrobe University, having completed a Bachelor (Hons) of Physiotherapy, Master of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy and PhD. Dr Walters has over 15 years of clinical and 10 years of academic experience in musculoskeletal physiotherapy.
Dr Walters' area of clinical focus is neck pain, headache and migraine, and she has completed advanced training in the use of manual therapy in their management. Her focus is on reducing pain and restoring quality of life and participation for those affected. Her research also focusses on headache and migraine, as well as health ... Read more
About me
Dr Walters is the Program Director for the Undergraduate and Graduate Entry Physiotherapy programs at UniSA. She is an alumna of both the University of South Australia and LaTrobe University, having completed a Bachelor (Hons) of Physiotherapy, Master of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy and PhD. Dr Walters has over 15 years of clinical and 10 years of academic experience in musculoskeletal physiotherapy.
Dr Walters' area of clinical focus is neck pain, headache and migraine, and she has completed advanced training in the use of manual therapy in their management. Her focus is on reducing pain and restoring quality of life and participation for those affected. Her research also focusses on headache and migraine, as well as health service provision, and issues relating to the LGBTQIA+ community.
Dr Walters is a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association Advisory Panel, and is UniSA's representative in the College of Physiotherapy Deans of Australia and New Zealand. She maintains a small clinical load at the University of South Australia City East Physiotherapy Clinic (https://www.unisa.edu.au/connect/community-clinics/physiotherapy-clinic/).
About me
Doctor of Philosophy (Health Sciences) University of South Australia
Bachelor of Physiotherapy with Honours University of South Australia
I have a clinical background in sports and musculoskeletal physiotherapy and worked for a number of private practices in Adelaide as well as for the South Australian Sports Institute. I have over 10 years of experience in musculoskeletal physiotherapy and have a special interest in helping people with headache.
In 2007, I commenced my PhD investigating barriers to patients receiving orthopaedic surgery in South Australian public hospitals, using critical systems theory to identify why patient's wait so so long. This research approach strongly feeds into the clinical reasoning framework used by physiotherapists.
I am currently the program director for the Entry Level (Bachelor and Graduate Entry Masters') Physiotherapy Programs here at UniSA, and still teach into the musculoskeletal components of both programs.
I currently have a number of ongoing projects related to headache and associated conditions:
1. Case study series with an international team of physiotherapists aiming to advocate for the role of manual therapy.
2. The Language of Migraine: What should migraine be called?
Words are important, especially when you’re talking about people and their health. Wherever we look, different words are used to describe what migraine is - ‘disease’, a ‘disorder of the nervous system’, ‘syndrome’, and people with migraine are called ‘sufferers’, ‘people affected by migraine, or ‘migraineurs’.
If you experience migraine and would like to be involved, please... Read more
Research
Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. To see earlier years visit ORCID, ResearcherID or Scopus
Open access indicates that an output is open access.
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2020 |
10
10
2
|
| 2019 |
20
21
12
|
| 2018 |
Open access
19
22
72
|
| 2016 |
Open access
73
39
28
|
| 2014 |
48
43
12
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2023 |
|
| 2021 |
Open access
1
1
3
|
| 2021 |
Open access
5
|
| 2020 |
10
10
2
|
| 2020 |
Open access
5
5
5
|
| 2019 |
20
21
12
|
| 2019 |
Open access
1
|
| 2018 |
Open access
19
22
72
|
| 2016 |
Open access
73
39
28
|
| 2016 |
Open access
19
17
11
|
| 2016 |
14
3
|
| 2014 |
48
43
12
|
| 2013 |
10
8
|
| 2013 |
Open access
5
3
|
| 2012 |
34
30
7
|
| 2012 |
Open access
20
19
1
|
| 2012 |
Open access
|
| 2012 |
Open access
5
4
1
|
| 2008 |
Walters, JL & Lange, BS 2008, 'Effect of a low-dye application of scotchcast soft cast on peak and mean plantar pressures in subjects with a navicular drop greater than 10 mm', Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. |
| 2008 |
Walters, JL, Lange, BS & Chipchase, L 2008, 'The journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association', Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. |
1.Blinding Strategies in Dry Needling Trials: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Braithwaite FA, Walters JL, Li LSK, Moseley GL, Williams MT, McEvoy MP. Phys Ther. 2019 Aug 2. pii: pzz111. doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzz111. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 31373369 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] Similar articles
2.Effectiveness and adequacy of blinding in the moderation of pain outcomes: Systematic review and meta-analyses of dry needling trials. Braithwaite FA, Walters JL, Li LSK, Moseley GL, Williams MT, McEvoy MP. PeerJ. 2018 Jul 31;6:e5318. doi: 10.7717/peerj.5318. eCollection 2018. PMID: 30083458 [PubMed] Free PMC Article Similar articles
Research
I currently have a number of ongoing projects related to headache and associated conditions:
1. Case study series with an international team of physiotherapists aiming to advocate for the role of manual therapy.
2. The Language of Migraine: What should migraine be called?
Words are important, especially when you’re talking about people and their health. Wherever we look, different words are used to describe what migraine is - ‘disease’, a ‘disorder of the nervous system’, ‘syndrome’, and people with migraine are called ‘sufferers’, ‘people affected by migraine, or ‘migraineurs’.
If you experience migraine and would like to be involved, please follow this link to survey monkey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3VCS5BG
3. Migraine: The Lived Experience
Too often is the experience migraine diminished into days absent from work, pain scores, symptom frequency, and need for medications. We want to hear your story, in your words. Below is a link to a short (less than 10 minutes), anonymous survey that asks for your migraine experience.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/39ZNJJF
4. The role of upper cervical afferent inputs in headache following mild traumatic brain injury
Student success is enhanced through strong peer and staff connections. I work closely with the Physiotherapy Student Society to help them strengthen networks across the four years of study and beyond.The Physiotherapy Student Society provides mentorship and support for students in each year of the degree, arranges social functions such as networking for first year students, organises pub crawls and the physiotherapy ball annually.
I am the convenor of the Physiotherapy Student Conference, held as the final event in the physiotherapy program. The conference showcases the skills and knowledge learned during the undergraduate and graduate entry courses to academics, peers and members of the wider physiotherapy community. This engagement provides an important opportunity to link with potential employers, demonstrate student research and strengthen within-cohort networks.
Strong advocacy is important for professional growth and progress, and requires close networks; these begin during undergraduate training. Participation in social and educational opportunities while studying is therefore important for your future.
External engagement & recognition
| Organisation | Country |
|---|---|
| Aim Therapy and Work Health Solutions | AUSTRALIA |
| James Cook University | AUSTRALIA |
| Physiotherapy Pilates Proactive | AUSTRALIA |
| Port Lincoln Health Services | AUSTRALIA |
| Repatriation General Hospital | AUSTRALIA |
| Royal Adelaide Hospital | AUSTRALIA |
| SA Health | AUSTRALIA |
| The Physio Clinic | AUSTRALIA |
| University of South Australia | AUSTRALIA |
External engagement & recognition
| Engagement/recognition | Year |
|---|---|
MPA committee memberAustralian Physiotherapy Association (APA) |
2018 |
MPA committee memberAustralian Physiotherapy Association (APA) |
2017 |
I aim to teach for mastery of skills and strive to provide a comfortable and efficient learning environment for students to acheive this.
My goal is for every student to develop and excel in their own approach to practice, and following graduation, to be critical, reflective and engaged clinicians who make an important contribution to the health of the community.
I primarily teach in the musculoskeletal physiotherapy discipline in the undergraduate and graduate entry, and postgraduate masters programs.
Teaching & student supervision
Teaching & student supervision
Supervisions from 2010 shown
| Thesis title | Student status |
|---|---|
| Blinding in physical intervention research: a sham development process incorporating the art of deception | Completed |
| Reliability of lower limb strength assessment and the running vertical jump test in female team sport athletes | Completed |
